Speaker
Description
Low-threshold, low-background noble liquid ionization detectors are desired for low-mass dark matter and Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CEνNS) searches. Of the two primary noble elements used for particle detection, argon and xenon, argon can yield higher energy nuclear recoils, but the electroluminescence light produced by Ar2 dimer is difficult to collect and the slow de-excitation process can cause a pileup of single-electron backgrounds. When liquid argon is sufficiently doped with xenon, the presence of xenon in the vapor can lead to electroluminescence emission from Xe or ArXe, which may have a higher yield, decay faster, and be collected more efficiently. The CHILLAX experiment at LLNL has demonstrated the highest xenon doping concentration in liquid argon, and is actively developing a dual-phase xenon-doped argon detector to demonstrate the benefits of xenon doping for low-energy sensitivities. In this talk, we will discuss the recent progress of the CHILLAX experiment, including a new record for the xenon concentration in liquid argon, a measurement of the gas xenon concentration, and other results.
