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172 results on '"Haselschwardt, SJ"'

1. The data acquisition system of the LZ dark matter detector: FADR

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Baker, A, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Barillier, EE, Bargemann, JW, Beattie, K, Benson, T, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Bishop, E, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Burdin, S, Buuck, M, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Carter, M, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Cherwinka, JJ, Chin, YT, Chott, NI, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Curran, D, Dahl, CE, David, A, Delgaudio, J, Dey, S, de Viveiros, L, Di Felice, L, Dimino, T, Ding, C, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fearon, NM, Fieldhouse, N, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, TMA, Gaitskell, RJ, Geffre, A, Gelfand, R, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibbons, R, Gokhale, S, Green, J, van der Grinten, MGD, Haiston, JJ, Hall, CR, Han, S, Hartigan-O’Connor, E, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hernandez, MA, Hertel, SA, Heuermann, G, Homenides, GJ, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Hunt, D, Jacquet, E, James, RS, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kannichankandy, M, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kim, J, Kim, YD, Kingston, J, Kirk, R, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Koyuncu, M, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, and Kreczko, L

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Networking and Information Technology R&D (NITRD), Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Nuclear and plasma physics
Abstract

The Data Acquisition System (DAQ) for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter detector is described. The signals from 745 PMTs, distributed across three subsystems, are sampled with 100-MHz 32-channel digitizers (DDC-32s). A basic waveform analysis is carried out on the on-board Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to extract information about the observed scintillation and electroluminescence signals. This information is used to determine if the digitized waveforms should be preserved for offline analysis. The system is designed around the Kintex-7 FPGA. In addition to digitizing the PMT signals and providing basic event selection in real time, the flexibility provided by the use of FPGAs allows us to monitor the performance of the detector and the DAQ in parallel to normal data acquisition. The hardware and software/firmware of this FPGA-based Architecture for Data acquisition and Realtime monitoring (FADR) are discussed and performance measurements are described.

Published
2024

2. New constraints on ultraheavy dark matter from the LZ experiment

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Baker, A, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Barillier, EE, Bargemann, JW, Baxter, A, Beattie, K, Benson, T, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Bishop, EJ, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Buuck, M, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Carter, M, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Cherwinka, JJ, Chin, YT, Chott, NI, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Curran, D, Dahl, CE, David, A, Delgaudio, J, Dey, S, de Viveiros, L, Di Felice, L, Ding, C, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, TMA, Gaitskell, RJ, Geffre, A, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibbons, R, Gokhale, S, Green, J, van der Grinten, MGD, Haiston, JH, Hall, CR, Han, S, Hartigan-O’Connor, E, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hernandez, MA, Hertel, SA, Heuermann, G, Homenides, GJ, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Hunt, D, Ignarra, CM, Jacquet, E, James, RS, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kannichankandy, M, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kim, J, Kingston, J, Kirk, R, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lee, J, and Leonard, DS

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences
Abstract

Searches for dark matter with liquid xenon time projection chamber experiments have traditionally focused on the region of the parameter space that is characteristic of weakly interacting massive particles, ranging from a few GeV/c2 to a few TeV/c2. Models of dark matter with a mass much heavier than this are well motivated by early production mechanisms different from the standard thermal freeze-out, but they have generally been less explored experimentally. In this work, we present a reanalysis of the first science run of the LZ experiment, with an exposure of 0.9 tonne×yr, to search for ultraheavy particle dark matter. The signal topology consists of multiple energy deposits in the active region of the detector forming a straight line, from which the velocity of the incoming particle can be reconstructed on an event-by-event basis. Zero events with this topology were observed after applying the data selection calibrated on a simulated sample of signal-like events. New experimental constraints are derived, which rule out previously unexplored regions of the dark matter parameter space of spin-independent interactions beyond a mass of 1017 GeV/c2.

Published
2024

3. First constraints on WIMP-nucleon effective field theory couplings in an extended energy region from LUX-ZEPLIN

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Baker, A, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Baxter, A, Beattie, K, Benson, T, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Bishop, E, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Buuck, M, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Carter, M, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Cherwinka, JJ, Chott, NI, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Curran, D, Dahl, CE, David, A, Delgaudio, J, Dey, S, de Viveiros, L, Ding, C, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, TMA, Gaitskell, RJ, Geffre, A, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibbons, R, Gokhale, S, Green, J, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Han, S, Hartigan-O’Connor, E, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hernandez, MA, Hertel, SA, Heuermann, G, Homenides, GJ, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Hunt, D, Ignarra, CM, Jacquet, E, James, RS, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kim, J, Kingston, J, Kirk, R, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Lin, J, Lindote, A, and Linehan, R

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Affordable and Clean Energy
Abstract

Following the first science results of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber operating from the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, USA, we report the initial limits on a model-independent nonrelativistic effective field theory describing the complete set of possible interactions of a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) with a nucleon. These results utilize the same 5.5 t fiducial mass and 60 live days of exposure collected for the LZ spin-independent and spin-dependent analyses while extending the upper limit of the energy region of interest by a factor of 7.5 to 270 keV. No significant excess in this high energy region is observed. Using a profile-likelihood ratio analysis, we report 90% confidence level exclusion limits on the coupling of each individual nonrelativistic WIMP-nucleon operator for both elastic and inelastic interactions in the isoscalar and isovector bases.

Published
2024

4. First Measurement of Discrimination between Helium and Electron Recoils in Liquid Xenon for Low-Mass Dark Matter Searches

Author

Haselschwardt, SJ, Gibbons, R, Chen, H, Kravitz, S, Manalaysay, A, Xia, Q, Lippincott, WH, and Sorensen, P

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Engineering, General Physics, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences
Abstract

We report the first measurement of discrimination between low-energy helium recoils and electron recoils in liquid xenon. This result is relevant to proposed low-mass dark matter searches which seek to dissolve light target nuclei in the active volume of liquid-xenon time projection chambers. Low-energy helium recoils were produced by degrading α particles from ^{210}Po with a gold foil situated on the cathode of a liquid xenon time-projection chamber. The resulting population of helium recoil events is well separated from electron recoils and is also offset from the expected position of xenon nuclear recoil events.

Published
2024

5. Why would you put a flashlight in a dark matter detector?

Author

Gibbons, R, Chen, H, Haselschwardt, SJ, Xia, Q, and Sorensen, P

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors (WIMPs, axions, etc.), Noble liquid detectors (scintillation, ionization, double-phase), Photon detectors for UV, visible and IR photons, Scintillators, scintillation and light emission processes (solid, gas and liquid scintillators), Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are solid-state, single-photon sensitive, pixelated sensors whose usage for scintillation detection has rapidly increased over the past decade. It is known that the avalanche process within the device, which renders a single photon detectable, can also generate secondary photons which may be detected by a separate device. This effect, known as external crosstalk, could potentially degrade the science goals of future xenon dark matter experiments. In this article, we measure the effect of external crosstalk in a dual-phase, liquid xenon time projection chamber fully instrumented with SiPMs. We then consider the implications for a future xenon dark matter experiment utilizing SiPMs and discuss possible solutions.

