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Author NEXT Collaboration (Henriques, C.A.O. et al); Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Martinez-Vara, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N.
Title Neutral Bremsstrahlung Emission in Xenon Unveiled Type Journal Article
Year 2022 Publication Physical Review X Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. X
Volume (down) 12 Issue 2 Pages 021005 - 23pp
Keywords
Abstract We present evidence of non-excimer-based secondary scintillation in gaseous xenon, obtained using both the NEXT-White time projection chamber (TPC) and a dedicated setup. Detailed comparison with first-principle calculations allows us to assign this scintillation mechanism to neutral bremsstrahlung (NBrS), a process that is postulated to exist in xenon that has been largely overlooked. For photon emission below 1000 nm, the NBrS yield increases from about 10(-2) photon/e(-) cm(-1) bar(-1) at pressure-reduced electric field values of 50 V cm(-1) bar(-1) to above 3 x 10(-1) photon/e(-) cm(-1) bar(-1) at 500 V cm(-1) bar(-1). Above 1.5 kV cm(-1) bar(-1), values that are typically employed for electroluminescence, it is estimated that NBrS is present with an intensity around 1 photon/e(-) cm(-1) bar(-1), which is about 2 orders of magnitude lower than conventional, excimer-based electroluminescence. Despite being fainter than its excimeric counterpart, our calculations reveal that NBrS causes luminous backgrounds that can interfere, in either gas or liquid phase, with the ability to distinguish and/or to precisely measure low primary-scintillation signals (S1). In particular, we show this to be the case in the "buffer region, where keeping the electric field below the electroluminescence threshold does not suffice to extinguish secondary scintillation. The electric field leakage in this region should be mitigated to avoid intolerable levels of NBrS emission. Furthermore, we show that this new source of light emission opens up a viable path toward obtaining S2 signals for discrimination purposes in future single-phase liquid TPCs for neutrino and dark matter physics, with estimated yields up to 20-50 photons/e(-) cm(-1).
Address [Henriques, C. A. O.; Teixeira, J. M. R.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Fernandes, A. F. M.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; Freitas, E. D. C.; dos Santos, J. M. F.] Univ Coimbra, Dept Phys, ILIBPhys, Rua Larga, P-3004516 Coimbra, Portugal, Email: henriques@uc.pt;
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Amer Physical Soc Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2160-3308 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000792590100001 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 5220
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Author Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Ferrario, P.; Monrabal, F.; Rodriguez, J.; Toledo, J.F.
Title Investigation of the coincidence resolving time performance of a PET scanner based on liquid xenon: a Monte Carlo study Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.
Volume (down) 11 Issue Pages P09011 - 18pp
Keywords Gamma camera; SPECT; PET PET/CT; coronary CT angiography (CTA); Instrumentation and methods for time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy; Noble liquid detectors (scintillation ionization, double-phase); Scintillators; scintillation and light emission processes (solid, gas and liquid scintillators)
Abstract The measurement of the time of flight of the two 511 keV gammas recorded in coincidence in a PET scanner provides an effective way of reducing the random background and therefore increases the scanner sensitivity, provided that the coincidence resolving time (CRT) of the gammas is sufficiently good. The best commercial PET-TOF system today (based in LYSO crystals and digital SiPMs), is the VEREOS of Philips, boasting a CRT of 316 ps (FWHM). In this paper we present a Monte Carlo investigation of the CRT performance of a PET scanner exploiting the scintillating properties of liquid xenon. We find that an excellent CRT of 70 ps (depending on the PDE of the sensor) can be obtained if the scanner is instrumented with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) sensitive to the ultraviolet light emitted by xenon. Alternatively, a CRT of 160 ps can be obtained instrumenting the scanner with (much cheaper) blue-sensitive SiPMs coated with a suitable wavelength shifter. These results show the excellent time of flight capabilities of a PET device based in liquid xenon.
Address [Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M.; Ferrario, P.; Rodriguez, J.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Calle Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: paola.ferrario@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000387862300011 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2866
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Author NEXT Collaboration (Cebrian, S. et al); Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Querol, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Serra, L.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N.
Title Radiopurity assessment of the tracking readout for the NEXT double beta decay experiment Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.
Volume (down) 10 Issue Pages P05006 - 16pp
Keywords Radiation calculations; Time projection Chambers (TPC); Double-beta decay detectors; Particle tracking detectors (Gaseous detectors)
Abstract The “Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon Time-Projection Chamber” (NEXT) is intended to investigate the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136, which requires a severe suppression of potential backgrounds; therefore, an extensive screening and selection process is underway to control the radiopurity levels of the materials to be used in the experimental set-up of NEXT. The detector design combines the measurement of the topological signature of the event for background discrimination with the energy resolution optimization. Separate energy and tracking readout planes are based on different sensors: photomultiplier tubes for calorimetry and silicon multi-pixel photon counters for tracking. The design of a radiopure tracking plane, in direct contact with the gas detector medium, was specially challenging since the needed components like printed circuit boards, connectors, sensors or capacitors have typically, according to available information in databases and in the literature, activities too large for experiments requiring ultra-low background conditions. Here, the radiopurity assessment of tracking readout components based on gamma-ray spectroscopy using ultra-low background germanium detectors at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (Spain) is described. According to the obtained results, radiopure enough printed circuit boards made of kapton and copper, silicon photomultipliers and other required components, fulfilling the requirement of an overall background level in the region of interest of at most 8 x 10(-4) counts keV(-1) kg(-1) y(-1), have been identified.
Address [Cebrian, S.; Dafni, T.; Gonzalez-Diaz, D.; Herrera, D. C.; Irastorza, I. G.; Luzon, G.; Ortiz de Solorzano, A.; Villar, J. A.] Univ Zaragoza, Lab Fis Nucl & Astroparticulas, E-50009 Zaragoza, Spain, Email: scebrian@unizar.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000357993300038 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2305
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Author NEXT Collaboration (Serra, L. et al); Sorel, M.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Diaz, J.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Simon, A.; Yahlali, N.
Title An improved measurement of electron-ion recombination in high-pressure xenon gas Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.
Volume (down) 10 Issue Pages P03025 - 21pp
Keywords Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids; Double-beta decay detectors; Time projection chambers; Ionization and excitation processes
Abstract We report on results obtained with the NEXT-DEMO prototype of the NEXT-100 high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber (TPC), filled with pure xenon gas at 10 bar pressure and exposed to an alpha decay calibration source. Compared to our previous measurements with alpha particles, an upgraded detector and improved analysis techniques have been used. We measure event-by-event correlated fluctuations between ionization and scintillation due to electronion recombination in the gas, with correlation coefficients between -0.80 and -0.56 depending on the drift field conditions. By combining the two signals, we obtain a 2.8% FWHM energy resolution for 5.49 MeV alpha particles and a measurement of the optical gain of the electroluminescent TPC. The improved energy resolution also allows us to measure the specific activity of the radon in the gas due to natural impurities. Finally, we measure the average ratio of excited to ionized atoms produced in the xenon gas by alpha particles to be 0.561 +/- 0.045, translating into an average energy to produce a primary scintillation photon of W-ex = (39.2 +/- 3.2) eV.
Address [Serra, L.; Sorel, M.; Alvarez, V.; Carcel, S.; Cervera, A.; Diaz, J.; Ferrario, P.; Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Laing, A.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Lorca, D.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monserrate, M.; Munoz Vidal, J.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Simon, A.; Yahlali, N.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: luis.serra@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000357944500075 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2307
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Author NEXT Collaboration (Novella, P. et al); Palmeiro, B.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Alvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Botas, A.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Laing, A.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez, A.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Perez, J.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Yahlali, N.
Title Measurement of radon-induced backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment Type Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Journal of High Energy Physics Abbreviated Journal J. High Energy Phys.
Volume (down) 10 Issue 10 Pages 112 - 27pp
Keywords Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments)
Abstract The measurement of the internal Rn-222 activity in the NEXT-White detector during the so-called Run-II period with Xe-136-depleted xenon is discussed in detail, together with its implications for double beta decay searches in NEXT. The activity is measured through the alpha production rate induced in the fiducial volume by Rn-222 and its alpha-emitting progeny. The specific activity is measured to be (38.1 +/- 2.2 (stat.) +/- 5.9 (syst.)) mBq/m(3). Radon-induced electrons have also been characterized from the decay of the Bi-214 daughter ions plating out on the cathode of the time projection chamber. From our studies, we conclude that radon-induced backgrounds are sufficiently low to enable a successful NEXT-100 physics program, as the projected rate contribution should not exceed 0.1 counts/yr in the neutrinoless double beta decay sample.
Address [Hauptman, J.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: sorel@ific.uv.es
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Springer Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1029-8479 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes WOS:000448191500001 Approved no
Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes
Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 3779
Permanent link to this record