Intense Infrared Scintillation of Liquid Ar-Xe Mixtures

Authors :: Neumeier, A.
Dandl, T.
Heindl, T.
Himpsl, A.
Hagn, H.
Hofmann, M.
Oberauer, L.
Potzel, W.
Roth, S.
Schönert, S.
Wieser, J.
Ulrich, A.
Source :: A. Neumeier et al., Europhys. Lett. 106 32001 (2014)
Publication Year :: 2015
Abstract: Intense infrared (IR) light emission from liquid Ar-Xe mixtures has been observed using 12 keV electron-beam excitation. The emission peaks at a wavelength of 1.18 $\mu$m and the half-width of the emission band is 0.1 $\mu$m. Maximum intensity has been found for a 10 ppm xenon admixture in liquid argon. The conversion efficiency of electron beam-power to IR-light is about 1% (10000 photons per MeV electron energy deposited). A possible application of this intense IR emission for a new particle discrimination concept in liquid noble gas detectors is discussed. No light emission was found for perfectly purified liquid argon in the wavelength range from 0.5 to 3.5 $\mu$m on the current level of sensitivity.<br />Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures