Intense Vacuum-Ultraviolet and Infrared Scintillation of Liquid Ar-Xe Mixtures

TL;DR

This study investigates the vacuum ultraviolet and infrared scintillation properties of xenon-doped liquid argon, revealing efficient energy transfer and intense infrared emission at specific xenon concentrations, with implications for particle detector technology.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of scintillation spectra, photon yields, and time structures for liquid argon-xenon mixtures, highlighting the optimal xenon concentration for maximum infrared emission.

Findings

Xenon transfer saturation occurs at ~10 ppm concentration.

Infrared emission peaks at 1.17 μm with 13000 photons/MeV.

Pure liquid argon emits 22000 photons/MeV at 127 nm.

Abstract

Vacuum ultraviolet light emission from xenon-doped liquid argon is described in the context of liquid noble gas particle detectors. Xenon concentrations in liquid argon from 0.1 ppm to 1000 ppm were studied. The energy transfer from the second excimer continuum of argon ($\sim$127 nm) to the second excimer continuum of xenon ($\sim$174 nm) is observed by recording optical emission spectra. The transfer almost saturates at a xenon concentration of $\sim$10 ppm for which, in addition, an intense emission in the infrared at a peak wavelength of 1.17 $\mu$m with (13000$\pm$4000) photons per MeV deposited by electrons had been found. The corresponding value for the VUV emission at a peak wavelength of 174 nm (second excimer continuum of xenon) is determined to be (20000$\pm$6000) photons per MeV electron energy deposited. Under these excitation conditions pure liquid argon emits (22000$\pm$3000) photons per MeV electron energy deposited at a peak wavelength of 127nm. An electron-beam induced emission spectrum for the 10 ppm Ar-Xe liquid mixture ranging from 115 nm to 3.5 $\mu$m is presented. VUV emission spectra from xenon-doped liquid argon with exponentially varied xenon concentrations from 0.1 ppm to 1000 ppm are also shown. Time structure measurements of the light emissions at well-defined wavelength positions in the vacuum ultraviolet as well as in the near-infrared are presented.