Published
2024

6. Search for new physics in low-energy electron recoils from the first LZ exposure

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Baker, A, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Baxter, A, Beattie, K, Beltrame, P, Benson, T, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Buuck, M, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Cherwinka, JJ, Chott, NI, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Curran, D, Dahl, CE, David, A, Delgaudio, J, Dey, S, de Viveiros, L, Ding, C, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, TMA, Gaitskell, RJ, Geffre, A, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibbons, R, Gokhale, S, Green, J, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Han, S, Hartigan-O’Connor, E, Haselschwardt, SJ, Huang, DQ, Hertel, SA, Heuermann, G, Horn, M, Hunt, D, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kim, J, Kingston, J, Kirk, R, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, and Lippincott, WH

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment is a dark matter detector centered on a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber. We report searches for new physics appearing through few-keV-scale electron recoils, using the experiment's first exposure of 60 live days and a fiducial mass of 5.5 t. The data are found to be consistent with a background-only hypothesis, and limits are set on models for new physics including solar axion electron coupling, solar neutrino magnetic moment and millicharge, and electron couplings to galactic axionlike particles and hidden photons. Similar limits are set on weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter producing signals through ionized atomic states from the Migdal effect.

Published
2023

7. Background determination for the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Baker, A, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Baxter, A, Beattie, K, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Chiang, APS, Chott, NI, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Dahl, CE, David, A, Dey, S, de Viveiros, L, Ding, C, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibbons, R, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, Green, J, van der Grinten, MGD, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Han, S, Hartigan-O’Connor, E, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Heuermann, G, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Hunt, D, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Khaitan, D, Khurana, I, Kirk, R, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, and Liu, X

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment recently reported limits on WIMP-nucleus interactions from its initial science run, down to 9.2×10-48 cm2 for the spin-independent interaction of a 36 GeV/c2 WIMP at 90% confidence level. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of the backgrounds important for this result and for other upcoming physics analyses, including neutrinoless double-beta decay searches and effective field theory interpretations of LUX-ZEPLIN data. We confirm that the in-situ determinations of bulk and fixed radioactive backgrounds are consistent with expectations from the ex-situ assays. The observed background rate after WIMP search criteria were applied was (6.3±0.5)×10-5 events/keVee/kg/day in the low-energy region, approximately 60 times lower than the equivalent rate reported by the LUX experiment.

Published
2023

8. Improved Dark Matter Search Sensitivity Resulting from LUX Low-Energy Nuclear Recoil Calibration

Author

Collaboration, LUX, Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, 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, Viveiros, L de, 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, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xiang, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det, astro-ph.CO, hep-ex
Abstract

Dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC) detectors have demonstratedsuperior search sensitivities to dark matter over a wide range of particlemasses. To extend their sensitivity to include low-mass dark matterinteractions, it is critical to characterize both the light and chargeresponses of liquid xenon to sub-keV nuclear recoils. In this work, we report anew nuclear recoil calibration in the LUX detector $\textit{in situ}$ usingneutron events from a pulsed Adelphi Deuterium-Deuterium neutron generator. Wedemonstrate direct measurements of light and charge yields down to 0.45 keV(1.4 scintillation photons) and 0.27 keV (1.3 ionization electrons),respectively, approaching the physical limit of liquid xenon detectors. Wediscuss the implication of these new measurements on the physics reach ofdual-phase xenon TPCs for nuclear-recoil-based low-mass dark matter detection.

Published
2022

9. Fast and flexible analysis of direct dark matter search data with machine learning

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carrara, N, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Ernst, J, 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, D-M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xian, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Information Technology R&D (NITRD)
Abstract

We present the results from combining machine learning with the profile likelihood fit procedure, using data from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment. This approach demonstrates reduction in computation time by a factor of 30 when compared with the previous approach, without loss of performance on real data. We establish its flexibility to capture nonlinear correlations between variables (such as smearing in light and charge signals due to position variation) by achieving equal performance using pulse areas with and without position-corrections applied. Its efficiency and scalability furthermore enables searching for dark matter using additional variables without significant computational burden. We demonstrate this by including a light signal pulse shape variable alongside more traditional inputs, such as light and charge signal strengths. This technique can be exploited by future dark matter experiments to make use of additional information, reduce computational resources needed for signal searches and simulations, and make inclusion of physical nuisance parameters in fits tractable.

Published
2022

10. Cosmogenic production of Ar37 in the context of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment

Author

Aalbers, J, Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alder, F, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Baker, A, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beattie, K, Bernard, EP, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Bodnia, E, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chawla, A, Chen, H, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, David, A, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Hunt, D, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Lee, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, and Linehan, R

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences
Abstract

We estimate the amount of Ar37 produced in natural xenon via cosmic-ray-induced spallation, an inevitable consequence of the transportation and storage of xenon on the Earth's surface. We then calculate the resulting Ar37 concentration in a 10-tonne payload (similar to that of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment) assuming a representative schedule of xenon purification, storage, and delivery to the underground facility. Using the spallation model by Silberberg and Tsao, the sea-level production rate of Ar37 in natural xenon is estimated to be 0.024 atoms/kg/day. Assuming the xenon is successively purified to remove radioactive contaminants in 1-tonne batches at a rate of 1 tonne/month, the average Ar37 activity after 10 tons are purified and transported underground is 0.058-0.090 μBq/kg, depending on the degree of argon removal during above-ground purification. Such cosmogenic Ar37 will appear as a noticeable background in the early science data, while decaying with a 35-day half-life. This newly noticed production mechanism of Ar37 should be considered when planning for future liquid-xenon-based experiments.

Published
2022

11. Operation and performance of a dual-phase crystalline/vapor xenon time projection chamber

Author

Kravitz, S, Chen, H, Gibbons, R, Haselschwardt, SJ, Xia, Q, and Sorensen, P

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors, Scintillators, scintillation and light emission processes, Time projection chambers, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

We have built and operated a crystalline/vapor xenon TPC, with the goal of improving searches for dark matter. The motivation for this instrument is the fact that beta decays from the radon decay chain to the ground state presently limit the state-of-the-art liquid/vapor xenon experiments. In contrast, a crystalline xenon target has the potential to exclude, or tag and reject radon-chain backgrounds. As a preamble to demonstrating such capabilities, the present article makes a first demonstration of the operation of a crystalline/vapor xenon TPC with electroluminescence (gas gain) for the electron signal readout. It also shows that the scintillation yield in crystalline xenon appears to be identical to that in liquid xenon, in contrast to previous results.

