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51. Improved Modeling of $\beta$ Electronic Recoils in Liquid Xenon Using LUX Calibration Data

Author

The LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Baxter, A., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., de Viveiros, L., Druszkiewicz, E., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Korolkova, E. V., Kravits, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Leason, E., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Naylor, A., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nilima, A., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, R., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Vacheret, A., Velan, V., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We report here methods and techniques for creating and improving a model that reproduces the scintillation and ionization response of a dual-phase liquid and gaseous xenon time-projection chamber. Starting with the recent release of the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST v2.0), electronic recoil data from the $\beta$ decays of ${}^3$H and ${}^{14}$C in the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector were used to tune the model, in addition to external data sets that allow for extrapolation beyond the LUX data-taking conditions. This paper also presents techniques used for modeling complicated temporal and spatial detector pathologies that can adversely affect data using a simplified model framework. The methods outlined in this report show an example of the robust applications possible with NEST v2.0, while also providing the final electronic recoil model and detector parameters that will used in the new analysis package, the LUX Legacy Analysis Monte Carlo Application (LLAMA), for accurate reproduction of the LUX data. As accurate background reproduction is crucial for the success of rare-event searches, such as dark matter direct detection experiments, the techniques outlined here can be used in other single-phase and dual-phase xenon detectors to assist with accurate ER background reproduction., Comment: 17 Pages, 10 Figures, 2 Tables

Published
2019
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52. First direct detection constraint on mirror dark matter kinetic mixing using LUX 2013 data

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Baxter, A., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., de Viveiros, L., Druszkiewicz, E., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Leason, E., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Naylor, A., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nilima, A., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, R., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Vacheret, A., Velan, V., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
High Energy Physics - Experiment, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Abstract

We present the results of a direct detection search for mirror dark matter interactions, using data collected from the Large Underground Xenon experiment during 2013, with an exposure of 95 live-days $\times$ 118 kg. Here, the calculations of the mirror electron scattering rate in liquid xenon take into account the shielding effects from mirror dark matter captured within the Earth. Annual and diurnal modulation of the dark matter flux and atomic shell effects in xenon are also accounted for. Having found no evidence for an electron recoil signal induced by mirror dark matter interactions we place an upper limit on the kinetic mixing parameter over a range of local mirror electron temperatures between 0.1 and 0.6 keV. This limit shows significant improvement over the previous experimental constraint from orthopositronium decays and significantly reduces the allowed parameter space for the model. We exclude mirror electron temperatures above 0.3 keV at a 90% confidence level, for this model, and constrain the kinetic mixing below this temperature.

Published
2019
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53. Extending light WIMP searches to single scintillation photons in LUX

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Baxter, A., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., de Viveiros, L., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Grace, E., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazka, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Larsen, N. A., Leason, E., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Levy, C., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., López-Paredes, B., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Naylor, A., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nilima, A., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Reichhart, L., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, R., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Vacheret, A., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

We present a novel analysis technique for liquid xenon time projection chambers that allows for a lower threshold by relying on events with a prompt scintillation signal consisting of single detected photons. The energy threshold of the LUX dark matter experiment is primarily determined by the smallest scintillation response detectable, which previously required a 2-fold coincidence signal in its photomultiplier arrays, enforced in data analysis. The technique presented here exploits the double photoelectron emission effect observed in some photomultiplier models at vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths. We demonstrate this analysis using an electron recoil calibration dataset and place new constraints on the spin-independent scattering cross section of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) down to 2.5 GeV/c$^2$ WIMP mass using the 2013 LUX dataset. This new technique is promising to enhance light WIMP and astrophysical neutrino searches in next-generation liquid xenon experiments.

Published
2019
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54. Measurement of the Gamma Ray Background in the Davis Cavern at the Sanford Underground Research Facility

Author

Akerib, D. S., Akerlof, C. W., Alsum, S. K., Angelides, N., Araújo, H. M., Armstrong, J. E., Arthurs, M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Balashov, S., Baxter, A., Bernard, E. P., Biekert, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boast, K. E., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V. V., Burdin, S., Busenitz, J. K., Carels, C., Carlsmith, D. L., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Cascella, M., Chan, C., Cole, A., Cottle, A., Cutter, J. E., Dahl, C. E., de Viveiros, L., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edberg, T. K., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Flaecher, H., Fruth, T., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gokhale, S., van der Grinten, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hans, S., Harrison, J., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hor, J. Y-K., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Johnson, J., Kaboth, A. C., Kamdin, K., Khaitan, D., Khazov, A., Kim, W. T., Kocher, C. D., Korley, L., Korolkova, E. V., Kras, J., Kraus, H., Kravitz, S. W., Kreczko, L., Krikler, B., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Leason, E. A., Lee, J., Leonard, D. S., Lesko, K. T., Levy, C., Li, J., Liao, J., Liao, F. -T., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Linehan, R., Lippincott, W. H., Liu, R., Liu, X., Loniewski, C., Lopes, M. I., Paredes, B. López, Lorenzon, W., Luitz, S., Lyle, J. M., Majewski, P. A., Manalaysay, A., Manenti, L., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., McLaughlin, J., Meng, Y., Miller, E. H., Monzani, M. E., Morad, J. A., Morrison, E., Mount, B. J., Murphy, A. St. J., Naim, D., Naylor, A., Nedlik, C., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nikoleyczik, J., Nilima, A., Olcina, I., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Pal, S., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Penning, B. P., Pereira, G., Piepke, A., Pushkin, K., Reichenbacher, J., Rhyne, C. A., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rodrigues, J. P., Rosero, R., Rossiter, P., Rutherford, G., Sazzad, A. B. M. R., Schnee, R. W., Schubnell, M., Scovell, P. R., Seymour, D., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silk, J. J., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stancu, I., Stevens, A., Stiegler, T. M., Stifter, K., Szydagis, M., Taylor, W. C., Taylor, R., Temples, D., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., Timalsina, M., Tomás, A, Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Vacheret, A., Wang, J. J., Watson, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, R. G., Whitis, T. J., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., and Yin, J.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

Deep underground environments are ideal for low background searches due to the attenuation of cosmic rays by passage through the earth. However, they are affected by backgrounds from $\gamma$-rays emitted by $^{40}$K and the $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th decay chains in the surrounding rock. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a liquid xenon TPC located within the Davis campus at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota, at the 4,850-foot level. In order to characterise the cavern background, in-situ $\gamma$-ray measurements were taken with a sodium iodide detector in various locations and with lead shielding. The integral count rates (0--3300~keV) varied from 596~Hz to 1355~Hz for unshielded measurements, corresponding to a total flux in the cavern of $1.9\pm0.4$~$\gamma~$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$. The resulting activity in the walls of the cavern can be characterised as $220\pm60$~Bq/kg of $^{40}$K, $29\pm15$~Bq/kg of $^{238}$U, and $13\pm3$~Bq/kg of $^{232}$Th., Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures

Published
2019
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55. Improved Measurements of the \b{eta}-Decay Response of Liquid Xenon with the LUX Detector

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Baxter, A., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., de Viveiros, L., Druszkiewicz, E., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Leason, E., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Naylor, A., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nilima, A., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, R., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Vacheret, A., Velan, V., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We report results from an extensive set of measurements of the \b{eta}-decay response in liquid xenon.These measurements are derived from high-statistics calibration data from injected sources of both $^{3}$H and $^{14}$C in the LUX detector. The mean light-to-charge ratio is reported for 13 electric field values ranging from 43 to 491 V/cm, and for energies ranging from 1.5 to 145 keV.

