First results on light readout from the 1-ton ArDM liquid argon detector for dark matter searches

Abstract

ArDM-1t is the prototype for a next generation WIMP detector measuring both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from nuclear recoils in a 1-ton liquid argon target. The goal is to reach a minimum recoil energy of 30\,keVr to detect recoiling nuclei. In this paper we describe the experimental concept and present results on the light detection system, tested for the first time in ArDM on the surface at CERN. With a preliminary and incomplete set of PMTs, the light yield at zero electric field is found to be between 0.3-0.5 phe/keVee depending on the position within the detector volume, confirming our expectations based on smaller detector setups.

14 pages, 10 figures, v2 accepted for publication in JINST

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• The ArDM Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory: a ton-scale detector for Dark Matter Searches
• Observation of the Dependence of Scintillation from Nuclear Recoils in Liquid Argon on Drift Field
• Liquid Hole-Multipliers: A potential concept for large single-phase noble-liquid TPCs of rare events
• First observation of liquid-xenon proportional electroluminescence in THGEM holes
• Backgrounds and pulse shape discrimination in the ArDM liquid argon TPC
• The Thick Gas Electron Multiplier and its derivatives: physics, technologies and applications
• Status and New Ideas Regarding Liquid Argon Detectors
• Scintillation efficiency of liquid argon in low energy neutron-argon scattering
• Study of nuclear recoils in liquid argon with monoenergetic neutrons
• The science and technology of liquid argon detectors
• Random Energy Model with complex replica number, complex temperatures and classification of the string's phases
• Spin coating TPB film on acrylics and measurement of its wavelength shifting efficiency
• A New Analysis Method for WIMP searches with Dual-Phase Liquid Xe TPCs
• Transient thermal effects in solid noble gases as materials for the detection of Dark Matter
• Tests of PMT Signal Read-out of Liquid Argon Scintillation with a New Fast Waveform Digitizer
• GLACIER and related R&D