Published
2022

12. Snowmass2021 Cosmic Frontier Dark Matter Direct Detection to the Neutrino Fog

Author

Akerib, DS, Cushman, PB, Dahl, CE, Ebadi, R, Fan, A, Gaitskell, RJ, Galbiati, C, Giovanetti, GK, Gelmini, Graciela B, Grandi, L, Haselschwardt, SJ, Jackson, CM, Lang, RF, Loer, B, Loomba, D, Marshall, MC, Mills, AF, OHare, CAJ, Savarese, C, Schueler, J, Szydagis, M, Takhistov, Volodymyr, Tait, Tim MP, Tsai, YD, Vahsen, SE, Walsworth, RL, and Westerdale, S

Subjects
hep-ex
Abstract

We present a summary of future prospects for direct detection of dark matterwithin the GeV/c2 to TeV/c2 mass range. This is paired with a new definition ofthe neutrino fog in order to better quantify the rate of diminishing returns onsensitivity due to irreducible neutrino backgrounds. A survey of dark mattercandidates predicted to fall within this mass range demonstrates that fullytesting multiple well-motivated theo-ries will require expanding thecurrently-funded generation of experiments down to and past the neutrino fog.We end with the status and plans for next-generation exper-iments and novel R&Dconcepts which will get us there.

Published
2022

13. Fast and Flexible Analysis of Direct Dark Matter Search Data with Machine Learning

Author

Collaboration, LUX, Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carrara, N, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Viveiros, L de, Druszkiewicz, E, Ernst, J, 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, D-M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xian, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

We present the results from combining machine learning with the profilelikelihood fit procedure, using data from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX)dark matter experiment. This approach demonstrates reduction in computationtime by a factor of 30 when compared with the previous approach, without lossof performance on real data. We establish its flexibility to capture non-linearcorrelations between variables (such as smearing in light and charge signalsdue to position variation) by achieving equal performance using pulse areaswith and without position-corrections applied. Its efficiency and scalabilityfurthermore enables searching for dark matter using additional variableswithout significant computational burden. We demonstrate this by including alight signal pulse shape variable alongside more traditional inputs such aslight and charge signal strengths. This technique can be exploited by futuredark matter experiments to make use of additional information, reducecomputational resources needed for signal searches and simulations, and makeinclusion of physical nuisance parameters in fits tractable.

Published
2022

14. Kiloton-scale xenon detectors for neutrinoless double beta decay and other new physics searches

Author

Avasthi, A, Bowyer, TW, Bray, C, Brunner, T, Catarineu, N, Church, E, Guenette, R, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hayes, JC, Heffner, M, Hertel, SA, Humble, PH, Jamil, A, Kim, SH, Lang, RF, Leach, KG, Lenardo, BG, Lippincott, WH, Marino, A, McKinsey, DN, Miller, EH, Moore, DC, Mong, B, Monreal, B, Monzani, ME, Olcina, I, Orrell, JL, Pang, S, Pocar, A, Rowson, PC, Saldanha, R, Sangiorgio, S, Stanford, C, and Visser, A

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Mathematical physics, Astronomical sciences, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

Large detectors employing xenon are a leading technology in existing and planned searches for new physics, including searches for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) and dark matter. While upcoming detectors will employ target masses of a ton or more, further extending gas- or liquid-phase Xe detectors to the kton scale would enable extremely sensitive next-generation searches for rare phenomena. The key challenge to extending this technology to detectors well beyond the ton scale is the acquisition of the Xe itself. We describe the motivation for extending Xe time-projection chambers to the kton scale and possible avenues for Xe acquisition that avoid existing supply chains. If acquisition of Xe in the required quantities is successful, kton-scale detectors of this type could enable a new generation of experiments, including searches for 0νββ at half-life sensitivities as long as 1030 yr.

Published
2021

15. Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the two-neutrino and neutrinoless double β decays of Xe134

Author

Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Bodnia, E, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, gnarra, MCI, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, X, Lopes, MI, and Asamar, E López

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Nuclear and plasma physics
Abstract

The projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment to two-neutrino and neutrinoless double β decay of Xe134 is presented. LZ is a 10-tonne xenon time-projection chamber optimized for the detection of dark matter particles and is expected to start operating in 2021 at Sanford Underground Research Facility, USA. Its large mass of natural xenon provides an exceptional opportunity to search for the double β decay of Xe134, for which xenon detectors enriched in Xe136 are less effective. For the two-neutrino decay mode, LZ is predicted to exclude values of the half-life up to 1.7×1024 years at 90% confidence level (CL) and has a three-sigma observation potential of 8.7×1023 years, approaching the predictions of nuclear models. For the neutrinoless decay mode LZ, is projected to exclude values of the half-life up to 7.3×1024 years at 90% CL.

Published
2021

16. Projected sensitivities of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to new physics via low-energy electron recoils

Author

Akerib, DS, Al Musalhi, AK, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Bodnia, E, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Hardy, CA, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, X, and Lopes, MI

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN is a dark matter detector expected to obtain world-leading sensitivity to weakly-interacting massive particles interacting via nuclear recoils with a ∼7-tonne xenon target mass. This paper presents sensitivity projections to several low-energy signals of the complementary electron recoil signal type: 1) an effective neutrino magnetic moment, and 2) an effective neutrino millicharge, both for pp-chain solar neutrinos, 3) an axion flux generated by the Sun, 4) axionlike particles forming the Galactic dark matter, 5) hidden photons, 6) mirror dark matter, and 7) leptophilic dark matter. World-leading sensitivities are expected in each case, a result of the large 5.6 t 1000 d exposure and low expected rate of electron-recoil backgrounds in the

Published
2021

17. Recommended conventions for reporting results from direct dark matter searches

Author

Baxter, D, Bloch, IM, Bodnia, E, Chen, X, Conrad, J, Di Gangi, P, Dobson, JEY, Durnford, D, Haselschwardt, SJ, Kaboth, A, Lang, RF, Lin, Q, Lippincott, WH, Liu, J, Manalaysay, A, McCabe, C, Morå, KD, Naim, D, Neilson, R, Olcina, I, Piro, M-C, Selvi, M, von Krosigk, B, Westerdale, S, Yang, Y, and Zhou, N

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical sciences, Atomic, molecular and optical physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

The field of dark matter detection is a highly visible and highly competitive one. In this paper, we propose recommendations for presenting dark matter direct detection results particularly suited for weak-scale dark matter searches, although we believe the spirit of the recommendations can apply more broadly to searches for other dark matter candidates, such as very light dark matter or axions. To translate experimental data into a final published result, direct detection collaborations must make a series of choices in their analysis, ranging from how to model astrophysical parameters to how to make statistical inferences based on observed data. While many collaborations follow a standard set of recommendations in some areas, for example the expected flux of dark matter particles (to a large degree based on a paper from Lewin and Smith in 1995), in other areas, particularly in statistical inference, they have taken different approaches, often from result to result by the same collaboration. We set out a number of recommendations on how to apply the now commonly used Profile Likelihood Ratio method to direct detection data. In addition, updated recommendations for the Standard Halo Model astrophysical parameters and relevant neutrino fluxes are provided. The authors of this note include members of the DAMIC, DarkSide, DARWIN, DEAP, LZ, NEWS-G, PandaX, PICO, SBC, SENSEI, SuperCDMS, and XENON collaborations, and these collaborations provided input to the recommendations laid out here. Wide-spread adoption of these recommendations will make it easier to compare and combine future dark matter results.

