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arXiv · 1009.2719

Primary and secondary scintillation measurements in a xenon Gas Proportional Scintillation Counter

L. M. P. Fernandes·E. D. C. Freitas·M. Ball·J. J. Gómez-Cadenas·C. M. B. Monteiro·N. Yahlali·D. Nygren·J. M. F. dos Santos
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Abstract

NEXT is a new experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay using a 100 kg radio-pure high-pressure gaseous xenon TPC. The detector requires excellent energy resolution, which can be achieved in a Xe TPC with electroluminescence readout. Hamamatsu R8520-06SEL photomultipliers are good candidates for the scintillation readout. The performance of this photomultiplier, used as VUV photosensor in a gas proportional scintillation counter, was investigated. Initial results for the detection of primary and secondary scintillation produced as a result of the interaction of 5.9 keV X-rays in gaseous xenon, at room temperature and at pressures up to 3 bar, are presented. An energy resolution of 8.0% was obtained for secondary scintillation produced by 5.9 keV X-rays. No significant variation of the primary scintillation was observed for different pressures (1, 2 and 3 bar) and for electric fields up to 0.8 V cm-1 torr-1 in the drift region, demonstrating negligible recombination luminescence. A primary scintillation yield of 81 \pm 7 photons was obtained for 5.9 keV X-rays, corresponding to a mean energy of 72 \pm 6 eV to produce a primary scintillation photon in xenon.

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L. M. P. Fernandes, E. D. C. Freitas, M. Ball, J. J. Gómez-Cadenas, C. M. B. Monteiro, N. Yahlali, D. Nygren, J. M. F. dos Santos. 2010-09-14. Primary and secondary scintillation measurements in a xenon Gas Proportional Scintillation Counter. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/5/09/p09006

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