Published
2019
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56. Improving sensitivity to low-mass dark matter in LUX using a novel electrode background mitigation technique

Author

Collaboration, LUX, Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Bang, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Viveiros, L de, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Rhyne, C, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Swanson, N, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Vacheret, A, Vaitkus, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xiang, X, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
hep-ex, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, physics.ins-det
Abstract

This paper presents a novel technique for mitigating electrode backgroundsthat limit the sensitivity of searches for low-mass dark matter (DM) usingxenon time projection chambers. In the LUX detector, signatures of low-mass DMinteractions would be very low energy ($\sim$keV) scatters in the active targetthat ionize only a few xenon atoms and seldom produce detectable scintillationsignals. In this regime, extra precaution is required to reject a complex setof low-energy electron backgrounds that have long been observed in this classof detector. Noticing backgrounds from the wire grid electrodes near the topand bottom of the active target are particularly pernicious, we develop amachine learning technique based on ionization pulse shape to identify andreject these events. We demonstrate the technique can improve Poisson limits onlow-mass DM interactions by a factor of $2$-$7$ with improvement dependingheavily on the size of ionization signals. We use the technique on events in aneffective $5$ tonne$\cdot$day exposure from LUX's 2013 science operation toplace strong limits on low-mass DM particles with masses in the range$m_{\chi}\in0.15$-$10$ GeV. This machine learning technique is expected to beuseful for near-future experiments, such as LZ and XENONnT, which hope toperform low-mass DM searches with the stringent background control necessary tomake a discovery.

Published
2020

57. Investigation of background electron emission in the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, De Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
Abstract

Dual-phase xenon detectors, as currently used in direct detection dark matter experiments, have observed elevated rates of background electron events in the low energy region. While this background negatively impacts detector performance in various ways, its origins have only been partially studied. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of the electron pathologies observed in the LUX dark matter experiment. We characterize different electron populations based on their emission intensities and their correlations with preceding energy depositions in the detector. By studying the background under different experimental conditions, we identified the leading emission mechanisms, including photoionization and the photoelectric effect induced by the xenon luminescence, delayed emission of electrons trapped under the liquid surface, capture and release of drifting electrons by impurities, and grid electron emission. We discuss how these backgrounds can be mitigated in LUX and future xenon-based dark matter experiments.

Published
2020

58. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) radioactivity and cleanliness control programs

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Akimov, D Yu, Alquahtani, A, Alsum, SK, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Arbuckle, A, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Auyeung, H, Aviles, S, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Barry, MJ, Bauer, D, Bauer, P, Baxter, A, Belle, J, Beltrame, P, Bensinger, J, Benson, T, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Birrittella, B, Boast, KE, Bolozdynya, AI, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Bramante, R, Branson, S, Brás, P, Breidenbach, M, Brew, CAJ, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Bunker, R, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Cabrita, R, Campbell, JS, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carlson, B, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Cherwinka, JJ, Chiller, AA, Chiller, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Coleman, J, Colling, D, Conley, RA, Cottle, A, Coughlen, R, Cox, G, Craddock, WW, Curran, D, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, da Cunha, JP, Dahl, CE, Dardin, S, Dasu, S, Davis, J, Davison, TJR, de Viveiros, L, Decheine, N, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Dushkin, A, Edberg, TK, Edwards, WR, Edwards, BN, Edwards, J, Elnimr, MM, Emmet, WT, Eriksen, SR, Faham, CH, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Florang, IM Fogarty, Ford, P, Francis, VB, Fraser, ED, Froborg, F, and Fruth, T

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical sciences, Atomic, molecular and optical physics, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a second-generation direct dark matter experiment with spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering sensitivity above 1.4×10-48cm2 for a WIMP mass of 40GeV/c2 and a 1000days exposure. LZ achieves this sensitivity through a combination of a large 5.6t fiducial volume, active inner and outer veto systems, and radio-pure construction using materials with inherently low radioactivity content. The LZ collaboration performed an extensive radioassay campaign over a period of six years to inform material selection for construction and provide an input to the experimental background model against which any possible signal excess may be evaluated. The campaign and its results are described in this paper. We present assays of dust and radon daughters depositing on the surface of components as well as cleanliness controls necessary to maintain background expectations through detector construction and assembly. Finally, examples from the campaign to highlight fixed contaminant radioassays for the LZ photomultiplier tubes, quality control and quality assurance procedures through fabrication, radon emanation measurements of major sub-systems, and bespoke detector systems to assay scintillator are presented.

Published
2020

59. Search for two neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe and 126Xe in the full exposure of the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, De Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
rare decays, double electron capture, dark matter detectors, xenon detectors, nucl-ex, physics.ins-det, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Abstract

Two-neutrino double electron capture is a process allowed in the standard model of particle physics. This rare decay has been observed in 78Kr, 130Ba and more recently in 124Xe. In this publication we report on the search for this process in 124Xe and 126Xe using the full exposure of the large underground xenon (LUX) experiment, in a total of 27769.5 kg-days. No evidence of a signal was observed, allowing us to set 90% C.L. lower limits for the half-lives of these decays of 2.0 × 1021 years for 124Xe and 1.9 × 1021 years for 126Xe.

Published
2020

60. Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the 0νββ decay of Xe136

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alqahtani, A, Alsum, SK, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Baxter, A, Bensinger, J, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birch, HJ, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Cabrita, R, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Eriksen, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fraser, ED, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gibson, E, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Harrison, A, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hor, JY-K, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamaha, AC, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Khurana, I, Kocher, CD, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kras, J, Kraus, H, Kravitz, S, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, F-T, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, R, Liu, X, Loniewski, C, Lopes, MI, and Paredes, B López

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, nucl-ex, Nuclear and plasma physics
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will enable a neutrinoless double β decay search in parallel to the main science goal of discovering dark matter particle interactions. We report the expected LZ sensitivity to Xe136 neutrinoless double β decay, taking advantage of the significant (>600 kg) Xe136 mass contained within the active volume of LZ without isotopic enrichment. After 1000 live-days, the median exclusion sensitivity to the half-life of Xe136 is projected to be 1.06×1026 years (90% confidence level), similar to existing constraints. We also report the expected sensitivity of a possible subsequent dedicated exposure using 90% enrichment with Xe136 at 1.06×1027 years.

