MOTION, a liquid xenon time projection chamber platform for high voltage technologies in dark matter detectors

Abstract

The XLZD observatory is a next-generation experiment designed to search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) and other rare events using a 60-80 tonne liquid xenon time projection chamber (TPC). This detector aims to achieve sensitivity across the full WIMP parameter space down to the neutrino fog, establishing the ultimate sensitivity for this dark matter search paradigm. This unprecedented scale introduces substantial engineering challenges and pushes operation into largely unexplored regimes: the interplay between high-voltage (HV) systems, liquid xenon, and conducting materials in ultra-pure environments. To systematically investigate these challenges, we have built MOTION, a 70 kg LXe detector dedicated to understanding HV performance and electrostatic phenomena up to 200 kV (negative polarity). We describe the design and construction of the experimental infrastructure, including the cryogenic system, xenon purification and storage. MOTION enables controlled studies of dielectric breakdown in LXe, permitting systematic characterization of discharge mechanisms and their dependence on electrode geometry, surface condition, and applied voltage. The detector also facilitates investigations of field emission and photoemission from electrodes following various surface treatments, and provides a platform for validating the design of an HV feedthrough constructed from radiopure materials. The insights from these studies are essential for ensuring the operational stability, radiopurity, and scalability required for next-generation dark matter detectors.