SiPM-matrix readout of two-phase argon detectors using electroluminescence in the visible and near infrared range

Abstract

Proportional electroluminescence (EL) in noble gases is used in two-phase detectors for dark matter searches to record (in the gas phase) the ionization signal induced by particle scattering in the liquid phase. The "standard" EL mechanism is considered to be due to noble gas excimer emission in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV). In addition, there are two alternative mechanisms, producing light in the visible and near infrared (NIR) ranges. The first is due to bremsstrahlung of electrons scattered on neutral atoms ("neutral bremsstrahlung", NBrS). The second, responsible for electron avalanche scintillation in the NIR at higher electric fields, is due to transitions between excited atomic states. In this work, we have for the first time demonstrated two alternative techniques of the optical readout of two-phase argon detectors, in the visible and NIR range, using a silicon photomultiplier matrix and electroluminescence due to either neutral bremsstrahlung or avalanche scintillation. The amplitude yield and position resolution were measured for these readout techniques, which allowed to assess the detection threshold for electron and nuclear recoils in two-phase argon detectors for dark matter searches. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical application of the NBrS effect in detection science.

arXiv comment26 pages, 22 figures, 3 tables

References in corpus (39)

• First Dark Matter Search Results from the XENON1T Experiment
• DarkSide-20k: A 20 Tonne Two-Phase LAr TPC for Direct Dark Matter Detection at LNGS
• Light Dark Matter Search with Ionization Signals in XENON1T
• Low-Mass Dark Matter Search with the DarkSide-50 Experiment
• The XENON100 Dark Matter Experiment
• First Results from the DarkSide-50 Dark Matter Experiment at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso
• DarkSide-50 532-day Dark Matter Search with Low-Radioactivity Argon
• A concise review on THGEM detectors
• Liquid noble gas detectors for low energy particle physics
• Characterization of Three High Efficiency and Blue Sensitive Silicon Photomultipliers
• Advances in Cryogenic Avalanche Detectors
• Cryogenic Characterization of FBK HD Near-UV Sensitive SiPMs
• Position Reconstruction in a Dual Phase Xenon Scintillation Detector
• A simulation toolkit for electroluminescence assessment in rare event experiments
• Thick GEM versus thin GEM in two-phase argon avalanche detectors
• Revealing neutral bremsstrahlung in two-phase argon electroluminescence
• First measurement of the ionization yield of nuclear recoils in liquid argon
• Direct observation of avalanche scintillations in a THGEM-based two-phase Ar avalanche detector using Geiger-mode APD
• Position Reconstruction in LUX
• Electroluminescence and electron avalanching in two-phase detectors
• Infrared scintillation yield in gaseous and liquid argon
• Tetraphenyl Butadiene Emanation and Bulk Fluorescence from Wavelength Shifting Coatings in Liquid Argon
• Cryogenic Characterization of FBK RGB-HD SiPMs
• First demonstration of THGEM/GAPD-matrix optical readout in two-phase Cryogenic Avalanche Detector in Ar
• Two-phase Cryogenic Avalanche Detectors with THGEM and hybrid THGEM/GEM multipliers operated in Ar and Ar+N2
• Geiger Mode APD performance in a cryogenic two-phase Ar avalanche detector based on THGEMs
• Two-phase Cryogenic Avalanche Detector with electroluminescence gap operated in argon doped with nitrogen
• The first dual-phase xenon TPC equipped with silicon photomultipliers and characterisation with ${}^{37}$Ar
• X-ray ionization yields and energy spectra in liquid argon
• Characterization of photo-multiplier tubes for the Cryogenic Avalanche Detector
• Performance of VUV-sensitive MPPC for Liquid Argon Scintillation Light
• Electron transport and electric field simulations in two-phase detectors with THGEM electrodes
• Neutral bremsstrahlung in two-phase argon electroluminescence: further studies and possible applications
• Characterization of protonated and deuterated Tetra-Phenyl Butadiene Film in a Polystyrene Matrix
• MPPC versus MRS APD in two-phase Cryogenic Avalanche Detectors
• Near-infrared scintillation of liquid argon
• Further studies of proportional electroluminescence in two-phase argon
• Observation of primary scintillations in the visible range in liquid argon doped with methane
• Study of infrared scintillations in gaseous and liquid argon - Part II: light yield and possible applications

Cited by in corpus (18)

• Review of Liquid Argon Detector Technologies in the Neutrino Sector
• Neutral Bremsstrahlung emission in xenon unveiled
• Neutral bremsstrahlung electroluminescence in noble liquids
• The Thick Gas Electron Multiplier and its derivatives: physics, technologies and applications
• Neutral bremsstrahlung and excimer electroluminescence in noble gases and its relevance to two-phase dark matter detectors
• Measurement of emission spectrum for gaseous argon electroluminescence in visible light region from 300 to 600 nm
• Development of very-thick transparent GEMs with wavelength-shifting capability for noble element TPCs
• Characterization of two SiPM arrays from Hamamatsu and Onsemi for liquid argon detector
• Puzzling time properties of proportional electroluminescence in two-phase argon detectors for dark matter searches
• DarkSide-20k: Next generation Direct Dark Matter searches with liquid Argon
• Study of visible-light emission in pure and methane-doped liquid argon
• A large facility for photosensors test at cryogenic temperature
• Characterization of Silicon Photomultiplier Photon Detection Efficiency at Liquid Nitrogen Temperature
• Unraveling the puzzle of slow components in gaseous argon of two-phase detectors for dark matter searches using Thick Gas Electron Multiplier
• Fermionic sub-GeV Dark Matter from evaporating Primordial Black Holes at DarkSide-50
• Electron transfer efficiency in liquid xenon across THGEM holes
• Performance of the ReD TPC, a novel double-phase LAr detector with Silicon Photomultiplier Readout
• Neutral Bremsstrahlung in TPCs