Published
2020

61. An Effective Field Theory Analysis of the First LUX Dark Matter Search

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Viveiros, L de, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Larsen, NA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
astro-ph.CO
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter search was a 250-kg active massdual-phase time projection chamber that operated by detecting light andionization signals from particles incident on a xenon target. In December 2015,LUX reported a minimum 90% upper C.L. of 6e-46 cm^2 on the spin-independentWIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross section based on a 1.4e4 kg*day exposurein its first science run. Tension between experiments and the absence of adefinitive positive detection suggest it would be prudent to search for WIMPsoutside the standard spin-independent/spin-dependent paradigm. Recenttheoretical work has identified a complete basis of 14 independent effectivefield theory (EFT) operators to describe WIMP-nucleon interactions. In additionto spin-independent and spin-dependent nuclear responses, these operators canproduce novel responses such as angular-momentum-dependent and spin-orbitcouplings. Here we report on a search for all 14 of these EFT couplings withdata from LUX's first science run. Limits are placed on each coupling as afunction of WIMP mass.

Published
2020

62. Measurement of the gamma ray background in the Davis cavern at the Sanford Underground Research Facility

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alsum, SK, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gokhale, S, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Hans, S, Harrison, J, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hor, JYK, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Johnson, J, Kaboth, AC, Kamdin, K, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Kim, WT, Kocher, CD, Korley, L, Korolkova, EV, Kras, J, Kraus, H, Kravitz, SW, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, EA, Lee, J, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, FT, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, R, Liu, X, Loniewski, C, Lopes, MI, López Paredes, B, Lorenzon, W, Luitz, S, Lyle, JM, Majewski, PA, Manalaysay, A, Manenti, L, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, McLaughlin, J, Meng, Y, and Miller, EH

Subjects
Dark matter, Low background, Radiation, Underground, Gamma rays, Gamma spectroscopy, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
Abstract

Deep underground environments are ideal for low background searches due to the attenuation of cosmic rays by passage through the earth. However, they are affected by backgrounds from γ-rays emitted by 40K and the 238U and 232Th decay chains in the surrounding rock. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a liquid xenon TPC located within the Davis campus at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota, at the 4850-foot level. In order to characterise the cavern background, in-situ γ-ray measurements were taken with a sodium iodide detector in various locations and with lead shielding. The integral count rates (0–3300 keV) varied from 596 Hz to 1355 Hz for unshielded measurements, corresponding to a total flux from the cavern walls of 1.9 ± 0.4 γ cm−2s−1. The resulting activity in the walls of the cavern can be characterised as 220 ± 60 Bq/kg of 40K, 29 ± 15 Bq/kg of 238U, and 13 ± 3 Bq/kg of 232Th.

Published
2020

63. Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Alsum, SK, Araújo, HM, Arthurs, M, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bauer, D, Belle, J, Beltrame, P, Benson, T, Bernard, EP, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boast, KE, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carlson, B, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cherwinka, JJ, Cole, A, Cottle, A, Craddock, WW, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Dahl, CE, de Viveiros, L, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edberg, TK, Edwards, WR, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fiorucci, S, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, van der Grinten, MGD, Hall, CR, Hans, S, Hanzel, K, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hillbrand, S, Hjemfelt, C, Hoff, MD, Hor, JY-K, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Ji, W, Kaboth, AC, Kamdin, K, Keefner, J, Khaitan, D, Khazov, A, Kim, YD, Kocher, CD, Korolkova, EV, Kraus, H, Krebs, HJ, Kreczko, L, Krikler, B, Kudryavtsev, VA, Kyre, S, Lee, J, Lenardo, BG, Leonard, DS, Lesko, KT, Levy, C, Li, J, Liao, J, Liao, F-T, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Linehan, R, Lippincott, WH, Liu, X, Lopes, MI, Paredes, B López, Lorenzon, W, Luitz, S, Lyle, JM, Majewski, P, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Maupin, C, McKinsey, DN, Meng, Y, and Miller, EH

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, astro-ph.IM, astro-ph.CO, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7 tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000 live day run using a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above 1.4×10-48 cm2 for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP. Additionally, a 5σ discovery potential is projected, reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of 2.3×10-43 cm2 (7.1×10-42 cm2) for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020.

Published
2020

64. Extending light WIMP searches to single scintillation photons in LUX

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Paredes, B López, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, and Woodward, D

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

We present a novel analysis technique for liquid xenon time projection chambers that allows for a lower threshold by relying on events with a prompt scintillation signal consisting of single detected photons. The energy threshold of the LUX dark matter experiment is primarily determined by the smallest scintillation response detectable, which previously required a twofold coincidence signal in its photomultiplier arrays, enforced in data analysis. The technique presented here exploits the double photoelectron emission effect observed in some photomultiplier models at vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths. We demonstrate this analysis using an electron recoil calibration dataset and place new constraints on the spin-independent scattering cross section of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) down to 2.5 GeV/c2 WIMP mass using the 2013 LUX dataset. This new technique is promising to enhance light WIMP and astrophysical neutrino searches in next-generation liquid xenon experiments.

Published
2020

65. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Akerlof, CW, Akimov, DY, Alquahtani, A, Alsum, SK, Anderson, TJ, Angelides, N, Araújo, HM, Arbuckle, A, Armstrong, JE, Arthurs, M, Auyeung, H, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Balashov, S, Bang, J, Barry, MJ, Barthel, J, Bauer, D, Bauer, P, Baxter, A, Belle, J, Beltrame, P, Bensinger, J, Benson, T, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Bhatti, A, Biekert, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Birrittella, B, Boast, KE, Bolozdynya, AI, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Bramante, R, Branson, S, Brás, P, Breidenbach, M, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, VV, Bunker, R, Burdin, S, Busenitz, JK, Campbell, JS, Carels, C, Carlsmith, DL, Carlson, B, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Cascella, M, Chan, C, Cherwinka, JJ, Chiller, AA, Chiller, C, Chott, NI, Cole, A, Coleman, J, Colling, D, Conley, RA, Cottle, A, Coughlen, R, Craddock, WW, Curran, D, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, da Cunha, JP, Dahl, CE, Dardin, S, Dasu, S, Davis, J, Davison, TJR, de Viveiros, L, Decheine, N, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Dushkin, A, Edberg, TK, Edwards, WR, Edwards, BN, Edwards, J, Elnimr, MM, Emmet, WT, Eriksen, SR, Faham, CH, Fan, A, Fayer, S, Fiorucci, S, Flaecher, H, Fogarty Florang, IM, Ford, P, Francis, VB, Froborg, F, Fruth, T, Gaitskell, RJ, Gantos, NJ, Garcia, D, Geffre, A, and Gehman, VM

Subjects
Dark matter detector, Liquid xenon, Time projection chamber, Underground, physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences
Abstract

We describe the design and assembly of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment, a direct detection search for cosmic WIMP dark matter particles. The centerpiece of the experiment is a large liquid xenon time projection chamber sensitive to low energy nuclear recoils. Rejection of backgrounds is enhanced by a Xe skin veto detector and by a liquid scintillator Outer Detector loaded with gadolinium for efficient neutron capture and tagging. LZ is located in the Davis Cavern at the 4850’ level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, USA. We describe the major subsystems of the experiment and its key design features and requirements.

