Nuclear recoil energy scale in liquid xenon with application to the direct detection of dark matter

Abstract

We show for the first time that the quenching of electronic excitation from nuclear recoils in liquid xenon is well-described by Lindhard theory, if the nuclear recoil energy is reconstructed using the combined (scintillation and ionization) energy scale proposed by Shutt {\it et al.}. We argue for the adoption of this perspective in favor of the existing preference for reconstructing nuclear recoil energy solely from primary scintillation. We show that signal partitioning into scintillation and ionization is well-described by the Thomas-Imel box model. We discuss the implications for liquid xenon detectors aimed at the direct detection of dark matter.

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• Revisiting XENON100's Constraints (and Signals?) For Low-Mass Dark Matter
• An Effective Field Theory Analysis of the First LUX Dark Matter Search
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• A Comprehensive Study of Low-Energy Response for Xenon-Based Dark Matter Experiments
• The LUX Dark Matter Search -- Status Update
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• The Status of the Search for Low Mass WIMPs: 2013