The ZEPLIN III Detector; Results from Surface Calibrations

Abstract

ZEPLIN-III is a direct dark-matter search instrument using liquid xenon as a target. Both the scintillation light and the ionisation charge are measured. The instrument has been built and it is currently being testing in a surface laboratory. We present results from some of the initial testing, including design thermal control system verification, photomultiplier calibration (including spectral measurements with 60 keV photons from 241 Am) and two-phase operation showing simultaneous measurement of scintillation and charge and position reconstruction.