Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

D. S. Akerib; S. Alsum; H. M. Araújo; X. Bai; A. J. Bailey; J. Balajthy; P. Beltrame; A. Bernstein; T. P. Biesiadzinski; E. M. Boulton; P. Brás; D. Byram; M. C. Carmona-benitez; A. Currie; J. E. Cutter; T. J. R. Davison; A. Dobi; E. Druszkiewicz; B. N. Edwards; S. R. Fallon; A. Fan; S. Fiorucci; R. J. Gaitskell; J. Genovesi; C. Ghag; M. G. D. Gilchriese; S. J. Haselschwardt; S. A. Hertel; D. P. Hogan; M. Horn; D. Q. Huang; C. M. Ignarra; R. G. Jacobsen; W. Ji; K. Kamdin; K. Kazkaz; D. Khaitan; R. Knoche; B. G. Lenardo; K. T. Lesko; A. Lindote; M. I. Lopes; A. Manalaysay; R. L. Mannino; M. F. Marzioni; D. N. Mckinsey; D.-m. Mei; J. Mock; M. Moongweluwan; J. A. Morad; A. St. J. Murphy; C. Nehrkorn; H. N. Nelson; F. Neves; K. O’sullivan; K. C. Oliver-mallory; K. J. Palladino; E. K. Pease; C. Rhyne; S. Shaw; T. A. Shutt; C. Silva; M. Solmaz; V. N. Solovov; P. Sorensen; T. J. Sumner; M. Szydagis; B. P. Tennyson; P. A. Terman; D. R. Tiedt; W. H. To; M. Tripathi; L. Tvrznikova; U. Utku; S. Uvarov; V. Velan; J. R. Verbus; R. C. Webb; T. J. Whitis; M. S. Witherell; F. L. H. Wolfs; K. Yazdani

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

D. S. Akerib, S. Alsum, H. M. Araújo, X. Bai, A. J. Bailey, J. Balajthy, P. Beltrame, A. Bernstein, T. P. Biesiadzinski, E. M. Boulton, P. Brás, D. Byram, M. C. Carmona-benitez, A. Currie, J. E. Cutter, T. J. R. Davison, A. Dobi, E. Druszkiewicz, B. N. Edwards, S. R. FallonA. Fan, S. Fiorucci, R. J. Gaitskell, J. Genovesi, C. Ghag, M. G. D. Gilchriese, S. J. Haselschwardt, S. A. Hertel, D. P. Hogan, M. Horn, D. Q. Huang, C. M. Ignarra, R. G. Jacobsen, W. Ji, K. Kamdin, K. Kazkaz, D. Khaitan, R. Knoche, B. G. Lenardo, K. T. Lesko, A. Lindote, M. I. Lopes, A. Manalaysay, R. L. Mannino, M. F. Marzioni, D. N. Mckinsey, D.-m. Mei, J. Mock, M. Moongweluwan, J. A. Morad, A. St. J. Murphy, C. Nehrkorn, H. N. Nelson, F. Neves, K. O’sullivan, K. C. Oliver-mallory, K. J. Palladino, E. K. Pease, C. Rhyne, S. Shaw, T. A. Shutt, C. Silva, M. Solmaz, V. N. Solovov, P. Sorensen, T. J. Sumner, M. Szydagis, B. P. Tennyson, P. A. Terman, D. R. Tiedt, W. H. To, M. Tripathi, L. Tvrznikova, U. Utku, S. Uvarov, V. Velan, J. R. Verbus, R. C. Webb, T. J. Whitis, M. S. Witherell, F. L. H. Wolfs, K. Yazdani

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013–2016 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46 keV, and we make, to our knowledge, a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74 keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils.

Original language	English
Article number	112002
Number of pages	16
Journal	Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology
Volume	97
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002
Publication status	Published - 11 Jun 2018

Access to Document

10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

75948137 - accepted manuscript20180510_DP12053_LUXPSDv2_SubmittedToPRDAccepted author manuscript, 914 KB

https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

Cite this

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Carmona-benitez, M. C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., ... Yazdani, K. (2018). Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector. Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology, 97(11), Article 112002. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