Published
2020

66. Improved modeling of β electronic recoils in liquid xenon using LUX calibration data

Author

Deviveiros, L, Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Dark Matter detectors, Detector modelling and simulations I (interaction of radiation with matter, interaction of photons with matter, interaction of hadrons, with matter, etc), Noble liquid detectors, Time projection Chambers, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical Sciences, Engineering
Abstract

We report here methods and techniques for creating an improved model that reproduces the scintillation and ionization response of a dual-phase liquid and gaseous xenon time projection chamber. Starting with the recent release of the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST v2.0), electronic recoil data from the β decays of 3H and 14C in the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector were used to tune the model, in addition to external data sets that allow for extrapolation beyond the LUX data-taking conditions. This paper also presents techniques used for modeling complicated temporal and spatial detector pathologies that can adversely affect data using a simplified model framework. The methods outlined in this report show an example of the robust applications possible with NEST v2.0 framework and how it can be modified to produce a final, detector-specific, electronic recoil model. This example provides the final model for LUX and detector parameters that will used in the new analysis package, the LUX Legacy Analysis Monte Carlo Application (LLAMA), for accurate reproduction of the LUX data. As accurate background reproduction is crucial for the success of rare-event searches, such as dark matter direct detection experiments, the techniques outlined here can be used in other single-phase and dual-phase xenon detectors to assist with accurate ER background reproduction.

Published
2020

67. Improved modeling of β electronic recoils in liquid xenon using LUX calibration data

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de\Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors, Detector modelling and simulations I (interaction of radiation with matter, interaction of photons with matter, interaction of hadrons, with matter, etc), Noble liquid detectors, Time projection Chambers, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

We report here methods and techniques for creating an improved model that reproduces the scintillation and ionization response of a dual-phase liquid and gaseous xenon time projection chamber. Starting with the recent release of the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST v2.0), electronic recoil data from the β decays of 3H and 14C in the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector were used to tune the model, in addition to external data sets that allow for extrapolation beyond the LUX data-taking conditions. This paper also presents techniques used for modeling complicated temporal and spatial detector pathologies that can adversely affect data using a simplified model framework. The methods outlined in this report show an example of the robust applications possible with NEST v2.0 framework and how it can be modified to produce a final, detector-specific, electronic recoil model. This example provides the final model for LUX and detector parameters that will used in the new analysis package, the LUX Legacy Analysis Monte Carlo Application (LLAMA), for accurate reproduction of the LUX data. As accurate background reproduction is crucial for the success of rare-event searches, such as dark matter direct detection experiments, the techniques outlined here can be used in other single-phase and dual-phase xenon detectors to assist with accurate ER background reproduction.

Published
2020

68. First direct detection constraint on mirror dark matter kinetic mixing using LUX 2013 data

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, De Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, and Zhang, C

Subjects
hep-ex, hep-ph
Abstract

We present the results of a direct detection search for mirror dark matter interactions, using data collected from the Large Underground Xenon experiment during 2013, with an exposure of 95 live-days×118 kg. Here, the calculations of the mirror electron scattering rate in liquid xenon take into account the shielding effects from mirror dark matter captured within the Earth. Annual and diurnal modulation of the dark matter flux and atomic shell effects in xenon are also accounted for. Having found no evidence for an electron recoil signal induced by mirror dark matter interactions we place an upper limit on the kinetic mixing parameter over a range of local mirror electron temperatures between 0.1 and 0.9 keV. This limit shows significant improvement over the previous experimental constraint from orthopositronium decays and significantly reduces the allowed parameter space for the model. We exclude mirror electron temperatures above 0.3 keV at a 90% confidence level, for this model, and constrain the kinetic mixing below this temperature.

Published
2020

69. Results of a Search for Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using 2013 LUX Data

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Druszkiewicz, E., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Jahangir, O., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Naylor, A., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Riffard, Q., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The scattering of dark matter (DM) particles with sub-GeV masses off nuclei is difficult to detect using liquid xenon-based DM search instruments because the energy transfer during nuclear recoils is smaller than the typical detector threshold. However, the tree-level DM-nucleus scattering diagram can be accompanied by simultaneous emission of a Bremsstrahlung photon or a so-called "Migdal" electron. These provide an electron recoil component to the experimental signature at higher energies than the corresponding nuclear recoil. The presence of this signature allows liquid xenon detectors to use both the scintillation and the ionization signals in the analysis where the nuclear recoil signal would not be otherwise visible. We report constraints on spin-independent DM-nucleon scattering for DM particles with masses of 0.4-5 GeV/c$^2$ using 1.4$\times10^4$ kg$\cdot$day of search exposure from the 2013 data from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment for four different classes of mediators. This analysis extends the reach of liquid xenon-based DM search instruments to lower DM masses than has been achieved previously.

Published
2018
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70. Search for annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX experiment

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Druszkiewicz, E., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

Various dark matter models predict annual and diurnal modulations of dark matter interaction rates in Earth-based experiments as a result of the Earth's motion in the halo. Observation of such features can provide generic evidence for detection of dark matter interactions. This paper reports a search for both annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX dark matter experiment using over 20 calendar months of data acquired between 2013 and 2016. This search focuses on electron recoil events at low energies, where leptophilic dark matter interactions are expected to occur and where the DAMA experiment has observed a strong rate modulation for over two decades. By using the innermost volume of the LUX detector and developing robust cuts and corrections, we obtained a stable event rate of 2.3$\pm$0.2~cpd/keV$_{\text{ee}}$/tonne, which is among the lowest in all dark matter experiments. No statistically significant annual modulation was observed in energy windows up to 26~keV$_{\text{ee}}$. Between 2 and 6~keV$_{\text{ee}}$, this analysis demonstrates the most sensitive annual modulation search up to date, with 9.2$\sigma$ tension with the DAMA/LIBRA result. We also report no observation of diurnal modulations above 0.2~cpd/keV$_{\text{ee}}$/tonne amplitude between 2 and 6~keV$_{\text{ee}}$., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures

Published
2018
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71. LUX Trigger Efficiency

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Burdin, S., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Druszkiewicz, E., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Grace, E., Gwilliam, C., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Korolkova, E. V., Kravitz, S., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marangou, N., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rischbieter, G. R. C., Rhyne, C., Rossiter, P., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX) searches for dark matter using a dual-phase xenon detector. LUX uses a custom-developed trigger system for event selection. In this paper, the trigger efficiency, which is defined as the probability that an event of interest is selected for offline analysis, is studied using raw data obtained from both electron recoil (ER) and nuclear recoil (NR) calibrations. The measured efficiency exceeds 98\% at a pulse area of 90 detected photons, which is well below the WIMP analysis threshold on the S2 pulse area. The efficiency also exceeds 98\% at recoil energies of \mbox{0.2 keV} and above for ER, and \mbox{1.3 keV} and above for NR. The measured trigger efficiency varies between 99\% and 100\% over the fiducial volume of the detector., Comment: 31 pages, 14 figures

