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Study of dielectric breakdown in liquid xenon with XeBrA: The xenon breakdown apparatus

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0107082· OSTI ID:2204110
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
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Maintaining the electric fields necessary for the current generation of noble liquid time projection chambers (TPCs), with drift lengths exceeding 1 m, requires a large negative voltage applied to their cathode. Delivering such high voltage is associated with an elevated risk of electrostatic discharge and electroluminescence, which would be detrimental to the performance of the experiment. The Xenon Breakdown Apparatus (XeBrA) is a 5-l, high voltage test chamber built to investigate the contributing factors to electrical breakdown in noble liquids. Here, in this work, we present the main findings after conducting scans over stressed electrode areas, surface finish, pressure, and high voltage ramp speed in the medium of liquid xenon. Area scaling and surface finish were observed to be the dominant factors affecting breakdown, whereas no significant changes were observed with varying pressure or ramp speed. A general rise in both the anode current and photon rate was observed in the last 30 s, leading up to a breakdown, with a marked increase in the last couple of seconds. In addition, the position of breakdowns was reconstructed with a system of high-speed cameras and a moderate correlation with the Fowler–Nordheim field emission model was found. Tentative evidence for bubble nucleation being the originating mechanism of breakdown in the liquid was also observed. We deem the results presented in this work to be of particular interest for the design of future, large TPCs, and practical recommendations are provided.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; SC0018982; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2204110
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1908844
OSTI ID: 2246871
Report Number(s):
LLNL--JRNL-856470; 1086016
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 94; ISSN 0034-6748
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Bubble dynamics
Dark matter
Dielectric properties
Electrical properties and parameters
Liquid noble gases
Streamer discharge