Krypton assay in xenon at the ppq level using a gas chromatographic system and mass spectrometer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a highly sensitive method combining cryogenic gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect krypton traces in xenon at parts per quadrillion levels, crucial for low-background physics experiments.

Contribution

The authors developed a novel system achieving detection limits of 8 ppq for krypton in xenon, enabling ultra-low concentration measurements for physics applications.

Findings

Detection limit of 8 ppq for krypton in xenon

Krypton concentrations below 1 ppt in distilled xenon

Effective separation of krypton from xenon using cryogenic chromatography

Abstract

We have developed a new method to measure krypton traces in xenon at unprecedented low concentrations. This is a mandatory task for many near-future low-background particle physics detectors. Our system separates krypton from xenon using cryogenic gas chromatography. The amount of krypton is then quantified using a mass spectrometer. We demonstrate that the system has achieved a detection limit of 8 ppq (parts per quadrillion) and present results of distilled xenon with krypton concentrations below 1 ppt.