Open AccessnEXO light detection system
Author(s) -
B. Chana
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of physics. conference series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1742-6596
pISSN - 1742-6588
DOI - 10.1088/1742-6596/2156/1/012203
Subject(s) - silicon photomultiplier , detector , optics , dark current , photomultiplier , scintillation , photon counting , physics , photon , photodetector , xenon , time projection chamber , optoelectronics , scintillator , nuclear physics
nEXO is a future 5-tonne scale liquid xenon time projection chamber (TPC) experiment looking for hypothetical neutrinoless double beta decay of isotope 136 Xe. To attain the projected half-life sensitivity of 10 28 years, it aims to achieve an energy resolution of 1% or better at the Q-value (Qββ = 2.458 MeV) of the decay. nEXO plans to employ silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) on the lateral surface of the cylindrical TPC to detect the light signals. Newly developed SiPMs sensitive to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light will be directly used for the detection of scintillation photons (λ = 175nm) in liquid xenon. For achieving the target energy resolution, the light detection system must have high photon detection efficiency, low correlated avalanche noise and low dark noise rate. The SiPM devices from two vendors are considered for the light detection system in the experiment. The primary goal of this research project is to characterize the VUV-SiPMs and measure their various features like gain, crosstalk, afterpulsing, dark noise rate, reflectivity and photon detection efficiency. Along with all these measurements, a monitoring tool will be required to test the large number of SiPMs before installing them in the detector. Current-voltage(IV) curve characterisation is being explored as a quick quality-testing tool for the performance of SiPM.