First operation and drift field performance of a large area double phase LAr Electron Multiplier Time Projection Chamber with an immersed Greinacher high-voltage multiplier

Abstract

We have operated a liquid-argon large-electron-multiplier time-projection chamber (LAr LEM-TPC) with a large active area of 76 $\times$ 40 cm${}^2$ and a drift length of 60 cm. This setup represents the largest chamber ever achieved with this novel detector concept. The chamber is equipped with an immersed built-in cryogenic Greinacher multi-stage high-voltage (HV) multiplier, which, when subjected to an external AC HV of $\sim$1 kV${}_{\mathrm{pp}}$, statically charges up to a voltage a factor of $\sim$30 higher inside the LAr vessel, creating a uniform drift field of $\sim$0.5 kV/cm over the full drift length. This large LAr LEM-TPC was brought into successful operation in the double-phase (liquid-vapor) operation mode and tested during a period of $\sim$1 month, recording impressive three-dimensional images of very high-quality from cosmic particles traversing or interacting in the sensitive volume. The double phase readout and HV systems achieved stable operation in cryogenic conditions demonstrating their good characteristics, which particularly suit applications for next-generation giant-scale LAr-TPCs.

26 pages, 19 figures

References in corpus (11)

• Underground Neutrino Detectors for Particle and Astroparticle Science: the Giant Liquid Argon Charge Imaging ExpeRiment (GLACIER)
• First Measurements of Inclusive Muon Neutrino Charged Current Differential Cross Sections on Argon
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• First operation of a double phase LAr Large Electron Multiplier Time Projection Chamber with a two-dimensional projective readout anode
• ArDM: a ton-scale LAr detector for direct Dark Matter searches
• Operation of a double-phase pure argon Large Electron Multiplier Time Projection Chamber: comparison of single and double phase operation
• Development of wavelength shifter coated reflectors for the ArDM argon dark matter detector
• Demonstration and Comparison of Operation of Photomultiplier Tubes at Liquid Argon Temperature
• Feasibility of high-voltage systems for a very long drift in liquid argon TPCs
• A tagged low-momentum kaon test-beam exposure with a 250L LAr TPC (J-PARC T32)

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Optical Readout of a Two Phase Liquid Argon TPC using CCD Camera and THGEMs
• Experimental study of electric breakdowns in liquid argon at centimeter scale
• First operation and performance of a 200 lt double phase LAr LEM-TPC with a 40x76 cm^2 readout
• Status and New Ideas Regarding Liquid Argon Detectors
• The Thick Gas Electron Multiplier and its derivatives: physics, technologies and applications
• Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Research and Development in the United States
• Summary of the Second Workshop on Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Research and Development in the United States
• First Demonstration of Imaging Cosmic Muons in a Two-Phase Liquid Argon TPC using an EMCCD Camera and a THGEM
• Design and performance of a 35-ton liquid argon time projection chamber as a prototype for future very large detectors
• Future liquid Argon detectors