Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

D. S. Akerib; S. Alsum; H. M. Araújo; X. Bai; J. Balajthy; A. Baxter; E. P. Bernard; A. Bernstein; T. P. Biesiadzinski; E. M. Boulton; B. Boxer; P. Brás; S. Burdin; D. Byram; M. C. Carmona-Benitez; C. Chan; J. E. Cutter; L. De Viveiros; E. Druszkiewicz; A. Fan; S. Fiorucci; R. J. Gaitskell; C. Ghag; M. G.D. Gilchriese; C. Gwilliam; C. R. Hall; S. J. Haselschwardt; S. A. Hertel; D. P. Hogan; M. Horn; D. Q. Huang; C. M. Ignarra; R. G. Jacobsen; O. Jahangir; W. Ji; K. Kamdin; K. Kazkaz; D. Khaitan; E. V. Korolkova; S. Kravitz; V. A. Kudryavtsev; E. Leason; B. G. Lenardo; K. T. Lesko; J. Liao; J. Lin; A. Lindote; M. I. Lopes; A. Manalaysay; R. L. Mannino; N. Marangou; D. N. McKinsey; D. M. Mei; M. Moongweluwan; J. A. Morad; A. St J. Murphy; A. Naylor; C. Nehrkorn; H. N. Nelson; F. Neves; A. Nilima; K. C. Oliver-Mallory; K. J. Palladino; E. K. Pease; Q. Riffard; G. R.C. Rischbieter; C. Rhyne; P. Rossiter; S. Shaw; T. A. Shutt; C. Silva; M. Solmaz; V. N. Solovov; P. Sorensen; T. J. Sumner; M. Szydagis; D. J. Taylor; R. Taylor; W. C. Taylor; B. P. Tennyson; P. A. Terman; D. R. Tiedt; W. H. To; L. Tvrznikova; U. Utku; S. Uvarov; A. Vacheret; V. Velan; R. C. Webb; J. T. White; T. J. Whitis; M. S. Witherell; F. L.H. Wolfs; D. Woodward; J. Xu; C. Zhang

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

D. S. Akerib, S. Alsum, H. M. Araújo, X. Bai, J. Balajthy, A. Baxter, E. P. Bernard, A. Bernstein, T. P. Biesiadzinski, E. M. Boulton, B. Boxer, P. Brás, S. Burdin, D. Byram, M. C. Carmona-Benitez, C. Chan, J. E. Cutter, L. De Viveiros, E. Druszkiewicz, A. FanS. Fiorucci, R. J. Gaitskell, C. Ghag, M. G.D. Gilchriese, C. Gwilliam, C. R. Hall, S. J. Haselschwardt, S. A. Hertel, D. P. Hogan, M. Horn, D. Q. Huang, C. M. Ignarra, R. G. Jacobsen, O. Jahangir, W. Ji, K. Kamdin, K. Kazkaz, D. Khaitan, E. V. Korolkova, S. Kravitz, V. A. Kudryavtsev, E. Leason, B. G. Lenardo, K. T. Lesko, J. Liao, J. Lin, A. Lindote, M. I. Lopes, A. Manalaysay, R. L. Mannino, N. Marangou, D. N. McKinsey, D. M. Mei, M. Moongweluwan, J. A. Morad, A. St J. Murphy, A. Naylor, C. Nehrkorn, H. N. Nelson, F. Neves, A. Nilima, K. C. Oliver-Mallory, K. J. Palladino, E. K. Pease, Q. Riffard, G. R.C. Rischbieter, C. Rhyne, P. Rossiter, S. Shaw, T. A. Shutt, C. Silva, M. Solmaz, V. N. Solovov, P. Sorensen, T. J. Sumner, M. Szydagis, D. J. Taylor, R. Taylor, W. C. Taylor, B. P. Tennyson, P. A. Terman, D. R. Tiedt, W. H. To, L. Tvrznikova, U. Utku, S. Uvarov, A. Vacheret, V. Velan, R. C. Webb, J. T. White, T. J. Whitis, M. S. Witherell, F. L.H. Wolfs, D. Woodward, J. Xu, C. Zhang

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21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	092004
Journal	Physical Review D
Volume	102
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004
State	Published - Nov 10 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

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Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Baxter, A., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., De Viveiros, L., Druszkiewicz, E., ... Zhang, C. (2020). Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector. Physical Review D, 102(9), [092004]. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