@article{1d755a1fec374f9b86efbd5165bb10dd,

title = "Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector",

abstract = "Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013–2016 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46 keV, and we make, to our knowledge, a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74 keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils.",

author = "D. S. Akerib and S. Alsum and H. M. Ara{\'u}jo and X. Bai and A. J. Bailey and J. Balajthy and P. Beltrame and A. Bernstein and T. P. Biesiadzinski and E. M. Boulton and P. Br{\'a}s and D. Byram and M. C. Carmona-benitez and A. Currie and J. E. Cutter and T. J. R. Davison and A. Dobi and E. Druszkiewicz and B. N. Edwards and S. R. Fallon and A. Fan and S. Fiorucci and R. J. Gaitskell and J. Genovesi and C. Ghag and M. G. D. Gilchriese and S. J. Haselschwardt and S. A. Hertel and D. P. Hogan and M. Horn and D. Q. Huang and C. M. Ignarra and R. G. Jacobsen and W. Ji and K. Kamdin and K. Kazkaz and D. Khaitan and R. Knoche and B. G. Lenardo and K. T. Lesko and A. Lindote and M. I. Lopes and A. Manalaysay and R. L. Mannino and M. F. Marzioni and D. N. Mckinsey and D.-m. Mei and J. Mock and M. Moongweluwan and J. A. Morad and A. St. J. Murphy and C. Nehrkorn and H. N. Nelson and F. Neves and K. O{\textquoteright}sullivan and K. C. Oliver-mallory and K. J. Palladino and E. K. Pease and C. Rhyne and S. Shaw and T. A. Shutt and C. Silva and M. Solmaz and V. N. Solovov and P. Sorensen and T. J. Sumner and M. Szydagis and B. P. Tennyson and P. A. Terman and D. R. Tiedt and W. H. To and M. Tripathi and L. Tvrznikova and U. Utku and S. Uvarov and V. Velan and J. R. Verbus and R. C. Webb and T. J. Whitis and M. S. Witherell and F. L. H. Wolfs and K. Yazdani",

year = "2018",

month = jun,

day = "11",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002",

language = "English",

volume = "97",

journal = "Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology",

issn = "0556-2821",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "11",

}

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Carmona-benitez, MC, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, Mckinsey, DN, Mei, D, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’sullivan, K, Oliver-mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH & Yazdani, K 2018, 'Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector', Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology, vol. 97, no. 11, 112002. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

TY - JOUR

T1 - Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

AU - Akerib, D. S.

AU - Alsum, S.

AU - Araújo, H. M.

AU - Bai, X.

AU - Bailey, A. J.

AU - Balajthy, J.

AU - Beltrame, P.

AU - Bernstein, A.

AU - Biesiadzinski, T. P.

AU - Boulton, E. M.

AU - Brás, P.

AU - Byram, D.

AU - Carmona-benitez, M. C.

AU - Currie, A.

AU - Cutter, J. E.

AU - Davison, T. J. R.

AU - Dobi, A.

AU - Druszkiewicz, E.

AU - Edwards, B. N.

AU - Fallon, S. R.

AU - Fan, A.

AU - Fiorucci, S.

AU - Gaitskell, R. J.

AU - Genovesi, J.

AU - Ghag, C.

AU - Gilchriese, M. G. D.

AU - Haselschwardt, S. J.

AU - Hertel, S. A.

AU - Hogan, D. P.

AU - Horn, M.

AU - Huang, D. Q.

AU - Ignarra, C. M.

AU - Jacobsen, R. G.

AU - Ji, W.

AU - Kamdin, K.

AU - Kazkaz, K.

AU - Khaitan, D.

AU - Knoche, R.

AU - Lenardo, B. G.

AU - Lesko, K. T.

AU - Lindote, A.

AU - Lopes, M. I.

AU - Manalaysay, A.

AU - Mannino, R. L.

AU - Marzioni, M. F.

AU - Mckinsey, D. N.

AU - Mei, D.-m.

AU - Mock, J.

AU - Moongweluwan, M.

AU - Morad, J. A.

AU - Murphy, A. St. J.

AU - Nehrkorn, C.

AU - Nelson, H. N.

AU - Neves, F.

AU - O’sullivan, K.

AU - Oliver-mallory, K. C.

AU - Palladino, K. J.

AU - Pease, E. K.

AU - Rhyne, C.

AU - Shaw, S.

AU - Shutt, T. A.

AU - Silva, C.

AU - Solmaz, M.

AU - Solovov, V. N.

AU - Sorensen, P.

AU - Sumner, T. J.

AU - Szydagis, M.

AU - Tennyson, B. P.

AU - Terman, P. A.

AU - Tiedt, D. R.

AU - To, W. H.

AU - Tripathi, M.

AU - Tvrznikova, L.

AU - Utku, U.

AU - Uvarov, S.

AU - Velan, V.

AU - Verbus, J. R.

AU - Webb, R. C.

AU - Whitis, T. J.

AU - Witherell, M. S.

AU - Wolfs, F. L. H.

AU - Yazdani, K.

PY - 2018/6/11

Y1 - 2018/6/11

N2 - Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013–2016 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46 keV, and we make, to our knowledge, a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74 keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils.

AB - Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013–2016 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46 keV, and we make, to our knowledge, a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74 keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.97.112002

M3 - Article

SN - 0556-2821

VL - 97

JO - Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology

JF - Physical Review D, particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology

IS - 11

M1 - 112002

ER -

Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

Abstract / Description of output

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this