Published
2018
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72. Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

Author

The LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Liao, J., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013-16 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46~keV, and we make a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74~keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50\% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils., Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures

Published
2018
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73. Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, D. S., Akerlof, C. W., Alsum, S. K., Araújo, H. M., Arthurs, M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Balashov, S., Bauer, D., Belle, J., Beltrame, P., Benson, T., Bernard, E. P., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boast, K. E., Boxer, B., Brás, P., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V. V., Burdin, S., Busenitz, J. K., Carels, C., Carlsmith, D. L., Carlson, B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cherwinka, J. J., Cole, A., Cottle, A., Craddock, W. W., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Dahl, C. E., de Viveiros, L., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edberg, T. K., Edwards, W. R., Fan, A., Fayer, S., Fiorucci, S., Fruth, T., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., van der Grinten, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hans, S., Hanzel, K., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hillbrand, S., Hjemfelt, C., Hoff, M. D., Hor, J. Y-K., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Ji, W., Kaboth, A. C., Kamdin, K., Keefner, J., Khaitan, D., Khazov, A., Kim, Y. D., Kocher, C. D., Korolkova, E. V., Kraus, H., Krebs, H. J., Kreczko, L., Krikler, B., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Kyre, S., Lee, J., Lenardo, B. G., Leonard, D. S., Lesko, K. T., Levy, C., Li, J., Liao, J., Liao, F. -T., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Linehan, R., Lippincott, W. H., Liu, X., Lopes, M. I., Paredes, B. López, Lorenzon, W., Luitz, S., Lyle, J. M., Majewski, P., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Maupin, C., McKinsey, D. N., Meng, Y., Miller, E. H., Mock, J., Monzani, M. E., Morad, J. A., Morrison, E., Mount, B. J., Murphy, A. St. J., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nikoleyczik, J., O'Sullivan, K., Olcina, I., Olevitch, M. A., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Patton, S. J., Pease, E. K., Penning, B., Piepke, A., Powell, S., Preece, R. M., Pushkin, K., Ratcliff, B. N., Reichenbacher, J., Rhyne, C. A., Richards, A., Rodrigues, J. P., Rosero, R., Rossiter, P., Saba, J. S., Sarychev, M., Schnee, R. W., Schubnell, M., Scovell, P. R., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silk, J. J., Silva, C., Skarpaas, K., Skulski, W., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stancu, I., Stark, M. R., Stiegler, T. M., Stifter, K., Szydagis, M., Taylor, W. C., Taylor, R., Taylor, D. J., Temples, D., Terman, P. A., Thomas, K. J., Timalsina, M., To, W. H., Tomás, A., Tope, T. E., Tripathi, M., Tull, C. E., Tvrznikova, L., Utku, U., Va'vra, J., Vacheret, A., Verbus, J. R., Voirin, E., Waldron, W. L., Watson, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, D. T., Whitis, T. J., Wisniewski, W. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Worm, S. D., Yeh, M., Yin, J., and Young, I.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7~tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000~live day run using a 5.6~tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90\% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above $1.4 \times 10^{-48}$~cm$^{2}$ for a 40~$\mathrm{GeV}/c^{2}$ mass WIMP. Additionally, a $5\sigma$ discovery potential is projected reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of $2.3 \times 10^{-43}$~cm$^{2}$ ($7.1 \times 10^{-42}$~cm$^{2}$) for a 40~$\mathrm{GeV}/c^{2}$ mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020., Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures

Published
2018
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74. Calibration, event reconstruction, data analysis and limits calculation for the LUX dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The LUX experiment has performed searches for dark matter particles scattering elastically on xenon nuclei, leading to stringent upper limits on the nuclear scattering cross sections for dark matter. Here, for results derived from ${1.4}\times 10^{4}\;\mathrm{kg\,days}$ of target exposure in 2013, details of the calibration, event-reconstruction, modeling, and statistical tests that underlie the results are presented. Detector performance is characterized, including measured efficiencies, stability of response, position resolution, and discrimination between electron- and nuclear-recoil populations. Models are developed for the drift field, optical properties, background populations, the electron- and nuclear-recoil responses, and the absolute rate of low-energy background events. Innovations in the analysis include in situ measurement of the photomultipliers' response to xenon scintillation photons, verification of fiducial mass with a low-energy internal calibration source, and new empirical models for low-energy signal yield based on large-sample, in situ calibrations.

Published
2017
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75. Improved measurements of the β-decay response of liquid xenon with the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, and Xu, J

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex
Abstract

We report results from an extensive set of measurements of the \b{eta}-decayresponse in liquid xenon.These measurements are derived from high-statisticscalibration data from injected sources of both $^{3}$H and $^{14}$C in the LUXdetector. The mean light-to-charge ratio is reported for 13 electric fieldvalues ranging from 43 to 491 V/cm, and for energies ranging from 1.5 to 145keV.

Published
2019

76. Improved measurements of the beta-decay response of liquid xenon with the LUX detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araujo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Baxter, A, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Bras, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, de Viveiros, L, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Leason, E, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Nilima, A, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, R, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Vacheret, A, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, and Xu, J

Subjects
physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Quantum Physics
Abstract

We report results from an extensive set of measurements of the \b{eta}-decayresponse in liquid xenon.These measurements are derived from high-statisticscalibration data from injected sources of both $^{3}$H and $^{14}$C in the LUXdetector. The mean light-to-charge ratio is reported for 13 electric fieldvalues ranging from 43 to 491 V/cm, and for energies ranging from 1.5 to 145keV.

Published
2019

77. Results of a Search for Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using 2013 LUX Data

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Jahangir, O, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, A St J, Naylor, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Riffard, Q, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, LUX Collaboration, astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det, Mathematical Sciences, Engineering, General Physics, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences
Abstract

The scattering of dark matter (DM) particles with sub-GeV masses off nuclei is difficult to detect using liquid xenon-based DM search instruments because the energy transfer during nuclear recoils is smaller than the typical detector threshold. However, the tree-level DM-nucleus scattering diagram can be accompanied by simultaneous emission of a bremsstrahlung photon or a so-called "Migdal" electron. These provide an electron recoil component to the experimental signature at higher energies than the corresponding nuclear recoil. The presence of this signature allows liquid xenon detectors to use both the scintillation and the ionization signals in the analysis where the nuclear recoil signal would not be otherwise visible. We report constraints on spin-independent DM-nucleon scattering for DM particles with masses of 0.4-5  GeV/c^{2} using 1.4×10^{4}  kg day of search exposure from the 2013 data from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment for four different classes of mediators. This analysis extends the reach of liquid xenon-based DM search instruments to lower DM masses than has been achieved previously.