Published
2021

18. Constraints on effective field theory couplings using 311.2 days of LUX data

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, 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, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xiang, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Abstract

We report here the results of a nonrelativistic effective field theory (EFT) WIMP search analysis using LUX data. We build upon previous LUX analyses by extending the search window to include nuclear recoil energies up to ∼180 keVnr, requiring a reassessment of data quality criteria and background models. In order to use an unbinned profile likelihood statistical framework, the development of new analysis techniques to account for higher-energy backgrounds was required. With a 3.14×104 kg·day exposure using data collected between 2014 and 2016, we find our data is compatible with the background expectation and set 90% C.L. exclusion limits on nonrelativistic EFT WIMP-nucleon couplings, improving upon previous LUX results and providing constraints on a EFT WIMP interactions using the {neutron,proton} interaction basis. Additionally, we report exclusion limits on inelastic EFT WIMP-isoscalar recoils that are competitive and world-leading for several interaction operators.

Published
2021

19. Improving sensitivity to low-mass dark matter in LUX using a novel electrode background mitigation technique

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, 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, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xiang, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Abstract

This paper presents a novel technique for mitigating electrode backgrounds that limit the sensitivity of searches for low-mass dark matter (DM) using xenon time projection chambers. In the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector, signatures of low-mass DM interactions would be very low-energy () scatters in the active target that ionize only a few xenon atoms and seldom produce detectable scintillation signals. In this regime, extra precaution is required to reject a complex set of low-energy electron backgrounds that have long been observed in this class of detector. Noticing backgrounds from the wire grid electrodes near the top and bottom of the active target are particularly pernicious, we develop a machine learning technique based on ionization pulse shape to identify and reject these events. We demonstrate the technique can improve Poisson limits on low-mass DM interactions by a factor of 1.7-3 with improvement depending heavily on the size of ionization signals. We use the technique on events in an effective 5 tonne·day exposure from LUX’s 2013 science operation to place strong limits on low-mass DM particles with masses in the range . This machine learning technique is expected to be useful for near-future experiments, such as LUX-ZEPLIN and XENONnT, which hope to perform low-mass DM searches with the stringent background control necessary to make a discovery.

Published
2021

20. Effective field theory analysis of the first LUX dark matter search

Author

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, Larsen, NA, 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, and Zhang, C

Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter search was a 250-kg active mass dual-phase time projection chamber that operated by detecting light and ionization signals from particles incident on a xenon target. In December 2015, LUX reported a minimum 90% upper C.L. of 6×10-46 cm2 on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross section based on a 1.4×104 kg·day exposure in its first science run. Tension between experiments and the absence of a definitive positive detection suggest it would be prudent to search for WIMPs outside the standard spin-independent/spin-dependent paradigm. Recent theoretical work has identified a complete basis of 14 independent effective field theory (EFT) operators to describe WIMP-nucleon interactions. In addition to spin-independent and spin-dependent nuclear responses, these operators can produce novel responses such as angular-momentum-dependent and spin-orbit couplings. Here we report on a search for all 14 of these EFT couplings with data from LUX's first science run. Limits are placed on each coupling as a function of WIMP mass.

Published
2021

21. Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment to the two-neutrino and neutrinoless double beta decays of $^{134}$Xe

Author

LUX-ZEPLIN, The, Collaboration, Akerib, DS, Musalhi, AK Al, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araujo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Bodnia, E, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Bras, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, Viveiros, L de, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gokhale, S, Grinten, MGD van der, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, and Liu, X

Subjects
physics.ins-det, nucl-ex
Abstract

The projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment to two-neutrinoand neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{134}$Xe is presented. LZ is a 10-tonnexenon time projection chamber optimized for the detection of dark matterparticles, that is expected to start operating in 2021 at Sanford UndergroundResearch Facility, USA. Its large mass of natural xenon provides an exceptionalopportunity to search for the double beta decay of $^{134}$Xe, for which xenondetectors enriched in $^{136}$Xe are less effective. For the two-neutrino decaymode, LZ is predicted to exclude values of the half-life up to1.7$\times$10$^{24}$ years at 90% confidence level (CL), and has a three-sigmaobservation potential of 8.7$\times$10$^{23}$ years, approaching thepredictions of nuclear models. For the neutrinoless decay mode LZ, is projectedto exclude values of the half-life up to 7.3$\times$10$^{24}$ years at 90% CL.

Published
2021

22. Projected sensitivities of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment to new physics via low-energy electron recoils

Author

Collaboration, The LZ, Akerib, DS, Musalhi, AK Al, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Bodnia, E, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Creaner, O, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, Viveiros, L de, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gokhale, S, Grinten, MGD van der, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Hardy, CA, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, and Liu, X

Subjects
hep-ex, astro-ph.CO, hep-ph
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a dark matter detector expected to obtain world-leadingsensitivity to weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) interacting vianuclear recoils with a ~7-tonne xenon target mass. This manuscript presentssensitivity projections to several low-energy signals of the complementaryelectron recoil signal type: 1) an effective neutrino magnetic moment and 2) aneffective neutrino millicharge, both for pp-chain solar neutrinos, 3) an axionflux generated by the Sun, 4) axion-like particles forming the galactic darkmatter, 5) hidden photons, 6) mirror dark matter, and 7) leptophilic darkmatter. World-leading sensitivities are expected in each case, a result of thelarge 5.6t 1000d exposure and low expected rate of electron recoil backgroundsin the $

Published
2021

23. Simulations of events for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alqahtani, A, Alsum, SK, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Bensinger, J, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Cabrita, R, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Harrison, A, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hor, JY-K, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kocher, CD, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kras, J, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, F-T, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, R, Liu, X, and Loniewski, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical sciences, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter search aims to achieve a sensitivity to the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross-section down to (1–2)×10−12 pb at a WIMP mass of 40 GeV/c2. This paper describes the simulations framework that, along with radioactivity measurements, was used to support this projection, and also to provide mock data for validating reconstruction and analysis software. Of particular note are the event generators, which allow us to model the background radiation, and the detector response physics used in the production of raw signals, which can be converted into digitized waveforms similar to data from the operational detector. Inclusion of the detector response allows us to process simulated data using the same analysis routines as developed to process the experimental data.

