The Measurement of a Temperature Dependence of the Count Rate of Single Electrons Emitted From Copper by Means of a Multicathode Counter

TL;DR

This study investigates how the count rate of single electrons emitted from copper varies with temperature, suggesting a possible link to hidden photons as a source of cryogenic dark current, based on measurements with a multicathode counter.

Contribution

It introduces a novel measurement of electron emission dependence on temperature and proposes hidden photons as a potential explanation for cryogenic dark current.

Findings

Count rate increases at cryogenic temperatures.

Results support the hidden photon hypothesis.

Further measurements are needed for confirmation.

Abstract

It was found that at cryogenic temperatures the spontaneous emission of single electrons from cathode of PMT is increased by lowering the temperature of PMT. This effect has not found yet a satisfactory explanation. It was suggested by us that the source of cryogenic dark current is a conversion of hidden photons on a metallic surface. To check this hypothesis a series of measurements have been performed using a multicathode counter developed by us as a detector of single electrons. Upon the results of measurements during 78 days in configurations R1 and R2 of a multicathode counter with a copper cathode the dependence of the counting rate of single electrons on temperature has been obtained. The results obtained are in agreement with the hypotheses that hidden photons are the source of a cryogenic dark current. These very preliminary results have to be checked by further measurements.