Recoil Directionality Experiment

Directional sensitivity to nuclear recoils could provide a smoking gun for a possible discovery of dark matter in the form of WIMPs. A hint of directional dependence of the response of a dual-phase liquid argon Time Projection Chamber was found in the SCENE experiment. Given the potential importance of such a capability in the frame work of dark matter searches, a new dedicated experiment, ReD (Recoil Directionality), was designed in the framework of the DarkSide Collaboration, in order to scrutinize this hint. This contribution will describe the performance of the detectors achieved during the first test-beam, the current status of ReD and the perspectives for physics measurements during the forthcoming beam-time.

Download Full-text

Optical Readout of the ARIADNE LArTPC Using a Timepix3-Based Camera

Instruments ◽

10.3390/instruments4040035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

Adam Lowe ◽

Krishanu Majumdar ◽

Konstantinos Mavrokoridis ◽

Barney Philippou ◽

Adam Roberts ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Energy Calibration ◽

Dual Phase ◽

Optical Readout ◽

Event Reconstruction ◽

Phase Liquid ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Time Projection ◽

Good Agreement

The ARIADNE Experiment, utilising a 1-ton dual-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC), aims to develop and mature optical readout technology for large scale LAr detectors. This paper describes the characterisation, using cosmic muons, of a Timepix3-based camera mounted on the ARIADNE detector. The raw data from the camera are natively 3D and zero suppressed, allowing for straightforward event reconstruction, and a gallery of reconstructed LAr interaction events is presented. Taking advantage of the 1.6 ns time resolution of the readout, the drift velocity of the ionised electrons in LAr was determined to be 1.608 ± 0.005 mm/μs at 0.54 kV/cm. Energy calibration and resolution were determined using through-going muons. The energy resolution was found to be approximately 11% for the presented dataset. A preliminary study of the energy deposition (dEdX) as a function of distance has also been performed for two stopping muon events, and comparison to GEANT4 simulation shows good agreement. The results presented demonstrate the capabilities of this technology, and its application is discussed in the context of the future kiloton-scale dual-phase LAr detectors that will be used in the DUNE programme.

Download Full-text

A 4 tonne demonstrator for large-scale dual-phase liquid argon time projection chambers

Journal of Instrumentation ◽

10.1088/1748-0221/13/11/p11003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. P11003-P11003 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

B. Aimard ◽

Ch. Alt ◽

J. Asaadi ◽

M. Auger ◽

V. Aushev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Dual Phase ◽

Time Projection Chambers ◽

Phase Liquid ◽

Time Projection

Download Full-text

Performance study of a 3×1×1 m3 dual phase liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber exposed to cosmic rays

Journal of Instrumentation ◽

10.1088/1748-0221/16/08/p08063 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (08) ◽

pp. P08063

Author(s):

B. Aimard ◽

L. Aizawa ◽

C. Alt ◽

J. Asaadi ◽

M. Auger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cosmic Rays ◽

Time Projection Chamber ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Dual Phase ◽

Performance Study ◽

Phase Liquid ◽

Time Projection

Download Full-text

A Study of Nuclear Recoils in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber for the Direct Detection of WIMP Dark Matter

10.2172/1182552 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Huajie Cao

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Time Projection Chamber ◽

Direct Detection ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Nuclear Recoils ◽

Time Projection

Download Full-text

The DarkSide Multiton Detector for the Direct Dark Matter Search

Advances in High Energy Physics ◽

10.1155/2015/541362 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

C. E. Aalseth ◽

P. Agnes ◽

A. Alton ◽

K. Arisaka ◽

D. M. Asner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Time Projection Chamber ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Weakly Interacting Massive Particles ◽

Low Energy ◽

Background Suppression ◽

Dark Matter Search ◽

Nuclear Recoils ◽

Time Projection ◽

Direct Dark Matter

Although the existence of dark matter is supported by many evidences, based on astrophysical measurements, its nature is still completely unknown. One major candidate is represented by weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which could in principle be detected through their collisions with ordinary nuclei in a sensitive target, producing observable low-energy (<100 keV) nuclear recoils. The DarkSide program aims at the WIPMs detection using a liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr-TPC). In this paper we quickly review the DarkSide program focusing in particular on the next generation experiment DarkSide-G2, a 3.6-ton LAr-TPC. The different detector components are described as well as the improvements needed to scale the detector from DarkSide-50 (50 kg LAr-TPC) up to DarkSide-G2. Finally, the preliminary results on background suppression and expected sensitivity are presented.

Download Full-text

A Review of Basic Energy Reconstruction Techniques in Liquid Xenon and Argon Detectors for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics Using NEST

Instruments ◽

10.3390/instruments5010013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Matthew Szydagis ◽

Grant A. Block ◽

Collin Farquhar ◽

Alexander J. Flesher ◽

Ekaterina S. Kozlova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Neutrino Physics ◽

Electric Fields ◽

Direct Detection ◽

Profile Likelihood ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Energy Scale ◽

Liquid Xenon ◽

Nuclear Recoils ◽

Available Information

Detectors based upon the noble elements, especially liquid xenon as well as liquid argon, as both single- and dual-phase types, require reconstruction of the energies of interacting particles, both in the field of direct detection of dark matter (weakly interacting massive particles WIMPs, axions, etc.) and in neutrino physics. Experimentalists, as well as theorists who reanalyze/reinterpret experimental data, have used a few different techniques over the past few decades. In this paper, we review techniques based on solely the primary scintillation channel, the ionization or secondary channel available at non-zero drift electric fields, and combined techniques that include a simple linear combination and weighted averages, with a brief discussion of the application of profile likelihood, maximum likelihood, and machine learning. Comparing results for electron recoils (beta and gamma interactions) and nuclear recoils (primarily from neutrons) from the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST) simulation to available data, we confirm that combining all available information generates higher-precision means, lower widths (energy resolution), and more symmetric shapes (approximately Gaussian) especially at keV-scale energies, with the symmetry even greater when thresholding is addressed. Near thresholds, bias from upward fluctuations matters. For MeV-GeV scales, if only one channel is utilized, an ionization-only-based energy scale outperforms scintillation; channel combination remains beneficial. We discuss here what major collaborations use.

Download Full-text

Computational and Experimental Efforts to Develop a Dual-Phase Argon Time Projection Chamber Detector Optimized to Search for Low-Mass Dark Matter

10.36934/tr2021_168 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Declan Smith

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Time Projection Chamber ◽

Dual Phase ◽

Low Mass ◽

Time Projection

Download Full-text

First Demonstration of a Pixelated Charge Readout for Single-Phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

Instruments ◽

10.3390/instruments4010009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jonathan Asaadi ◽

Martin Auger ◽

Antonio Ereditato ◽

Damian Goeldi ◽

Umut Kose ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Single Phase ◽

Signal To Noise Ratio ◽

Liquid Argon ◽

Track Reconstruction ◽

3D Tracking ◽

3D Space ◽

Time Projection Chambers ◽

Event Reconstruction ◽

Phase Liquid ◽

Time Projection

Traditional charge readout technologies of single-phase Liquid Argon Time projection Chambers (LArTPCs) based on projective wire readout introduce intrinsic ambiguities in event reconstruction. Combined with the slow response inherent in LArTPC detectors, reconstruction ambiguities have limited their performance, until now. Here, we present a proof of principle of a pixelated charge readout that enables the full 3D tracking capabilities of LArTPCs. We characterize the signal-to-noise ratio of charge readout chain to be about 14, and demonstrate track reconstruction on 3D space points produced by the pixel readout. This pixelated charge readout makes LArTPCs a viable option for high-multiplicity environments.

Download Full-text