Published
2021

24. Enhancing the sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment to low energy signals

Author

Akerib, DS, Musalhi, AK Al, Alsum, SK, Amarasinghe, CS, Ames, A, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Bargemann, JW, Bauer, D, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Blockinger, GM, Boxer, B, Brew, CAJ, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Buuck, M, Cabrita, R, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Converse, MV, Cottle, A, Cox, G, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, Viveiros, L de, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fearon, NM, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gokhale, S, Grinten, MGD van der, Gwilliam, CB, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, James, RS, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kodroff, D, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, X, Lopes, MI, Asamar, E Lopez, Paredes, B López, Lorenzon, W, and Luitz, S

Subjects
astro-ph.IM, physics.ins-det
Abstract

Two-phase xenon detectors, such as that at the core of the forthcoming LZdark matter experiment, use photomultiplier tubes to sense the primary (S1) andsecondary (S2) scintillation signals resulting from particle interactions intheir liquid xenon target. This paper describes a simulation study exploringtwo techniques to lower the energy threshold of LZ to gain sensitivity tolow-mass dark matter and astrophysical neutrinos, which will be applicable toother liquid xenon detectors. The energy threshold is determined by the numberof detected S1 photons; typically, these must be recorded in three or morephotomultiplier channels to avoid dark count coincidences that mimic realsignals. To lower this threshold: a) we take advantage of the doublephotoelectron emission effect, whereby a single vacuum ultraviolet photon has a$\sim20\%$ probability of ejecting two photoelectrons from a photomultipliertube photocathode; and b) we drop the requirement of an S1 signal altogether,and use only the ionization signal, which can be detected more efficiently. Forboth techniques we develop signal and background models for the nominalexposure, and explore accompanying systematic effects, including the dependenceon the free electron lifetime in the liquid xenon. When incorporating doublephotoelectron signals, we predict a factor of $\sim 4$ sensitivity improvementto the dark matter-nucleon scattering cross-section at $2.5$ GeV/c$^2$, and afactor of $\sim1.6$ increase in the solar $^8$B neutrino detection rate.Dropping the S1 requirement may allow sensitivity gains of two orders ofmagnitude in both cases. Finally, we apply these techniques to even lowermasses by taking into account the atomic Migdal effect; this could lower thedark matter particle mass threshold to $80$ MeV/c$^2$.

Published
2021

25. Improved calculations of β decay backgrounds to new physics in liquid xenon detectors

Author

Haselschwardt, SJ, Kostensalo, J, Mougeot, X, and Suhonen, J

Subjects
Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics
Abstract

We present high-precision theoretical predictions for the electron energy spectra for the ground-state to ground-state β decays of Pb214, Pb212, and Kr85 most relevant to the background of liquid xenon dark matter detectors. The effects of nuclear structure on the spectral shapes are taken into account using large-scale shell-model calculations. Final spectra also include atomic screening and exchange effects. The impact of nuclear structure effects on the Pb214 and Pb212 spectra below ≈100 keV, pertinent for several searches for new physics, are found to be comparatively larger than those from the atomic effects alone. We find that the full calculation for Pb214 (Pb212) predicts 15.0%-23.2% (12.1%-19.0%) less event rate in a 1-15 keV energy region of interest compared to the spectrum calculated as an allowed transition when using values of the weak axial vector coupling in the range gA=0.7-1.0. The discrepancy highlights the importance of both a proper theoretical treatment and the need for direct measurements of these spectra for a thorough understanding of β decay backgrounds in future experiments.

Published
2020

26. Discrimination of electronic recoils from nuclear recoils in two-phase xenon time projection chambers

Author

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, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det, hep-ex, nucl-ex
Abstract

We present a comprehensive analysis of electronic recoil vs nuclear recoil discrimination in liquid/gas xenon time projection chambers, using calibration data from the 2013 and 2014-2016 runs of the Large Underground Xenon experiment. We observe strong charge-to-light discrimination enhancement with increased event energy. For events with S1=120 detected photons, i.e., equivalent to a nuclear recoil energy of ∼100 keV, we observe an electronic recoil background acceptance of

Published
2020

27. Improving sensitivity to low-mass dark matter in LUX using a novel electrode background mitigation technique

Author

Collaboration, LUX, Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, 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, Viveiros, L de, 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, D-M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xiang, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
hep-ex, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, physics.ins-det
Abstract

This paper presents a novel technique for mitigating electrode backgroundsthat limit the sensitivity of searches for low-mass dark matter (DM) usingxenon time projection chambers. In the LUX detector, signatures of low-mass DMinteractions would be very low energy ($\sim$keV) scatters in the active targetthat ionize only a few xenon atoms and seldom produce detectable scintillationsignals. In this regime, extra precaution is required to reject a complex setof low-energy electron backgrounds that have long been observed in this classof detector. Noticing backgrounds from the wire grid electrodes near the topand bottom of the active target are particularly pernicious, we develop amachine learning technique based on ionization pulse shape to identify andreject these events. We demonstrate the technique can improve Poisson limits onlow-mass DM interactions by a factor of $2$-$7$ with improvement dependingheavily on the size of ionization signals. We use the technique on events in aneffective $5$ tonne$\cdot$day exposure from LUX's 2013 science operation toplace strong limits on low-mass DM particles with masses in the range$m_{\chi}\in0.15$-$10$ GeV. This machine learning technique is expected to beuseful for near-future experiments, such as LZ and XENONnT, which hope toperform low-mass DM searches with the stringent background control necessary tomake a discovery.

Published
2020

28. Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

Author

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, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
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.

Published
2020

29. Search for two neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe and 126Xe in the full exposure of the LUX detector

Author

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, Marzioni, MF, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
rare decays, double electron capture, dark matter detectors, xenon detectors, nucl-ex, physics.ins-det, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Abstract

Two-neutrino double electron capture is a process allowed in the standard model of particle physics. This rare decay has been observed in 78Kr, 130Ba and more recently in 124Xe. In this publication we report on the search for this process in 124Xe and 126Xe using the full exposure of the large underground xenon (LUX) experiment, in a total of 27769.5 kg-days. No evidence of a signal was observed, allowing us to set 90% C.L. lower limits for the half-lives of these decays of 2.0 × 1021 years for 124Xe and 1.9 × 1021 years for 126Xe.