Published
2019

78. Position Reconstruction in LUX

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Computational Physics
Abstract

The $(x, y)$ position reconstruction method used in the analysis of the complete exposure of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment is presented. The algorithm is based on a statistical test that makes use of an iterative method to recover the photomultiplier tube (PMT) light response directly from the calibration data. The light response functions make use of a two dimensional functional form to account for the photons reflected on the inner walls of the detector. To increase the resolution for small pulses, a photon counting technique was employed to describe the response of the PMTs. The reconstruction was assessed with calibration data including ${}^{\mathrm{83m}}$Kr (releasing a total energy of 41.5 keV) and ${}^{3}$H ($\beta^-$ with Q = 18.6 keV) decays, and a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) neutron beam (2.45 MeV). In the horizontal plane, the reconstruction has achieved an $(x, y)$ position uncertainty of $\sigma$= 0.82 cm for events of only 200 electroluminescence photons and $\sigma$ = 0.17 cm for 4,000 electroluminescence photons. Such signals are associated with electron recoils of energies $\sim$0.25 keV and $\sim$10 keV, respectively. The reconstructed position of the smallest events with a single electron emitted from the liquid surface has a horizontal $(x, y)$ uncertainty of 2.13 cm., Comment: 30 pages, 17 figures

Published
2017
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79. Ultra-Low Energy Calibration of LUX Detector using $^{127}$Xe Electron Capture

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We report an absolute calibration of the ionization yields($\textit{Q$_y$})$ and fluctuations for electronic recoil events in liquid xenon at discrete energies between 186 eV and 33.2 keV. The average electric field applied across the liquid xenon target is 180 V/cm. The data are obtained using low energy $^{127}$Xe electron capture decay events from the 95.0-day first run from LUX (WS2013) in search of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). The sequence of gamma-ray and X-ray cascades associated with $^{127}$I de-excitations produces clearly identified 2-vertex events in the LUX detector. We observe the K- (binding energy, 33.2 keV), L- (5.2 keV), M- (1.1 keV), and N- (186 eV) shell cascade events and verify that the relative ratio of observed events for each shell agrees with calculations. The N-shell cascade analysis includes single extracted electron (SE) events and represents the lowest-energy electronic recoil $\textit{in situ}$ measurements that have been explored in liquid xenon., Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables

Published
2017
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80. 3D Modeling of Electric Fields in the LUX Detector

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Computational Physics
Abstract

This work details the development of a three-dimensional (3D) electric field model for the LUX detector. The detector took data during two periods of searching for weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) searches. After the first period completed, a time-varying non-uniform negative charge developed in the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) panels that define the radial boundary of the detector's active volume. This caused electric field variations in the detector in time, depth and azimuth, generating an electrostatic radially-inward force on electrons on their way upward to the liquid surface. To map this behavior, 3D electric field maps of the detector's active volume were built on a monthly basis. This was done by fitting a model built in COMSOL Multiphysics to the uniformly distributed calibration data that were collected on a regular basis. The modeled average PTFE charge density increased over the course of the exposure from -3.6 to $-5.5~\mu$C/m$^2$. From our studies, we deduce that the electric field magnitude varied while the mean value of the field of $\sim200$~V/cm remained constant throughout the exposure. As a result of this work the varying electric fields and their impact on event reconstruction and discrimination were successfully modeled.

Published
2017
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81. $^{83\textrm{m}}$Kr calibration of the 2013 LUX dark matter search

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Fallon, S. R., Fan, A., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Genovesi, J., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

LUX was the first dark matter experiment to use a $^{83\textrm{m}}$Kr calibration source. In this paper we describe the source preparation and injection. We also present several $^{83\textrm{m}}$Kr calibration applications in the context of the 2013 LUX exposure, including the measurement of temporal and spatial variation in scintillation and charge signal amplitudes, and several methods to understand the electric field within the time projection chamber.

Published
2017
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82. Limits on spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross section obtained from the complete LUX exposure

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fallon, S. R., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Abstract

We present experimental constraints on the spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon elastic cross sections from the total 129.5 kg-year exposure acquired by the Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX), operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota (USA). A profile likelihood ratio analysis allows 90% CL upper limits to be set on the WIMP-neutron (WIMP-proton) cross section of $\sigma_n$ = 1.6$\times 10^{-41}$ cm$^{2}$ ($\sigma_p$ = 5$\times 10^{-40}$ cm$^{2}$) at 35 GeV$c^{-2}$, almost a sixfold improvement over the previous LUX spin-dependent results. The spin-dependent WIMP-neutron limit is the most sensitive constraint to date., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, version accepted by PRL

Published
2017
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83. First Searches for Axions and Axion-Like Particles with the LUX Experiment

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Aquino, C., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fallon, S. R., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Velan, V., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Abstract

The first searches for axions and axion-like particles with the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment are presented. Under the assumption of an axio-electric interaction in xenon, the coupling constant between axions and electrons, gAe is tested, using data collected in 2013 with an exposure totalling 95 live-days $\times$ 118 kg. A double-sided, profile likelihood ratio statistic test excludes gAe larger than 3.5 $\times$ 10$^{-12}$ (90% C.L.) for solar axions. Assuming the DFSZ theoretical description, the upper limit in coupling corresponds to an upper limit on axion mass of 0.12 eV/c$^{2}$, while for the KSVZ description masses above 36.6 eV/c$^{2}$ are excluded. For galactic axion-like particles, values of gAe larger than 4.2 $\times$ 10$^{-13}$ are excluded for particle masses in the range 1-16 keV/c$^{2}$. These are the most stringent constraints to date for these interactions.

Published
2017
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84. LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Technical Design Report