@article{d8f33071503644a5955cc4bb4ca2e3b7,

title = "Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector",

abstract = "Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.",

author = "Akerib, {D. S.} and S. Alsum and Ara{\'u}jo, {H. M.} and X. Bai and J. Balajthy and A. Baxter and Bernard, {E. P.} and A. Bernstein and Biesiadzinski, {T. P.} and Boulton, {E. M.} and B. Boxer and P. Br{\'a}s and S. Burdin and D. Byram and Carmona-Benitez, {M. C.} and C. Chan and Cutter, {J. E.} and {De Viveiros}, L. and E. Druszkiewicz and A. Fan and S. Fiorucci and Gaitskell, {R. J.} and C. Ghag and Gilchriese, {M. G.D.} and C. Gwilliam and Hall, {C. R.} and Haselschwardt, {S. J.} and Hertel, {S. A.} and Hogan, {D. P.} and M. Horn and Huang, {D. Q.} and Ignarra, {C. M.} and Jacobsen, {R. G.} and O. Jahangir and W. Ji and K. Kamdin and K. Kazkaz and D. Khaitan and Korolkova, {E. V.} and S. Kravitz and Kudryavtsev, {V. A.} and E. Leason and Lenardo, {B. G.} and Lesko, {K. T.} and J. Liao and J. Lin and A. Lindote and Lopes, {M. I.} and A. Manalaysay and Mannino, {R. L.} and N. Marangou and McKinsey, {D. N.} and Mei, {D. M.} and M. Moongweluwan and Morad, {J. A.} and Murphy, {A. St J.} and A. Naylor and C. Nehrkorn and Nelson, {H. N.} and F. Neves and A. Nilima and Oliver-Mallory, {K. C.} and Palladino, {K. J.} and Pease, {E. K.} and Q. Riffard and Rischbieter, {G. R.C.} and C. Rhyne and P. Rossiter and S. Shaw and Shutt, {T. A.} and C. Silva and M. Solmaz and Solovov, {V. N.} and P. Sorensen and Sumner, {T. J.} and M. Szydagis and Taylor, {D. J.} and R. Taylor and Taylor, {W. C.} and Tennyson, {B. P.} and Terman, {P. A.} and Tiedt, {D. R.} and To, {W. H.} and L. Tvrznikova and U. Utku and S. Uvarov and A. Vacheret and V. Velan and Webb, {R. C.} and White, {J. T.} and Whitis, {T. J.} and Witherell, {M. S.} and Wolfs, {F. L.H.} and D. Woodward and J. Xu and C. Zhang",