Published
2020

30. Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the 0νββ decay of Xe136

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alqahtani, A, Alsum, SK, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Baxter, A, Bensinger, J, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Cabrita, R, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Harrison, A, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hor, JY-K, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kocher, CD, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kras, J, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, F-T, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, R, Liu, X, Loniewski, C, Lopes, MI, and Paredes, B López

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, nucl-ex, Nuclear and plasma physics
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will enable a neutrinoless double β decay search in parallel to the main science goal of discovering dark matter particle interactions. We report the expected LZ sensitivity to Xe136 neutrinoless double β decay, taking advantage of the significant (>600 kg) Xe136 mass contained within the active volume of LZ without isotopic enrichment. After 1000 live-days, the median exclusion sensitivity to the half-life of Xe136 is projected to be 1.06×1026 years (90% confidence level), similar to existing constraints. We also report the expected sensitivity of a possible subsequent dedicated exposure using 90% enrichment with Xe136 at 1.06×1027 years.

Published
2020

31. An Effective Field Theory Analysis of the First LUX Dark Matter Search

Author

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, Viveiros, L de, 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, Larsen, NA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, 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, and Zhang, C

Subjects
astro-ph.CO
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter search was a 250-kg active massdual-phase time projection chamber that operated by detecting light andionization signals from particles incident on a xenon target. In December 2015,LUX reported a minimum 90% upper C.L. of 6e-46 cm^2 on the spin-independentWIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross section based on a 1.4e4 kg*day exposurein its first science run. Tension between experiments and the absence of adefinitive positive detection suggest it would be prudent to search for WIMPsoutside the standard spin-independent/spin-dependent paradigm. Recenttheoretical work has identified a complete basis of 14 independent effectivefield theory (EFT) operators to describe WIMP-nucleon interactions. In additionto spin-independent and spin-dependent nuclear responses, these operators canproduce novel responses such as angular-momentum-dependent and spin-orbitcouplings. Here we report on a search for all 14 of these EFT couplings withdata from LUX's first science run. Limits are placed on each coupling as afunction of WIMP mass.

Published
2020

32. Measurement of the gamma ray background in the Davis cavern at the Sanford Underground Research Facility

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alsum, SK, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Hans, S, Harrison, J, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hor, JYK, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamdin, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Kim, WT, Kocher, CD, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kras, J, Kraus, H, Kravitz, SW, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, FT, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, R, Liu, X, Loniewski, C, Lopes, MI, López Paredes, B, Lorenzon, W, Luitz, S, Lyle, JM, Majewski, PA, Manalaysay, A, Manenti, L, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, McLaughlin, J, Meng, Y, and Miller, EH

Subjects
Dark matter, Low background, Radiation, Underground, Gamma rays, Gamma spectroscopy, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Abstract

Deep underground environments are ideal for low background searches due to the attenuation of cosmic rays by passage through the earth. However, they are affected by backgrounds from γ-rays emitted by 40K and the 238U and 232Th decay chains in the surrounding rock. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a liquid xenon TPC located within the Davis campus at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota, at the 4850-foot level. In order to characterise the cavern background, in-situ γ-ray measurements were taken with a sodium iodide detector in various locations and with lead shielding. The integral count rates (0–3300 keV) varied from 596 Hz to 1355 Hz for unshielded measurements, corresponding to a total flux from the cavern walls of 1.9 ± 0.4 γ cm−2s−1. The resulting activity in the walls of the cavern can be characterised as 220 ± 60 Bq/kg of 40K, 29 ± 15 Bq/kg of 238U, and 13 ± 3 Bq/kg of 232Th.

Published
2020

33. Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alsum, SK, Araújo, HM, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bauer, D, Belle, J, Beltrame, P, Benson, T, Bernard, EP, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carlson, B, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cherwinka, JJ, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Craddock, WW, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Edwards, WR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fiorucci, S, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Hans, S, Hanzel, K, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hillbrand, S, Hjemfelt, C, Hoff, MD, Hor, JY-K, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Ji, W, Kaboth, AC, Kamdin, K, Keefner, J, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Kim, YD, Kocher, CD, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Krebs, HJ, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Kyre, S, Lee, J, Lenardo, BG, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, F-T, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, X, Lopes, MI, Paredes, B López, Lorenzon, W, Luitz, S, Lyle, JM, Majewski, P, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Maupin, C, McKinsey, DN, Meng, Y, and Miller, EH

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, astro-ph.IM, astro-ph.CO, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7 tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000 live day run using a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above 1.4×10-48 cm2 for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP. Additionally, a 5σ discovery potential is projected, reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of 2.3×10-43 cm2 (7.1×10-42 cm2) for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020.

Published
2020

34. Extending light WIMP searches to single scintillation photons in LUX

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, 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, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, 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, Paredes, B López, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, and Woodward, D

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

We present a novel analysis technique for liquid xenon time projection chambers that allows for a lower threshold by relying on events with a prompt scintillation signal consisting of single detected photons. The energy threshold of the LUX dark matter experiment is primarily determined by the smallest scintillation response detectable, which previously required a twofold coincidence signal in its photomultiplier arrays, enforced in data analysis. The technique presented here exploits the double photoelectron emission effect observed in some photomultiplier models at vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths. We demonstrate this analysis using an electron recoil calibration dataset and place new constraints on the spin-independent scattering cross section of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) down to 2.5 GeV/c2 WIMP mass using the 2013 LUX dataset. This new technique is promising to enhance light WIMP and astrophysical neutrino searches in next-generation liquid xenon experiments.

Published
2020

35. Improved modeling of β electronic recoils in liquid xenon using LUX calibration data

Author

Deviveiros, L, 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, 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, Marzioni, MF, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Dark Matter detectors, Detector modelling and simulations I (interaction of radiation with matter, interaction of photons with matter, interaction of hadrons, with matter, etc), Noble liquid detectors, Time projection Chambers, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical Sciences, Engineering
Abstract

We report here methods and techniques for creating an improved model that reproduces the scintillation and ionization response of a dual-phase liquid and gaseous xenon time projection chamber. Starting with the recent release of the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST v2.0), electronic recoil data from the β decays of 3H and 14C in the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector were used to tune the model, in addition to external data sets that allow for extrapolation beyond the LUX data-taking conditions. This paper also presents techniques used for modeling complicated temporal and spatial detector pathologies that can adversely affect data using a simplified model framework. The methods outlined in this report show an example of the robust applications possible with NEST v2.0 framework and how it can be modified to produce a final, detector-specific, electronic recoil model. This example provides the final model for LUX and detector parameters that will used in the new analysis package, the LUX Legacy Analysis Monte Carlo Application (LLAMA), for accurate reproduction of the LUX data. As accurate background reproduction is crucial for the success of rare-event searches, such as dark matter direct detection experiments, the techniques outlined here can be used in other single-phase and dual-phase xenon detectors to assist with accurate ER background reproduction.

