Optical Calibration System for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Outer Detector

TL;DR

This paper presents an optical calibration system designed for the LUX-ZEPLIN outer detector, ensuring optimal photomultiplier tube performance to achieve the experiment's dark matter detection sensitivity.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel optical calibration system specifically developed for the LZ outer detector's photomultiplier tubes.

Findings

Calibration system successfully monitors PMT performance.

Enhanced detector sensitivity achieved through calibration.

System ensures reliable veto of background events.

Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a detector containing a total of 10 tonnes of liquid xenon. Surrounding the liquid xenon cryostat is an outer detector veto system with the primary aim of vetoing neutron single-scatter events in the liquid xenon that could mimic a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter signal. The outer detector consists of approximately 17 tonnes of gadolinium-loaded liquid scintillator confined to 10 acrylic tanks surrounding the cryostat and 228,000 litres of water as the outermost layer. It will be monitored by 120 inward-facing 8-inch photomultiplier tubes. An optical calibration system has been designed and built to calibrate and monitor these photomultiplier tubes allowing the veto system to reach its required efficiency and thus ensuring that LUX-ZEPLIN meets its target sensitivity.