Xenon Bubble Chambers for Direct Dark Matter Detection

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel xenon bubble chamber detector for dark matter, combining multiple detection channels to improve background discrimination and sensitivity, with promising preliminary simulation results and ongoing prototype development.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a xenon bubble chamber that integrates ionization, scintillation, and heat detection for dark matter searches, a first in the field.

Findings

Simulations indicate 99.99% to 99.9999+% discrimination capability.

The proposed detector combines strengths of liquid xenon TPCs and bubble chambers.

Prototype development is underway with initial testing.

Abstract

The search for dark matter is one of today's most exciting fields. As bigger detectors are being built to increase their sensitivity, background reduction is an ever more challenging issue. To this end, a new type of dark matter detector is proposed, a xenon bubble chamber, which would combine the strengths of liquid xenon TPCs, namely event by event energy resolution, with those of a bubble chamber, namely insensitivity to electronic recoils. In addition, it would be the first time ever that a dark matter detector is active on all three detection channels, ionization and scintillation characteristic of xenon detectors, and heat through bubble formation in superheated fluids. Preliminary simulations show that, depending on threshold, a discrimination of 99.99\% to 99.9999+\% can be achieved, which is on par or better than many current experiments. A prototype is being built at the University at Albany, SUNY. The prototype is currently undergoing seals, thermal, and compression testing.