Nuclear recoil energy scale in liquid xenon with application to the direct detection of dark matter

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that nuclear recoil energy in liquid xenon can be accurately modeled by Lindhard theory when using a combined energy scale, impacting dark matter detection strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach for reconstructing nuclear recoil energy in liquid xenon detectors using combined scintillation and ionization signals, supported by Lindhard theory.

Findings

Lindhard theory accurately describes electronic excitation quenching.

Combined energy scale improves nuclear recoil energy reconstruction.

Signal partitioning aligns with the Thomas-Imel box model.

Abstract

We show for the first time that the quenching of electronic excitation from nuclear recoils in liquid xenon is well-described by Lindhard theory, if the nuclear recoil energy is reconstructed using the combined (scintillation and ionization) energy scale proposed by Shutt {\it et al.}. We argue for the adoption of this perspective in favor of the existing preference for reconstructing nuclear recoil energy solely from primary scintillation. We show that signal partitioning into scintillation and ionization is well-described by the Thomas-Imel box model. We discuss the implications for liquid xenon detectors aimed at the direct detection of dark matter.