Liquid xenon purification, de-radonation (and de-kryptonation)

Journal Article · Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927989· OSTI ID:22488706

Pocar, Andrea ^[1]

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1. Amherst Center for Fundamental Interactions and Physics Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003 (United States)

Liquid xenon detectors are at the forefront of rare event physics, including searches for neutrino-less double beta decay and WIMP dark matter. The xenon for these experiments needs to be purified from chemical impurities such as electronegative atoms and molecules, which absorb ionization electrons, and VUV (178 nm) scintillation light-absorbing chemical species. In addition, superb purification from radioactive impurities is required. Particularly challenging are radioactive noble isotopes ({sup 85}Kr,{sup 39,42}Ar,{sup 220,222}Rn). Radon is a particularly universal problem, due to the extended decay sequence of its daughters and its ubiquitous presence in detector materials. Purification and de-radonation of liquid xenon are addressed with particular focus on the experience gained with the EXO-200 neutrino-less double beta decay detector.

• OSTI ID: 22488706
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1672, Issue 1; Conference: LRT 2015: 5. international workshop in low radioactivity techniques, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-20 Mar 2015; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ARGON 39
ARGON 42
ATOMS
DOUBLE BETA DECAY
ELECTRONS
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
GAIN
IMPURITIES
KRYPTON 85
LIQUID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
MOLECULES
NEUTRINOS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PURIFICATION
RADON
RADON 220
RADON 222
SCINTILLATIONS
VISIBLE RADIATION
XENON