note = "Funding Information: This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Awards No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-AC05-06OR23100, No. DE-AC52-07NA27344, No. DE-FG01-91ER40618, No. DE-FG02-08ER41549, No. DE-FG02-11ER41738, No. DE-FG02-91ER40674, No. DE-FG02-91ER40688, No. DE-FG02-95ER40917, No. DE-NA0000979, No. DE-SC0006605, No. DE-SC0010010, No. DE-SC0015535, and No. DE-SC0019066; the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grants No. PHY-0750671, No. PHY-0801536, No. PHY-1003660, No. PHY-1004661, No. PHY-1102470, No. PHY-1312561, No. PHY-1347449, No. PHY-1505868, and No. PHY-1636738; the Research Corporation Grant No. RA0350; the Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED); and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Laborat{\'o}rio de Instrumenta{\c c}{\~a}o e F{\'i}sica Experimental de Part{\'i}culas (LIP)-Coimbra acknowledges funding from Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Project-Grant No. PTDC/FIS-NUC/1525/2014. Imperial College and Brown University thank the United Kingdom Royal Society for travel funds under the International Exchange Scheme (IE120804). The United Kingdom groups acknowledge institutional support from Imperial College London, University College London and Edinburgh University, and from the Science & Technology Facilities Council for Ph.D. studentships R504737 (E. L.), M126369B (N. M.), P006795 (A. N.), T93036D (R. T.) and N50449X (U. U.). This work was partially enabled by the University College London (UCL) Cosmoparticle Initiative. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with Registration No. SC005336. This research was conducted using computational resources and services at the Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, and also the Yale Science Research Software Core. We gratefully acknowledge the logistical and technical support and the access to laboratory infrastructure provided to us by SURF and its personnel at Lead, South Dakota. SURF was developed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, with an important philanthropic donation from T. Denny Sanford. SURF is a federally sponsored research facility under Award No. DE-SC0020216. J. Xu is partially supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics under Work Proposals No. SCW1676 and No. SCW1077 awarded to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. Funding Information: This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Awards No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-AC05-06OR23100, No. DE-AC52-07NA27344, No. DE-FG01-91ER40618, No. DE-FG02-08ER41549, No. DE-FG02-11ER41738, No. DE-FG02-91ER40674, No. DE-FG02-91ER40688, No. DE-FG02-95ER40917, No. DE-NA0000979, No. DE-SC0006605, No. DE-SC0010010, No. DE-SC0015535, and No. DE-SC0019066; the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grants No. PHY-0750671, No. PHY-0801536, No. PHY-1003660, No. PHY-1004661, No. PHY-1102470, No. PHY-1312561, No. PHY-1347449, No. PHY-1505868, and No. PHY-1636738; the Research Corporation Grant No. RA0350; the Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED); and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Laborat?rio de Instrumenta??o e F?sica Experimental de Part?culas (LIP)-Coimbra acknowledges funding from Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Project-Grant No. PTDC/FIS-NUC/1525/2014. Imperial College and Brown University thank the United Kingdom Royal Society for travel funds under the International Exchange Scheme (IE120804). The United Kingdom groups acknowledge institutional support from Imperial College London, University College London and Edinburgh University, and from the Science & Technology Facilities Council for Ph.D. studentships R504737 (E.L.), M126369B (N.M.), P006795 (A.N.), T93036D (R.T.) and N50449X (U.U.). This work was partially enabled by the University College London (UCL) Cosmoparticle Initiative. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with Registration No. SC005336. This research was conducted using computational resources and services at the Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, and also the Yale Science Research Software Core. We gratefully acknowledge the logistical and technical support and the access to laboratory infrastructure provided to us by SURF and its personnel at Lead, South Dakota. SURF was developed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, with an important philanthropic donation from T. Denny Sanford. SURF is a federally sponsored research facility under Award No. DE-SC0020216. J. Xu is partially supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics under Work Proposals No. SCW1676 and No. SCW1077 awarded to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 American Physical Society.",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "102",

journal = "Physical Review D",

issn = "2470-0010",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "9",

}

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, De Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J & Zhang, C 2020, 'Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector', Physical Review D, vol. 102, no. 9, 092004. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

AU - Akerib, D. S.

AU - Alsum, S.

AU - Araújo, H. M.

AU - Bai, X.

AU - Balajthy, J.

AU - Baxter, A.

AU - Bernard, E. P.

AU - Bernstein, A.

AU - Biesiadzinski, T. P.

AU - Boulton, E. M.

AU - Boxer, B.

AU - Brás, P.

AU - Burdin, S.

AU - Byram, D.

AU - Carmona-Benitez, M. C.

AU - Chan, C.

AU - Cutter, J. E.

AU - De Viveiros, L.

AU - Druszkiewicz, E.

AU - Fan, A.

AU - Fiorucci, S.

AU - Gaitskell, R. J.

AU - Ghag, C.

AU - Gilchriese, M. G.D.

AU - Gwilliam, C.

AU - Hall, C. R.

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 - Jahangir, O.

AU - Ji, W.

AU - Kamdin, K.

AU - Kazkaz, K.

AU - Khaitan, D.

AU - Korolkova, E. V.

AU - Kravitz, S.

AU - Kudryavtsev, V. A.

AU - Leason, E.

AU - Lenardo, B. G.

AU - Lesko, K. T.

AU - Liao, J.

AU - Lin, J.

AU - Lindote, A.

AU - Lopes, M. I.

AU - Manalaysay, A.

AU - Mannino, R. L.

AU - Marangou, N.

AU - McKinsey, D. N.

AU - Mei, D. M.

AU - Moongweluwan, M.

AU - Morad, J. A.

AU - Murphy, A. St J.

AU - Naylor, A.

AU - Nehrkorn, C.

AU - Nelson, H. N.

AU - Neves, F.

AU - Nilima, A.

AU - Oliver-Mallory, K. C.

AU - Palladino, K. J.

AU - Pease, E. K.

AU - Riffard, Q.

AU - Rischbieter, G. R.C.

AU - Rhyne, C.

AU - Rossiter, P.

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 - Taylor, D. J.

AU - Taylor, R.

AU - Taylor, W. C.

AU - Tennyson, B. P.

AU - Terman, P. A.

AU - Tiedt, D. R.

AU - To, W. H.

AU - Tvrznikova, L.

AU - Utku, U.