Author

Mount, B. J., Hans, S., Rosero, R., Yeh, M., Chan, C., Gaitskell, R. J., Huang, D. Q., Makkinje, J., Malling, D. C., Pangilinan, M., Rhyne, C. A., Taylor, W. C., Verbus, J. R., Kim, Y. D., Lee, H. S., Lee, J., Leonard, D. S., Li, J., Belle, J., Cottle, A., Lippincott, W. H., Markley, D. J., Martin, T. J., Sarychev, M., Tope, T. E., Utes, M., Wang, R., Young, I., Araújo, H. M., Bailey, A. J., Bauer, D., Colling, D., Currie, A., Fayer, S., Froborg, F., Greenwood, S., Jones, W. G., Kasey, V., Khaleeq, M., Olcina, I., Paredes, B. López, Richards, A., Sumner, T. J., Tomás, A., Vacheret, A., Brás, P., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Neves, F., Rodrigues, J. P., Silva, C., Solovov, V. N., Barry, M. J., Cole, A., Dobi, A., Edwards, W. R., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Gantos, N. J., Gehman, V. M., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hanzel, K., Hoff, M. D., Kamdin, K., Lesko, K. T., McConnell, C. T., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Patton, S. J., Saba, J. S., Sorensen, P., Thomas, K. J., Tull, C. E., Waldron, W. L., Witherell, M. S., Bernstein, A., Kazkaz, K., Xu, J., Akimov, D. Yu., Bolozdynya, A. I., Khromov, A. V., Konovalov, A. M., Kumpan, A. V., Sosnovtsev, V. V., Dahl, C. E., Temples, D., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., de Viveiros, L., Akerib, D. S., Auyeung, H., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Breidenbach, M., Bramante, R., Conley, R., Craddock, W. W., Fan, A., Hau, A., Ignarra, C. M., Ji, W., Krebs, H. J., Linehan, R., Lee, C., Luitz, S., Mizrachi, E., Monzani, M. E., O'Neill, F. G., Pierson, S., Racine, M., Ratcliff, B. N., Shutt, G. W., Shutt, T. A., Skarpaas, K., Stifter, K., To, W. H., Va'vra, J., Whitis, T. J., Wisniewski, W. J., Bai, X., Bunker, R., Coughlen, R., Hjemfelt, C., Leonard, R., Miller, E. H., Morrison, E., Reichenbacher, J., Schnee, R. W., Stark, M. R., Sundarnath, K., Tiedt, D. R., Timalsina, M., Bauer, P., Carlson, B., Horn, M., Johnson, M., Keefner, J., Maupin, C., Taylor, D. J., Balashov, S., Ford, P., Francis, V., Holtom, E., Khazov, A., Kaboth, A., Majewski, P., Nikkel, J. A., O'Dell, J., Preece, R. M., van der Grinten, M. G. D., Worm, S. D., Mannino, R. L., Stiegler, T. M., Terman, P. A., Webb, R. C., Levy, C., Mock, J., Szydagis, M., Busenitz, J. K., Elnimr, M., Hor, J. Y-K., Meng, Y., Piepke, A., Stancu, I., Kreczko, L., Krikler, B., Penning, B., Bernard, E. P., Jacobsen, R. G., McKinsey, D. N., Watson, R., Cutter, J. E., El-Jurf, S., Gerhard, R. M., Hemer, D., Hillbrand, S., Holbrook, B., Lenardo, B. G., Manalaysay, A. G., Morad, J. A., Stephenson, S., Thomson, J. A., Tripathi, M., Uvarov, S., Haselschwardt, S. J., Kyre, S., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Solmaz, M., White, D. T., Cascella, M., Dobson, J. E. Y., Ghag, C., Liu, X., Manenti, L., Reichhart, L., Shaw, S., Utku, U., Beltrame, P., Davison, T. J. R., Marzioni, M. F., Murphy, A. St. J., Nilima, A., Boxer, B., Burdin, S., Greenall, A., Powell, S., Rose, H. J., Sutcliffe, P., Balajthy, J., Edberg, T. K., Hall, C. R., Silk, J. S., Hertel, S., Akerlof, C. W., Arthurs, M., Lorenzon, W., Pushkin, K., Schubnell, M., Boast, K. E., Carels, C., Fruth, T., Kraus, H., Liao, F. -T., Lin, J., Scovell, P. R., Druszkiewicz, E., Khaitan, D., Koyuncu, M., Skulski, W., Wolfs, F. L. H., Yin, J., Korolkova, E. V., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Rossiter, P., Woodward, D., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Mei, D. -M., Wang, L., Wei, W. -Z., While, M., Zhang, C., Alsum, S. K., Benson, T., Carlsmith, D. L., Cherwinka, J. J., Dasu, S., Gregerson, G., Gomber, B., Pagac, A., Palladino, K. J., Vuosalo, C. O., Xiao, Q., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V. V., Olevitch, M. A., Boulton, E. M., Emmet, W. T., Hurteau, T. W., Larsen, N. A., Pease, E. K., Tennyson, B. P., and Tvrznikova, L.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

In this Technical Design Report (TDR) we describe the LZ detector to be built at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The LZ dark matter experiment is designed to achieve sensitivity to a WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section of three times ten to the negative forty-eighth square centimeters., Comment: 392 pages. Submitted to the Department of Energy as part of the documentation for the Critical Decision Numbers Two and Three (CD-2 and CD-3) management processes. Report also available by chapter at this URL

Published
2017

85. Identification of Radiopure Titanium for the LZ Dark Matter Experiment and Future Rare Event Searches

Author

Akerib, D. S., Akerlof, C. W., Akimov, D. Yu., Alsum, S. K., Araújo, H. M., Arnquist, I. J., Arthurs, M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Balashov, S., Barry, M. J., Belle, J., Beltrame, P., Benson, T., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boast, K. E., Bolozdynya, A., Boxer, B., Bramante, R., Brás, P., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V. V., Bunker, R., Burdin, S., Busenitz, J. K., Carels, C., Carlsmith, D. L., Carlson, B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Cherwinka, J. J., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Cottle, A., Coughlen, R., Craddock, W. W., Currie, A., Dahl, C. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edberg, T. K., Edwards, W. R., Emmet, W. T., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Fruth, T., Gaitskell, R. J., Gantos, N. J., Gehman, V. M., Gerhard, R. M., Ghag, C., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Gomber, B., Hall, C. R., Hans, S., Hanzel, K., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hillbrand, S., Hjemfelt, C., Hoff, M. D., Holbrook, B., Holtom, E., Hoppe, E. W., Hor, J. Y-K., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Hurteau, T. W., Ignarra, C. M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kaboth, A., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Khazov, A., Khromov, A. V., Konovalov, A. M., Korolkova, E. V., Koyuncu, M., Kraus, H., Krebs, H. J., Kudryavtsev, V. A., Kumpan, A. V., Kyre, S., Lee, C., Lee, H. S., Lee, J., Leonard, D. S., Leonard, R., Lesko, K. T., Levy, C., Liao, F. -T., Lin, J., Lindote, A., Linehan, R. E., Lippincott, W. H., Liu, X., Lopes, M. I., Paredes, B. Lopez, Lorenzon, W., Luitz, S., Majewski, P., Manalaysay, A., Manenti, L., Mannino, R. L., Markley, D. J., Martin, T. J., Marzioni, M. F., McConnell, C. T., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Meng, Y., Miller, E. H., Mizrachi, E., Mock, J., Monzani, M. E., Morad, J. A., Mount, B. J., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., Nikkel, J. A., O'Dell, J., O'Sullivan, K., Olcina, I., Olevitch, M. A., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Piepke, A., Powell, S., Preece, R. M., Pushkin, K., Ratcliff, B. N., Reichenbacher, J., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C. A., Richards, A., Rodrigues, J. P., Rose, H. J., Rosero, R., Rossiter, P., Saba, J. S., Sarychev, M., Schnee, R. W., Schubnell, M., Scovell, P. R., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Skarpaas, K., Skulski, W., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Sosnovtsev, V. V., Stancu, I., Stark, M. R., Stephenson, S., Stiegler, T. M., Stifter, K., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Temples, D., Terman, P. A., Thomas, K. J., Thomson, J. A., Tiedt, D. R., Timalsina, M., To, W. H., Tomás, A., Tope, T. E., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Va'vra, J., Vacheret, A., van der Grinten, M. G. D., Verbus, J. R., Vuosalo, C. O., Waldron, W. L., Wang, R., Watson, R., Webb, R. C., Wei, W. -Z., While, M., White, D. T., Whitis, T. J., Wisniewski, W. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Woodward, D., Worm, S., Xu, J., Yeh, M., Yin, J., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will search for dark matter particle interactions with a detector containing a total of 10 tonnes of liquid xenon within a double-vessel cryostat. The large mass and proximity of the cryostat to the active detector volume demand the use of material with extremely low intrinsic radioactivity. We report on the radioassay campaign conducted to identify suitable metals, the determination of factors limiting radiopure production, and the selection of titanium for construction of the LZ cryostat and other detector components. This titanium has been measured with activities of $^{238}$U$_{e}$~$<$1.6~mBq/kg, $^{238}$U$_{l}$~$<$0.09~mBq/kg, $^{232}$Th$_{e}$~$=0.28\pm 0.03$~mBq/kg, $^{232}$Th$_{l}$~$=0.25\pm 0.02$~mBq/kg, $^{40}$K~$<$0.54~mBq/kg, and $^{60}$Co~$<$0.02~mBq/kg (68\% CL). Such low intrinsic activities, which are some of the lowest ever reported for titanium, enable its use for future dark matter and other rare event searches. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to assess the expected background contribution from the LZ cryostat with this radioactivity. In 1,000 days of WIMP search exposure of a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, the cryostat will contribute only a mean background of $0.160\pm0.001$(stat)$\pm0.030$(sys) counts., Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physics

