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Register a new userDetection of liquid xenon scintillation light with a Silicon Photomultiplier
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E. Aprile
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We have studied the feasibility of a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) to detect liquid xenon (LXe) scintillation light. The SiPM was operated inside a small volume of pure LXe, at -95 degree Celsius, irradiated with an internal Am-241 alpha source. The gain of the SiPM at this temperature was estimated to be 1.8 x 10^6 with bias voltage at 52 V. Based on the geometry of the setup, the quantum efficiency of the SiPM was estimated to be 22% at the Xe wavelength of 178 nm. The low excess noise factor, high single photoelectron detection efficiency, and low bias voltage of SiPMs make them attractive alternative UV photon detection devices to photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for liquid xenon detectors, especially for experiments requiring a very low energy detection threshold, such as neutralino dark matter searches.
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Scintillation light from gamma ray irradiation in liquid xenon is detected by two Hamamatsu R9288 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) immersed in the liquid. UV light reflector material, PTFE, is used to optimize the light collection efficiency. The detector gives a high light yield of 6 photoelectron per keV (pe/keV), which allows efficient detection of the 122 keV gamma-ray line from Co-57, with a measured energy resolution of (8.8+/-0.6)% (sigma). The best achievable energy resolution, by removing the instrumental fluctuations, from liquid xenon scintillation light is estimated to be around 6-8% (sigma) for gamma-ray with energy between 662 keV and 122 keV.
Scintillation from noble gases is an important technique in particle physics including neutrino beam experiments, neutrino-less double beta-decay and dark matter searches. In liquid argon, the possibility of enhancing the light yield by the addition of a small quantity of xenon (doping at 10-1000 ppm) has been of particular interest. While the pathway for energy transfer between argon and xenon excimers is well known, the time-dependence of the process has not been fully studied in the context of a physics-based model. In this paper we present a model of the energy transfer process together with a fit to xenon-doped argon data. We have measured the diffusion limited rate constant as a function of xenon dopant. We find that the time dependence of the energy transfer is consistent with diffusion-limited reactions. Additionally, we find that commercially obtained argon can have a small xenon component (4 ppm). Our result will facilitate the use of xenon-doped liquid argon in future experiments.
Future tonne-scale liquefied noble gas detectors depend on efficient light detection in the VUV range. In the past years Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have emerged as a valid alternative to standard photomultiplier tubes or large area avalanche photodiodes. The next generation double beta decay experiment, nEXO, with a 5 tonne liquid xenon time projection chamber, will use SiPMs for detecting the $178,text{nm}$ xenon scintillation light, in order to achieve an energy resolution of $sigma / Q_{betabeta} = 1, %$. This paper presents recent measurements of the VUV-HD generation SiPMs from Fondazione Bruno Kessler in two complementary setups. It includes measurements of the photon detection efficiency with gaseous xenon scintillation light in a vacuum setup and dark measurements in a dry nitrogen gas setup. We report improved photon detection efficiency at $175,text{nm}$ compared to previous generation devices, that would meet the criteria of nEXO. Furthermore, we present the projected nEXO detector light collection and energy resolution that could be achieved by using these SiPMs.
Presented here are first tests of a Gaseous Photomultiplier based on a cascade of Thick GEM structures intended for gamma-ray position reconstruction in liquid Argon. The detector has a MgF$_2$ window, transparent to VUV light, and a CsI photocathode deposited on the first THGEM. A gain of $8cdot10^{5}$ per photoelectron and $sim100%$ photoelectron collection efficiency are measured at stable operation settings. The excellent position resolution capabilities of the detector (better than 100 $mu$m) at 100 kHz readout rate, is demonstrated at room temperature. Structural integrity tests of the detector and seals are successfully performed at cryogenic temperatures by immersing the detector in liquid Nitrogen, laying a good foundation for future operation tests in noble liquids.
Scintillation light produced in liquid xenon (LXe) by alpha particles, electrons and gamma-rays was detected with a large area avalanche photodiode (LAAPD) immersed in the liquid. The alpha scintillation yield was measured as a function of applied electric field. We estimate the quantum efficiency of the LAAPD to be 45%. The best energy resolution from the light measurement at zero electric field is 7.5%(sigma) for 976 keV internal conversion electrons from Bi-207 and 2.6%(sigma) for 5.5 MeV alpha particles from Am-241. The detector used for these measurements was also operated as a gridded ionization chamber to measure the charge yield. We confirm that using a LAAPD in LXe does not introduce impurities which inhibit the drifting of free electrons.
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