Published
2020

36. Improved modeling of β electronic recoils in liquid xenon using LUX calibration data

Author

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, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors, Detector modelling and simulations I (interaction of radiation with matter, interaction of photons with matter, interaction of hadrons, with matter, etc), Noble liquid detectors, Time projection Chambers, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

We report here methods and techniques for creating an improved model that reproduces the scintillation and ionization response of a dual-phase liquid and gaseous xenon time projection chamber. Starting with the recent release of the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST v2.0), electronic recoil data from the β decays of 3H and 14C in the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector were used to tune the model, in addition to external data sets that allow for extrapolation beyond the LUX data-taking conditions. This paper also presents techniques used for modeling complicated temporal and spatial detector pathologies that can adversely affect data using a simplified model framework. The methods outlined in this report show an example of the robust applications possible with NEST v2.0 framework and how it can be modified to produce a final, detector-specific, electronic recoil model. This example provides the final model for LUX and detector parameters that will used in the new analysis package, the LUX Legacy Analysis Monte Carlo Application (LLAMA), for accurate reproduction of the LUX data. As accurate background reproduction is crucial for the success of rare-event searches, such as dark matter direct detection experiments, the techniques outlined here can be used in other single-phase and dual-phase xenon detectors to assist with accurate ER background reproduction.

Published
2020

37. First direct detection constraint on mirror dark matter kinetic mixing using LUX 2013 data

Author

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, Marzioni, MF, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
hep-ex, hep-ph
Abstract

We present the results of a direct detection search for mirror dark matter interactions, using data collected from the Large Underground Xenon experiment during 2013, with an exposure of 95 live-days×118 kg. Here, the calculations of the mirror electron scattering rate in liquid xenon take into account the shielding effects from mirror dark matter captured within the Earth. Annual and diurnal modulation of the dark matter flux and atomic shell effects in xenon are also accounted for. Having found no evidence for an electron recoil signal induced by mirror dark matter interactions we place an upper limit on the kinetic mixing parameter over a range of local mirror electron temperatures between 0.1 and 0.9 keV. This limit shows significant improvement over the previous experimental constraint from orthopositronium decays and significantly reduces the allowed parameter space for the model. We exclude mirror electron temperatures above 0.3 keV at a 90% confidence level, for this model, and constrain the kinetic mixing below this temperature.

Published
2020

38. A liquid scintillation detector for radioassay of gadolinium-loaded liquid scintillator for the LZ Outer Detector

Author

Haselschwardt, SJ, Shaw, S, Nelson, HN, Witherell, MS, Yeh, M, Lesko, KT, Cole, A, Kyre, S, and White, DT

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Low-background, Gadolinium, Liquid scintillator, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Nuclear and plasma physics
Abstract

We report on the design and performance of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) “Screener”, a small liquid scintillator detector consisting of ≈23 kg of LAB-based gadolinium-loaded liquid scintillator (GdLS) to be used in the LZ Outer Detector. The Outer Detector will be filled with 17.3 tonnes of GdLS and will surround the central liquid xenon time projection chamber of LZ. Its primary function will be to tag neutron events in the liquid xenon which could mimic a WIMP dark matter signal. To meet the deadtime requirements for the Outer Detector, the radioimpurity levels in the GdLS must be kept below ≲0.07 mBq/kg. This background level corresponds to a rate of ≈50Hz above an energy threshold of 100 keV. The Screener was operated in the ultra-low-background environment of the former LUX water shield in the Davis Laboratory at the Sanford Underground Research Facility for radioassay of the GdLS. Careful selection of detector materials and use of ultra-low-background PMTs allows the measurement of a variety of radioimpurities. The 14C/12C ratio in the scintillator is measured to be (2.83±0.06(stat.)±0.01(sys.))×10−17. Use of pulse shape discrimination allows the concentration of isotopes throughout the 238U, 235U, and 232Th chains to be measured by fitting the collected spectra from α and β events. We find that equilibrium is broken in the 238U and 232Th chains and that a significant portion of the contamination in the GdLS results from decays in the 227Ac subchain of the 235U series. Predictions for the singles rate in the Outer Detector are presented. The rate from radioimpurities above 100 keV in the GdLS is estimated to be 97.9±6.4Hz, with 65.5±1.9Hz resulting from α-decays.

Published
2019

39. Improved measurements of the β-decay response of liquid xenon with the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, 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, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, 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, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, and Xu, J

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex
Abstract

We report results from an extensive set of measurements of the \b{eta}-decayresponse in liquid xenon.These measurements are derived from high-statisticscalibration data from injected sources of both $^{3}$H and $^{14}$C in the LUXdetector. The mean light-to-charge ratio is reported for 13 electric fieldvalues ranging from 43 to 491 V/cm, and for energies ranging from 1.5 to 145keV.

Published
2019

40. Improved measurements of the beta-decay response of liquid xenon with the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araujo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Bras, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, 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, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, 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, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, and Xu, J

Subjects
physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics
Abstract

We report results from an extensive set of measurements of the \b{eta}-decayresponse in liquid xenon.These measurements are derived from high-statisticscalibration data from injected sources of both $^{3}$H and $^{14}$C in the LUXdetector. The mean light-to-charge ratio is reported for 13 electric fieldvalues ranging from 43 to 491 V/cm, and for energies ranging from 1.5 to 145keV.

Published
2019

41. Results of a Search for Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using 2013 LUX Data

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, 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, Knoche, R, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, 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, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, LUX Collaboration, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det, Mathematical Sciences, Engineering, General Physics, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences
Abstract

The scattering of dark matter (DM) particles with sub-GeV masses off nuclei is difficult to detect using liquid xenon-based DM search instruments because the energy transfer during nuclear recoils is smaller than the typical detector threshold. However, the tree-level DM-nucleus scattering diagram can be accompanied by simultaneous emission of a bremsstrahlung photon or a so-called "Migdal" electron. These provide an electron recoil component to the experimental signature at higher energies than the corresponding nuclear recoil. The presence of this signature allows liquid xenon detectors to use both the scintillation and the ionization signals in the analysis where the nuclear recoil signal would not be otherwise visible. We report constraints on spin-independent DM-nucleon scattering for DM particles with masses of 0.4-5  GeV/c^{2} using 1.4×10^{4}  kg day of search exposure from the 2013 data from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment for four different classes of mediators. This analysis extends the reach of liquid xenon-based DM search instruments to lower DM masses than has been achieved previously.

Published
2019

42. LUX trigger efficiency

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, B. Boxer, Brás, P, S. Burdin, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, E. Grace, C. Gwilliam, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, E.V. Korolkova, S. Kravitz, V.A. Kudryavtsev, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, J. Lin, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, G. Rischbieter, Rhyne, C, P. Rossiter, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, D. Woodward, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Trigger efficiency, Dark matter detectors, WIMPs, Liquid xenon, physics.ins-det, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX) searches for dark matter using a dual-phase xenon detector. LUX uses a custom-developed trigger system for event selection. In this paper, the trigger efficiency, which is defined as the probability that an event of interest is selected for offline analysis, is studied using raw data obtained from both electron recoil (ER) and nuclear recoil (NR) calibrations. The measured efficiency exceeds 98% at a pulse area of 90 detected photons, which is well below the WIMP analysis threshold on the S2 pulse area. The efficiency also exceeds 98% at recoil energies of 0.2 keV and above for ER, and 1.3 keV and above for NR. The measured trigger efficiency varies between 99% and 100% over the fiducial volume of the detector.