AU - Uvarov, S.

AU - Vacheret, A.

AU - Velan, V.

AU - Webb, R. C.

AU - White, J. T.

AU - Whitis, T. J.

AU - Witherell, M. S.

AU - Wolfs, F. L.H.

AU - Woodward, D.

AU - Xu, J.

AU - Zhang, C.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Awards No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-AC05-06OR23100, No. DE-AC52-07NA27344, No. DE-FG01-91ER40618, No. DE-FG02-08ER41549, No. DE-FG02-11ER41738, No. DE-FG02-91ER40674, No. DE-FG02-91ER40688, No. DE-FG02-95ER40917, No. DE-NA0000979, No. DE-SC0006605, No. DE-SC0010010, No. DE-SC0015535, and No. DE-SC0019066; the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grants No. PHY-0750671, No. PHY-0801536, No. PHY-1003660, No. PHY-1004661, No. PHY-1102470, No. PHY-1312561, No. PHY-1347449, No. PHY-1505868, and No. PHY-1636738; the Research Corporation Grant No. RA0350; the Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED); and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas (LIP)-Coimbra acknowledges funding from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Project-Grant No. PTDC/FIS-NUC/1525/2014. Imperial College and Brown University thank the United Kingdom Royal Society for travel funds under the International Exchange Scheme (IE120804). The United Kingdom groups acknowledge institutional support from Imperial College London, University College London and Edinburgh University, and from the Science & Technology Facilities Council for Ph.D. studentships R504737 (E. L.), M126369B (N. M.), P006795 (A. N.), T93036D (R. T.) and N50449X (U. U.). This work was partially enabled by the University College London (UCL) Cosmoparticle Initiative. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with Registration No. SC005336. This research was conducted using computational resources and services at the Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, and also the Yale Science Research Software Core. We gratefully acknowledge the logistical and technical support and the access to laboratory infrastructure provided to us by SURF and its personnel at Lead, South Dakota. SURF was developed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, with an important philanthropic donation from T. Denny Sanford. SURF is a federally sponsored research facility under Award No. DE-SC0020216. J. Xu is partially supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics under Work Proposals No. SCW1676 and No. SCW1077 awarded to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. Funding Information: This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Awards No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, No. DE-AC05-06OR23100, No. DE-AC52-07NA27344, No. DE-FG01-91ER40618, No. DE-FG02-08ER41549, No. DE-FG02-11ER41738, No. DE-FG02-91ER40674, No. DE-FG02-91ER40688, No. DE-FG02-95ER40917, No. DE-NA0000979, No. DE-SC0006605, No. DE-SC0010010, No. DE-SC0015535, and No. DE-SC0019066; the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grants No. PHY-0750671, No. PHY-0801536, No. PHY-1003660, No. PHY-1004661, No. PHY-1102470, No. PHY-1312561, No. PHY-1347449, No. PHY-1505868, and No. PHY-1636738; the Research Corporation Grant No. RA0350; the Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED); and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). Laborat?rio de Instrumenta??o e F?sica Experimental de Part?culas (LIP)-Coimbra acknowledges funding from Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Project-Grant No. PTDC/FIS-NUC/1525/2014. Imperial College and Brown University thank the United Kingdom Royal Society for travel funds under the International Exchange Scheme (IE120804). The United Kingdom groups acknowledge institutional support from Imperial College London, University College London and Edinburgh University, and from the Science & Technology Facilities Council for Ph.D. studentships R504737 (E.L.), M126369B (N.M.), P006795 (A.N.), T93036D (R.T.) and N50449X (U.U.). This work was partially enabled by the University College London (UCL) Cosmoparticle Initiative. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with Registration No. SC005336. This research was conducted using computational resources and services at the Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, and also the Yale Science Research Software Core. We gratefully acknowledge the logistical and technical support and the access to laboratory infrastructure provided to us by SURF and its personnel at Lead, South Dakota. SURF was developed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, with an important philanthropic donation from T. Denny Sanford. SURF is a federally sponsored research facility under Award No. DE-SC0020216. J. Xu is partially supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics under Work Proposals No. SCW1676 and No. SCW1077 awarded to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 American Physical Society.

PY - 2020/11/10

Y1 - 2020/11/10

N2 - Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.

AB - Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096133487&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85096133487&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.102.092004

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85096133487

SN - 2470-0010

VL - 102

JO - Physical Review D

JF - Physical Review D

IS - 9

M1 - 092004

ER -

Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

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