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Showing papers by "D. J. Taylor published in 2021"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a machine learning technique based on ionization pulse shape was proposed to identify and reject low-energy electron background. But the technique is not suitable for low-mass detection.
Abstract: Author(s): Collaboration, LUX; Akerib, DS; Alsum, S; Araujo, HM; Bai, X; Balajthy, J; Bang, J; Baxter, A; Bernard, EP; Bernstein, A; Biesiadzinski, TP; Boulton, EM; Boxer, B; Bras, P; Burdin, S; Byram, D; Carmona-Benitez, MC; Chan, C; Cutter, JE; Viveiros, L de; Druszkiewicz, E; Fan, A; Fiorucci, S; Gaitskell, RJ; Ghag, C; Gilchriese, MGD; Gwilliam, C; Hall, CR; Haselschwardt, SJ; Hertel, SA; Hogan, DP; Horn, M; Huang, DQ; Ignarra, CM; Jacobsen, RG; Jahangir, O; Ji, W; Kamdin, K; Kazkaz, K; Khaitan, D; Korolkova, EV; Kravitz, S; Kudryavtsev, VA; Leason, E; Lenardo, BG; Lesko, KT; Liao, J; Lin, J; Lindote, A; Lopes, MI; Manalaysay, A; Mannino, RL; Marangou, N; McKinsey, DN; Mei, D-M; Morad, JA; Murphy, A St J; Naylor, A; Nehrkorn, C; Nelson, HN; Neves, F; Nilima, A; Oliver-Mallory, KC; Palladino, KJ; Rhyne, C; Riffard, Q; Rischbieter, GRC; Rossiter, P; Shaw, S; Shutt, TA; Silva, C; Solmaz, M; Solovov, VN; Sorensen, P; Sumner, TJ; Swanson, N; Szydagis, M; Taylor, DJ; Taylor, R; Taylor, WC; Tennyson, BP; Terman, PA; Tiedt, DR; To, WH; Tvrznikova, L | Abstract: This paper presents a novel technique for mitigating electrode backgrounds that limit the sensitivity of searches for low-mass dark matter (DM) using xenon time projection chambers. In the LUX detector, signatures of low-mass DM interactions would be very low energy ($\sim$keV) scatters in the active target that ionize only a few xenon atoms and seldom produce detectable scintillation signals. In this regime, extra precaution is required to reject a complex set of low-energy electron backgrounds that have long been observed in this class of detector. Noticing backgrounds from the wire grid electrodes near the top and bottom of the active target are particularly pernicious, we develop a machine learning technique based on ionization pulse shape to identify and reject these events. We demonstrate the technique can improve Poisson limits on low-mass DM interactions by a factor of $2$-$7$ with improvement depending heavily on the size of ionization signals. We use the technique on events in an effective $5$ tonne$\cdot$day exposure from LUX's 2013 science operation to place strong limits on low-mass DM particles with masses in the range $m_{\chi}\in0.15$-$10$ GeV. This machine learning technique is expected to be useful for near-future experiments, such as LZ and XENONnT, which hope to perform low-mass DM searches with the stringent background control necessary to make a discovery.

17 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Akerib et al. as discussed by the authors reported the results of a non-relativistic effective field theory (EFT) WIMP search analysis using LUX data.
Abstract: Author(s): Akerib, DS; Alsum, S; Araujo, HM; Bai, X; Balajthy, J; Bang, J; Baxter, A; Bernard, EP; Bernstein, A; Biesiadzinski, TP; Boulton, EM; Boxer, B; Bras, P; Burdin, S; Byram, D; Carmona-Benitez, MC; Chan, C; Cutter, JE; De Viveiros, L; Druszkiewicz, E; Fan, A; Fiorucci, S; Gaitskell, RJ; Ghag, C; Gilchriese, MGD; Gwilliam, C; Hall, CR; Haselschwardt, SJ; Hertel, SA; Hogan, DP; Horn, M; Huang, DQ; Ignarra, CM; Jacobsen, RG; Jahangir, O; Ji, W; Kamdin, K; Kazkaz, K; Khaitan, D; Korolkova, EV; Kravitz, S; Kudryavtsev, VA; Leason, E; Lenardo, BG; Lesko, KT; Liao, J; Lin, J; Lindote, A; Lopes, MI; Manalaysay, A; Mannino, RL; Marangou, N; McKinsey, DN; Mei, DM; Morad, JA; Murphy, ASJ; Naylor, A; Nehrkorn, C; Nelson, HN; Neves, F; Nilima, A; Oliver-Mallory, KC; Palladino, KJ; Rhyne, C; Riffard, Q; Rischbieter, GRC; Rossiter, P; Shaw, S; Shutt, TA; Silva, C; Solmaz, M; Solovov, VN; Sorensen, P; Sumner, TJ; Swanson, N; Szydagis, M; Taylor, DJ; Taylor, R; Taylor, WC; Tennyson, BP; Terman, PA; Tiedt, DR; To, WH; Tvrznikova, L; Utku, U | Abstract: We report here the results of a nonrelativistic effective field theory (EFT) WIMP search analysis using LUX data. We build upon previous LUX analyses by extending the search window to include nuclear recoil energies up to ∼180 keVnr, requiring a reassessment of data quality criteria and background models. In order to use an unbinned profile likelihood statistical framework, the development of new analysis techniques to account for higher-energy backgrounds was required. With a 3.14×104 kg·day exposure using data collected between 2014 and 2016, we find our data is compatible with the background expectation and set 90% C.L. exclusion limits on nonrelativistic EFT WIMP-nucleon couplings, improving upon previous LUX results and providing constraints on a EFT WIMP interactions using the {neutron,proton} interaction basis. Additionally, we report exclusion limits on inelastic EFT WIMP-isoscalar recoils that are competitive and world-leading for several interaction operators.

5 citations