Published
2018

43. Search for annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, 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, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

Various dark matter models predict annual and diurnal modulations of dark matter interaction rates in Earth-based experiments as a result of the Earth's motion in the halo. Observation of such features can provide generic evidence for detection of dark matter interactions. This paper reports a search for both annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX dark matter experiment using over 20 calendar months of data acquired between 2013 and 2016. This search focuses on electron recoil events at low energies, where leptophilic dark matter interactions are expected to occur and where the DAMA experiment has observed a strong rate modulation for over two decades. By using the innermost volume of the LUX detector and developing robust cuts and corrections, we obtained a stable event rate of 2.3±0.2 cpd/keVee/tonne, which is among the lowest in all dark matter experiments. No statistically significant annual modulation was observed in energy windows up to 26 keVee. Between 2 and 6 keVee, this analysis demonstrates the most sensitive annual modulation search up to date, with 9.2σ tension with the DAMA/LIBRA result. We also report no observation of diurnal modulations above 0.2 cpd/keVee/tonne amplitude between 2 and 6 keVee.

Published
2018

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

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, 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, Hall, CR, 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, Liao, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, 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, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
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.

Published
2018

45. Calibration, event reconstruction, data analysis, and limit calculation for the LUX dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Faham, CH, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Gehman, VM, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lee, C, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Reichhart, L, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Affordable and Clean Energy, physics.ins-det
Abstract

The LUX experiment has performed searches for dark-matter particles scattering elastically on xenon nuclei, leading to stringent upper limits on the nuclear scattering cross sections for dark matter. Here, for results derived from 1.4×104 kg days of target exposure in 2013, details of the calibration, event-reconstruction, modeling, and statistical tests that underlie the results are presented. Detector performance is characterized, including measured efficiencies, stability of response, position resolution, and discrimination between electron- and nuclear-recoil populations. Models are developed for the drift field, optical properties, background populations, the electron- and nuclear-recoil responses, and the absolute rate of low-energy background events. Innovations in the analysis include in situ measurement of the photomultipliers' response to xenon scintillation photons, verification of fiducial mass with a low-energy internal calibration source, and new empirical models for low-energy signal yield based on large-sample, in situ calibrations.

Published
2018

46. Position reconstruction in LUX

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, 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, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, 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, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors, Liquid detectors, Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids, Detector modelling and simulations I, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, physics.comp-ph, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

The (x, y) position reconstruction method used in the analysis of the complete exposure of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment is presented. The algorithm is based on a statistical test that makes use of an iterative method to recover the photomultiplier tube (PMT) light response directly from the calibration data. The light response functions make use of a two dimensional functional form to account for the photons reflected on the inner walls of the detector. To increase the resolution for small pulses, a photon counting technique was employed to describe the response of the PMTs. The reconstruction was assessed with calibration data including 83mKr (releasing a total energy of 41.5 keV) and 3H (andbeta;- with Q = 18.6 keV) decays, and a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) neutron beam (2.45 MeV) . Within the detector's fiducial volume, the reconstruction has achieved an (x, y) position uncertainty of andsigma; = 0.82 cm and andsigma; = 0.17 cm for events of only 200 and 4,000 detected electroluminescence photons respectively. Such signals are associated with electron recoils of energies andsim;0.25 keV and andsim;10 keV, respectively. The reconstructed position of the smallest events with a single electron emitted from the liquid surface (22 detected photons) has a horizontal (x, y) uncertainty of 2.13 cm.

Published
2018

47. Chromatographic separation of radioactive noble gases from xenon

Author

Akerib, DS, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Bramante, R, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Chiller, AA, Chiller, C, Coffey, T, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Faham, CH, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Gehman, VM, Ghag, C, Gibson, KR, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Ihm, M, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lee, C, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Pech, K, Phelps, P, Reichhart, L, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Stephenson, S, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, W, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Xenon, Krypton, Adsorption, Chromatography, Gas Separation, Dark Matter, physics.ins-det, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical sciences, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment operates at the Sanford Underground Research Facility to detect nuclear recoils from the hypothetical Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on a liquid xenon target. Liquid xenon typically contains trace amounts of the noble radioactive isotopes 85Kr and 39Ar that are not removed by the in situ gas purification system. The decays of these isotopes at concentrations typical of research-grade xenon would be a dominant background for a WIMP search experiment. To remove these impurities from the liquid xenon, a chromatographic separation system based on adsorption on activated charcoal was built. 400 kg of xenon was processed, reducing the average concentration of krypton from 130 ppb to 3.5 ppt as measured by a cold-trap assisted mass spectroscopy system. A 50 kg batch spiked to 0.001 g/g of krypton was processed twice and reduced to an upper limit of 0.2 ppt.

Published
2018

48. Ultralow energy calibration of LUX detector using Xe 127 electron capture

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, 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, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, 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, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex
Abstract

We report an absolute calibration of the ionization yields (Qy) and fluctuations for electronic recoil events in liquid xenon at discrete energies between 186 eV and 33.2 keV. The average electric field applied across the liquid xenon target is 180 V/cm. The data are obtained using low energy Xe127 electron capture decay events from the 95.0-day first run from LUX (WS2013) in search of weakly interacting massive particles. The sequence of gamma-ray and x-ray cascades associated with I127 deexcitations produces clearly identified two-vertex events in the LUX detector. We observe the K-(binding energy, 33.2 keV), L-(5.2 keV), M-(1.1 keV), and N-(186 eV) shell cascade events and verify that the relative ratio of observed events for each shell agrees with calculations. The N-shell cascade analysis includes single extracted electron (SE) events and represents the lowest-energy electronic recoil in situ measurements that have been explored in liquid xenon.

Published
2017

49. Kr 83 m calibration of the 2013 LUX dark matter search

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, 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, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, 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, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX was the first dark matter experiment to use a Kr83m calibration source. In this paper, we describe the source preparation and injection. We also present several Kr83m calibration applications in the context of the 2013 LUX exposure, including the measurement of temporal and spatial variation in scintillation and charge signal amplitudes, and several methods to understand the electric field within the time projection chamber.

Published
2017

50. Kr83m calibration of the 2013 LUX dark matter search

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, 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, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, 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, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX was the first dark matter experiment to use a Kr83m calibration source. In this paper, we describe the source preparation and injection. We also present several Kr83m calibration applications in the context of the 2013 LUX exposure, including the measurement of temporal and spatial variation in scintillation and charge signal amplitudes, and several methods to understand the electric field within the time projection chamber.

Published
2017

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