First Imaging Results of a Bubble-assisted Liquid Hole Multiplier with SiPM readout in Liquid Xenon

TL;DR

This paper presents initial imaging results of a liquid xenon detector using a bubble-assisted Liquid Hole Multiplier with SiPM readout, demonstrating high-resolution imaging and energy measurement capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel bubble-assisted LHM with SiPM readout in liquid xenon, achieving high-resolution imaging and energy resolution for the first time.

Findings

Achieved ~200 μm image reconstruction resolution.

Demonstrated 6.6% RMS energy resolution.

Validated the bubble-assisted LHM concept in liquid xenon.

Abstract

First imaging results in liquid xenon of a Liquid Hole Multiplier (LHM) coupled to a Quad-Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) array are presented. Ionization electrons deposited in the noble liquid by 5.5 MeV alpha particles, are collected into the holes of a Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) electrode having a xenon gas bubble trapped underneath. They drift through the liquid-gas interface, inducing electroluminescence within the bubble. The resulting photons are detected with a Hamamatsu VUV4 quad-SiPM array - providing the deposited energy with a charge-only RMS resolution of 6.6%. The image reconstruction resolution was estimated to be ~200 um (RMS).