The XENON1T Dark Matter Experiment

TL;DR

The XENON1T experiment is a large-scale liquid xenon detector designed to search for WIMP dark matter, achieving low background levels and demonstrating promising initial detector performance.

Contribution

This paper introduces the design, construction, and initial performance results of the first ton-scale liquid xenon dark matter detector, XENON1T.

Findings

Achieved unprecedented low background levels.

Demonstrated effective detector response and subsystem performance.

Set the stage for future dark matter search results.

Abstract

The XENON1T experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) is the first WIMP dark matter detector operating with a liquid xenon target mass above the ton-scale. Out of its 3.2t liquid xenon inventory, 2.0t constitute the active target of the dual-phase time projection chamber. The scintillation and ionization signals from particle interactions are detected with low-background photomultipliers. This article describes the XENON1T instrument and its subsystems as well as strategies to achieve an unprecedented low background level. First results on the detector response and the performance of the subsystems are also presented.