Micromegas-TPC operation at high pressure in xenon-trimethylamine mixtures

TL;DR

This study demonstrates stable high-pressure xenon-TMA gas detectors with enhanced gain and improved energy resolution, suitable for neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic analysis of Micromegas detectors in high-pressure xenon with TMA, revealing Penning-like effects and optimal TMA concentrations for maximum gain and resolution.

Findings

Stable operation at all pressures tested.

Enhanced gas gain due to Penning-like processes.

Energy resolution improved to 7.3% FWHM at 1 bar.

Abstract

In this work we present a systematic study of Micromegas detectors in high pressure gaseous Xenon using trimethylamine (TMA) as quencher gas. Gas gains and energy resolutions for 22.1 keV X-rays are measured for pressures between 1 and 10 bar and various relative concentrations of TMA from 0.3 % to 15 %. We observe stable operation at all pressures, and a strongly enhanced gas gain, suggestive of Penning-like energy-transfer processes. The effect is present at all pressures and it is strongest at TMA concentrations ranging from 1.5 % to 3 %. Operating in this concentration range, the maximum gain reached values as high as x10^3 (x10^2) at 1 (10) bar. Besides, the energy resolution achievable for 22.1 keV X-rays is substantially better than the one previously obtained in pure Xe, going down to 7.3 % (9.6 %) FWHM for 1 (10) bar. These results are of interest for calorimetric applications of high pressure gas Xe TPCs, in particular for the search of the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136. The resolutions achieved would extrapolate into 0.7 % (0.9 %) FWHM at the Qbb value of Xe-136 for 1 (10) bar.