MiX: a position sensitive dual-phase liquid xenon detector

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The need for precise characterization of dual-phase xenon detectors has grown as the technology has matured into a state of high efficacy for rare event searches. The Michigan Xenon detector was constructed to study the microphysics of particle interactions in liquid xenon across a large energy range in an effort to probe aspects of radiation detection in liquid xenon. We report the design and performance of a small 3D position sensitive dual-phase liquid xenon time projection chamber with high light yield (L 122 y = 15.2 pe/keV at zero field), long electron lifetime (τ > 200 µs), and excellent energy resolution (σ /E = 1% for 1,333 keV gamma rays in a drift field of 200 V/cm). Liquid xenon time projection chambers with such high energy resolution may find applications not only in dark matter direct detection searches, but also in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments and other applications.

Signal yields, energy resolution, and recombination fluctuations in liquid xenon

“…The charge yield of the same 33.2 keV K-shell energy measured with a separate multiple-scatter analysis of LUX 127 Xe data produced the same result with similar levels of uncertainty [26]. The LUX energy resolution at energies below 250 keV compares favorably with previous measurements in large LXe TPCs [30] and is comparable to the resolution achieved by ZEPLIN-III [29] and by much smaller detectors [27,28]. Tables II and III First, the amount of S2 electroluminescence at energies greater than 500 keV is enough to exceed the maximum of the data acquisition (DAQ) digitization range for one FIG.…”

Reflectance dependence of polytetrafluoroethylene on thickness for xenon scintillation light

“…The xenon was subsequently purified [23] with a high-temperature zirconium SAES PS3-MT3-R-1 getter for about 24 hours. Periodic light yield data were recorded at a LXe temperature of (175 ± 0.2) K. Between measurements, the LXe level, measured using a concentric cylindrical capacitor [23] was reduced in steps of about 3 pF, which corresponded to a change in LXe level of about 8.1 mm. This process was continued until the floating disk rested either on the aperture of the PTFE connector at the bottom of the PTFE chamber (for geometry 1) or on the PMT window (for geometry 2).…”

A Global Analysis of Light and Charge Yields in Liquid Xenon

“…To compare with measurements in the literature, we calculate L y at F = F 0 (S n = S e = 1) and plot it against the measurements of L ef f used in the fit. In our calculations, we use n γ ( 57 Co)/122 keV = 63photons / keV, a value calculated using NEST in [6] and confirmed experimentally in several experiments [12] and the L ef f data are scaled to give absolute yields. The resulting L y as a function of incident energy is shown in Fig.…”

“…While other software exists to model ionization, scintillation, or recoil tracks, there is no comprehensive package that models both ionization and scintillation as a function of both energy and applied electric field. NEST can be used by the larger community to compare to new measurements and interpret experimental results [12][13][14][15].…”