A Dual-Phase Argon Ionization Detector for the Measurement of Nuclear Quench Factors and Coherent Neutrino Scattering

ORAL

Abstract

Dual-phase detectors based on noble elements are widely used for measuring low-energy nuclear recoils, for example in Dark Matter or Coherent Neutrino Scattering (CNS) searches. We have constructed a dual-phase Argon detector to measure the nuclear ionization quench factor of Argon from 10 keV down in the sub-keV range using a neutron beam and also a newer technique based on nuclear resonance fluorescence. The detector is also a prototype for a larger one to measure CNS at a nuclear reactor. We will present an overview of our program and report on the commissioning of the dual-phase prototype, with details on the proposed techniques for the quench factor measurements.

*This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Funded by Lab-wide LDRD.

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Authors

  • Samuele Sangiorgio

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Adam Bernstein

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Michael Foxe

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Chris Hagmann

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Tenzing Joshi

    • University of California-Berkeley

  • Igor Jovanovic

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Kareem Kazkaz

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • LLNL