PT Journal
AU Fernandes, LMP
   Freitas, EDC
   Ball, M
   Gomez-Cadenas, JJ
   Monteiro, CMB
   Yahlali, N
   Nygren, D
   dos Santos, JMF
TI Primary and secondary scintillation measurements in a Xenon Gas Proportional Scintillation Counter
SO Journal of Instrumentation
JI J. Instrum.
PY 2010
BP P09006 - 15pp
VL 5
DI 10.1088/1748-0221/5/09/P09006
LA English
DE Interaction of radiation with matter; Gaseous detectors; Photon detectors for UV; visible and IR photons (vacuum) (photomultipliers; HPDs; others)
AB 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 +/- 7 photons was obtained for 5.9 keV X-rays, corresponding to a mean energy of 72 +/- 6 eV to produce a primary scintillation photon in xenon.
ER