Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

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Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araujo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM et al (show 86 more authors) , Boxer, B, Bras, P, Burdin, S ORCID: 0000-0003-4831-4132, 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 ORCID: 0000-0002-9401-5304, 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, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J and Zhang, C (2020) Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector. PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 102 (9). 092004-.

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Abstract

Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Physical Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	07 Sep 2021 15:48
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2024 02:26
DOI:	10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004
Open Access URL:	https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10115930/
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3136256