DARk matter WImp search with liquid xenoN (DARWIN(2)) will be an experiment for the direct detection of dark matter using a multi-ton liquid xenon time projection chamber at its core. Its primary g ...

/pdf/darwin-towards-the-ultimate-dark-matter-detector-2xp1zbo9d7.pdf

DARWIN: towards the ultimate dark matter detector

In recent decades, several detector technologies have been developed with the quest to directly detect dark matter interactions and to test one of the most important unsolved questions in modern physics. The sensitivity of these experiments has improved with a tremendous speed due to a constant development of the detectors and analysis methods, proving uniquely suited devices to solve the dark matter puzzle, as all other discovery strategies can only indirectly infer its existence. Despite the overwhelming evidence for dark matter from cosmological indications at small and large scales, clear evidence for a particle explaining these observations remains absent. This review summarises the status of direct dark matter searches, focusing on the detector technologies used to directly detect a dark matter particle producing recoil energies in the keV energy scale. The phenomenological signal expectations, main background sources, statistical treatment of data and calibration strategies are discussed.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0954-3899/43/1/013001/pdf

Dark matter direct-detection experiments

This article reviews the progress made over the last 20 years in the development and applications of liquid xenon detectors in particle physics, astrophysics, and medical imaging experiments. A summary of the fundamental properties of liquid xenon as radiation detection medium, in light of the most current theoretical and experimental information is first provided. After an introduction of the different type of liquid xenon detectors, a review of past, current, and future experiments using liquid xenon to search for rare processes and to image radiation in space and in medicine is given. Each application is introduced with a survey of the underlying scientific motivation and experimental requirements before reviewing the basic characteristics and expected performance of each experiment. Within this decade it appears likely that large volume liquid xenon detectors operated in different modes will contribute to answering some of the most fundamental questions in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, fulfilling the most demanding detection challenges. From detectors based solely on liquid xenon (LXe) scintillation, such as in the MEG experiment for the search of the rare ''{mu}{yields}e{gamma}'' decay, currently the largest liquid xenon detector in operation, and in the XMASS experiment for dark matter detection, to the class ofmore » time projection chambers which exploit both scintillation and ionization of LXe, such as in the XENON dark matter search experiment and in the Enriched Xenon Observatory for neutrinoless double beta decay, unrivaled performance and important contributions to physics in the next few years are anticipated.« less

/pdf/liquid-xenon-detectors-for-particle-physics-and-astrophysics-5374ex693b.pdf

Liquid Xenon Detectors for Particle Physics and Astrophysics

We review the current status of liquid noble gas radiation detectors with energy threshold in the keV range, which are of interest for direct dark matter searches, measurement of coherent neutrino scattering and other low energy particle physics experiments. Emphasis is given to the operation principles and the most important instrumentation aspects of these detectors, principally of those operated in the double-phase mode. Recent technological advances and relevant developments in photon detection and charge readout are discussed in the context of their applicability to those experiments.

Liquid noble gas detectors for low energy particle physics

In the past decades, several detector technologies have been developed with the quest to directly detect dark matter interactions and to test one of the most important unsolved questions in modern physics. The sensitivity of these experiments has improved with a tremendous speed due to a constant development of the detectors and analysis methods, proving uniquely suited devices to solve the dark matter puzzle, as all other discovery strategies can only indirectly infer its existence. Despite the overwhelming evidence for dark matter from cosmological indications at small and large scales, a clear evidence for a particle explaining these observations remains absent. This review summarises the status of direct dark matter searches, focussing on the detector technologies used to directly detect a dark matter particle producing recoil energies in the keV energy scale. The phenomenological signal expectations, main background sources, statistical treatment of data and calibration strategies are discussed.

/pdf/dark-matter-direct-detection-experiments-3sin7l155s.pdf

Measurements were made of the average energy $W$ per ion pair formed in liquid xenon by internal-conversion electrons from $^{207}\mathrm{Bi}$. We observed voltage pulses resulting from electron collection either in liquid xenon or in a gaseous mixture of argon (95%) and methane (5%). The relative pulse heights for the two materials determine the ratio of the $W$ values. Using the known $W$ for the gaseous mixture, we obtained a liquid-xenon $W$ of 15.6 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.3 eV. This value is considerably smaller than the gas-phase values, 21.5 or 21.9 eV. For interpretation, we adapted Platzman's energy-balance equation to liquids, assuming a conduction-band picture. Theoretical values thus calculated agree well with experiment.

A. Nakamoto

Papers

Average energy expended per ion pair in liquid xenon

Ionization yield in xenon-doped liquid argon