The science and technology of liquid argon detectors

TL;DR

Liquid argon detectors have become highly advanced tools in particle physics, with diverse applications in collider experiments, neutrino detection, and rare event observation, benefiting from over 20 years of research and development.

Contribution

This review comprehensively covers the physical properties, technological advancements, and diverse applications of liquid argon detectors, highlighting recent innovations and future prospects.

Findings

Liquid argon is an effective medium for particle detection with unique advantages.

Liquid argon detectors are successfully used in major physics experiments like DUNE and ATLAS.

Emerging developments include pixelization and optical readout techniques.

Abstract

Liquid argon detectors are ubiquitous in particle, astroparticle, and applied physics. They reached an unprecedented level of maturity thanks to more than 20 years of R&D and the operation of large-scale facilities at CERN, Fermilab, and the Gran Sasso laboratories. This article reviews such an impressive advance - from the grounding of the experimental technique up to cutting-edge applications. We commence the review by describing the physical and chemical properties of liquid argon as an active and target medium for particle detection, together with advantages and limitations compared with other liquefied noble gases. We examine the opportunities and challenges of liquid argon detectors operated as calorimeters, scintillators, and time projection chambers. We then delve into the core applications of liquid argon detectors at colliders (ATLAS), accelerator neutrino beams (SBN, DUNE), and underground laboratories (DarkSide, DEAP, ICARUS) for the observation of rare events. We complete the review by looking at unconventional developments (pixelization, combined light-charge readout, Xe-doped devices, all-optical readout) and applications in medical and applied physics to extend this technology's scope toward novel research fields.