Interpretation of Light-Quenching Factor Measurements

TL;DR

This paper explains the pattern of light quenching factors in scintillation detectors as a saturation effect consistent with Birks' law, providing a simple model for detector resolution at low ion energies.

Contribution

It introduces a straightforward interpretation of quenching factors as a saturation phenomenon, linking it to Birks' law and offering a model for detector resolution.

Findings

Quenching factors follow a track length proportionality

Pattern consistent with high dE/dx limit of Birks' law

Proposes a simple model for intrinsic resolution

Abstract

We observe that the pattern of the quenching factors for scintillation light from various ions, recently studied in $CaWO_4$ in connection with dark matter detectors, can be understood as a saturation phenomenon in which the light output is simply proportional to track length, independent of the ion and its energy. This observation is in accord with the high dE/dx limit of Birks' law. It suggests a simple model for the intrinsic resolution of light detectors for low energy ions, which we briefly discuss.