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Title: A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research

Abstract

Here, we report on the design, construction and operation of a low background x-ray detection line composed of a shielded Micromegas detector of the microbulk technology. The detector is made from radiopure materials and is placed at the focal point of a ~ 5 cm diameter, 1.5 m focal-length, cone-approximation Wolter I x-ray telescope (XRT) assembled from thermally-formed (or "slumped") glass substrates deposited with multilayer coatings. The system has been conceived as a technological pathfinder for the future International Axion Observatory (IAXO), as it combines two of the techniques (optic and detector) proposed in the conceptual design of the project. It is innovative for two reasons: it is the first time an x-ray optic has been designed and fabricated specifically for axion research, and the first time a Micromegas detector has been operated with an x-ray optic. The line has been installed at one end of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) magnet and is currently looking for solar axions. Furthermore, the combination of the XRT and Micromegas detector provides the best signal-to-noise ratio obtained so far by any detection system of the CAST experiment with a background rate of 5.4×10–3 counts per hour in the energy region-of-interest and signalmore » spot area.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [4];  [1];  [5];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [4];  [3];  [3];  [6] more »;  [3] « less
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. de Zaragoza, Zaragoza (Spain)
  2. Technical Univ. of Denmark. Lyngby (Denmark)
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  4. CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
  5. Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
  6. Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki (Greece)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1476208
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-747464
Journal ID: ISSN 1475-7516; 932504
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 2015; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1475-7516
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; axions; dark matter detectors; dark matter experiments; X-ray telescopes

Citation Formats

Aznar, F., Castel, J., Christensen, F. E., Dafni, T., Decker, T. A., Ferrer-Ribas, E., Garcia, J. A., Giomataris, I., Garza, J. G., Hailey, C. J., Hill, R. M., Iguaz, F. J., Irastorza, I. G., Jakobsen, A. C., Luzon, G., Mirallas, H., Papaevangelou, T., Pivovaroff, M. J., Ruz, J., Vafeiadis, T., and Vogel, J. K. A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2015/12/008.
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Aznar, F., Castel, J., Christensen, F. E., Dafni, T., Decker, T. A., Ferrer-Ribas, E., Garcia, J. A., Giomataris, I., Garza, J. G., Hailey, C. J., Hill, R. M., Iguaz, F. J., Irastorza, I. G., Jakobsen, A. C., Luzon, G., Mirallas, H., Papaevangelou, T., Pivovaroff, M. J., Ruz, J., Vafeiadis, T., & Vogel, J. K. A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2015/12/008
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Aznar, F., Castel, J., Christensen, F. E., Dafni, T., Decker, T. A., Ferrer-Ribas, E., Garcia, J. A., Giomataris, I., Garza, J. G., Hailey, C. J., Hill, R. M., Iguaz, F. J., Irastorza, I. G., Jakobsen, A. C., Luzon, G., Mirallas, H., Papaevangelou, T., Pivovaroff, M. J., Ruz, J., Vafeiadis, T., and Vogel, J. K. Thu . "A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2015/12/008. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1476208.
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@article{osti_1476208,
title = {A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research},
author = {Aznar, F. and Castel, J. and Christensen, F. E. and Dafni, T. and Decker, T. A. and Ferrer-Ribas, E. and Garcia, J. A. and Giomataris, I. and Garza, J. G. and Hailey, C. J. and Hill, R. M. and Iguaz, F. J. and Irastorza, I. G. and Jakobsen, A. C. and Luzon, G. and Mirallas, H. and Papaevangelou, T. and Pivovaroff, M. J. and Ruz, J. and Vafeiadis, T. and Vogel, J. K.},
abstractNote = {Here, we report on the design, construction and operation of a low background x-ray detection line composed of a shielded Micromegas detector of the microbulk technology. The detector is made from radiopure materials and is placed at the focal point of a ~ 5 cm diameter, 1.5 m focal-length, cone-approximation Wolter I x-ray telescope (XRT) assembled from thermally-formed (or "slumped") glass substrates deposited with multilayer coatings. The system has been conceived as a technological pathfinder for the future International Axion Observatory (IAXO), as it combines two of the techniques (optic and detector) proposed in the conceptual design of the project. It is innovative for two reasons: it is the first time an x-ray optic has been designed and fabricated specifically for axion research, and the first time a Micromegas detector has been operated with an x-ray optic. The line has been installed at one end of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) magnet and is currently looking for solar axions. Furthermore, the combination of the XRT and Micromegas detector provides the best signal-to-noise ratio obtained so far by any detection system of the CAST experiment with a background rate of 5.4×10–3 counts per hour in the energy region-of-interest and signal spot area.},
doi = {10.1088/1475-7516/2015/12/008},
journal = {Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics},
number = 12,
volume = 2015,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Thu Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    New CAST limit on the axion–photon interaction
    journal, May 2017

    Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: results from the T-REX project. II. Dark matter
    journal, January 2016

    TREX-DM: a low-background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection
    journal, September 2016

    Physics potential of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)
    text, January 2019

    Physics potential of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)
    journal, June 2019

    TREX-DM: a low background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection
    journal, May 2016

    Erratum: Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: results from the T-REX project. II. Dark matter
    journal, May 2016

    Physics potential of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)
    text, January 2019

    TREX-DM: a low background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection
    text, January 2016

    Towards a medium-scale axion helioscope and haloscope
    text, January 2017

    TREX-DM: a low-background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection
    text, January 2015

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