Proposed low-energy absolute calibration of nuclear recoils in a dual-phase noble element TPC using D-D neutron scattering kinematics

J. R. Verbus; C. A. Rhyne; D. C. Malling; M. Genecov; S. Ghosh; A. G. Moskowitz; S. Chan; J. J. Chapman; L. de Viveiros; C. H. Faham; S. Fiorucci; D. Q. Huang; M. Pangilinan; W. C. Taylor; R. J. Gaitskell

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2017.01.053

arXiv · 1608.05309

Proposed low-energy absolute calibration of nuclear recoils in a dual-phase noble element TPC using D-D neutron scattering kinematics

J. R. Verbus·C. A. Rhyne·D. C. Malling·M. Genecov·S. Ghosh·A. G. Moskowitz·S. Chan·J. J. Chapman·L. de Viveiros·C. H. Faham·S. Fiorucci·D. Q. Huang·M. Pangilinan·W. C. Taylor·R. J. Gaitskell

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Abstract

We propose a new technique for the calibration of nuclear recoils in large noble element dual-phase time projection chambers used to search for WIMP dark matter in the local galactic halo. This technique provides an $\textit{in situ}$ measurement of the low-energy nuclear recoil response of the target media using the measured scattering angle between multiple neutron interactions within the detector volume. The low-energy reach and reduced systematics of this calibration have particular significance for the low-mass WIMP sensitivity of several leading dark matter experiments. Multiple strategies for improving this calibration technique are discussed, including the creation of a new type of quasi-monoenergetic 272 keV neutron source. We report results from a time-of-flight based measurement of the neutron energy spectrum produced by an Adelphi Technology, Inc. DD108 neutron generator, confirming its suitability for the proposed nuclear recoil calibration.

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J. R. Verbus, C. A. Rhyne, D. C. Malling, M. Genecov, S. Ghosh, A. G. Moskowitz, S. Chan, J. J. Chapman, L. de Viveiros, C. H. Faham, S. Fiorucci, D. Q. Huang, M. Pangilinan, W. C. Taylor, R. J. Gaitskell. 2016-08-18. Proposed low-energy absolute calibration of nuclear recoils in a dual-phase noble element TPC using D-D neutron scattering kinematics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.01.053

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