Published
2017
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86. LUX trigger efficiency

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, B. Boxer, Brás, P, S. Burdin, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, E. Grace, C. Gwilliam, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, E.V. Korolkova, S. Kravitz, V.A. Kudryavtsev, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, J. Lin, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, G. Rischbieter, Rhyne, C, P. Rossiter, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, D. Woodward, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Trigger efficiency, Dark matter detectors, WIMPs, Liquid xenon, physics.ins-det, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Other Physical Sciences
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX) searches for dark matter using a dual-phase xenon detector. LUX uses a custom-developed trigger system for event selection. In this paper, the trigger efficiency, which is defined as the probability that an event of interest is selected for offline analysis, is studied using raw data obtained from both electron recoil (ER) and nuclear recoil (NR) calibrations. The measured efficiency exceeds 98% at a pulse area of 90 detected photons, which is well below the WIMP analysis threshold on the S2 pulse area. The efficiency also exceeds 98% at recoil energies of 0.2 keV and above for ER, and 1.3 keV and above for NR. The measured trigger efficiency varies between 99% and 100% over the fiducial volume of the detector.

Published
2018

87. Search for annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Boxer, B, Brás, P, Burdin, S, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Druszkiewicz, E, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Gwilliam, C, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Korolkova, EV, Kravitz, S, Kudryavtsev, VA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lin, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marangou, N, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rischbieter, GRC, Rhyne, C, Rossiter, P, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Woodward, D, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, and Zhang, C

Subjects
astro-ph.CO, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex, physics.ins-det
Abstract

Various dark matter models predict annual and diurnal modulations of dark matter interaction rates in Earth-based experiments as a result of the Earth's motion in the halo. Observation of such features can provide generic evidence for detection of dark matter interactions. This paper reports a search for both annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX dark matter experiment using over 20 calendar months of data acquired between 2013 and 2016. This search focuses on electron recoil events at low energies, where leptophilic dark matter interactions are expected to occur and where the DAMA experiment has observed a strong rate modulation for over two decades. By using the innermost volume of the LUX detector and developing robust cuts and corrections, we obtained a stable event rate of 2.3±0.2 cpd/keVee/tonne, which is among the lowest in all dark matter experiments. No statistically significant annual modulation was observed in energy windows up to 26 keVee. Between 2 and 6 keVee, this analysis demonstrates the most sensitive annual modulation search up to date, with 9.2σ tension with the DAMA/LIBRA result. We also report no observation of diurnal modulations above 0.2 cpd/keVee/tonne amplitude between 2 and 6 keVee.

Published
2018

88. Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Liao, J, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O'Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Utku, U, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
Abstract

Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are a leading candidate for dark matter and are expected to produce nuclear recoil (NR) events within liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present a measurement of the scintillation timing characteristics of liquid xenon in the LUX dark matter detector and develop a pulse shape discriminant to be used for particle identification. To accurately measure the timing characteristics, we develop a template-fitting method to reconstruct the detection times of photons. Analyzing calibration data collected during the 2013-2016 LUX WIMP search, we provide a new measurement of the singlet-to-triplet scintillation ratio for electron recoils (ER) below 46 keV, and we make, to our knowledge, a first-ever measurement of the NR singlet-to-triplet ratio at recoil energies below 74 keV. We exploit the difference of the photon time spectra for NR and ER events by using a prompt fraction discrimination parameter, which is optimized using calibration data to have the least number of ER events that occur in a 50% NR acceptance region. We then demonstrate how this discriminant can be used in conjunction with the charge-to-light discrimination to possibly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for nuclear recoils.

Published
2018

89. Calibration, event reconstruction, data analysis, and limit calculation for the LUX dark matter experiment

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Faham, CH, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Gehman, VM, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lee, C, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Reichhart, L, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Affordable and Clean Energy, physics.ins-det
Abstract

The LUX experiment has performed searches for dark-matter particles scattering elastically on xenon nuclei, leading to stringent upper limits on the nuclear scattering cross sections for dark matter. Here, for results derived from 1.4×104 kg days of target exposure in 2013, details of the calibration, event-reconstruction, modeling, and statistical tests that underlie the results are presented. Detector performance is characterized, including measured efficiencies, stability of response, position resolution, and discrimination between electron- and nuclear-recoil populations. Models are developed for the drift field, optical properties, background populations, the electron- and nuclear-recoil responses, and the absolute rate of low-energy background events. Innovations in the analysis include in situ measurement of the photomultipliers' response to xenon scintillation photons, verification of fiducial mass with a low-energy internal calibration source, and new empirical models for low-energy signal yield based on large-sample, in situ calibrations.

Published
2018

90. Position reconstruction in LUX

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O'Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Dark Matter detectors, Liquid detectors, Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids, Detector modelling and simulations I, physics.ins-det, hep-ex, physics.comp-ph, Engineering, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Physical sciences
Abstract

The (x, y) position reconstruction method used in the analysis of the complete exposure of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment is presented. The algorithm is based on a statistical test that makes use of an iterative method to recover the photomultiplier tube (PMT) light response directly from the calibration data. The light response functions make use of a two dimensional functional form to account for the photons reflected on the inner walls of the detector. To increase the resolution for small pulses, a photon counting technique was employed to describe the response of the PMTs. The reconstruction was assessed with calibration data including 83mKr (releasing a total energy of 41.5 keV) and 3H (andbeta;- with Q = 18.6 keV) decays, and a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) neutron beam (2.45 MeV) . Within the detector's fiducial volume, the reconstruction has achieved an (x, y) position uncertainty of andsigma; = 0.82 cm and andsigma; = 0.17 cm for events of only 200 and 4,000 detected electroluminescence photons respectively. Such signals are associated with electron recoils of energies andsim;0.25 keV and andsim;10 keV, respectively. The reconstructed position of the smallest events with a single electron emitted from the liquid surface (22 detected photons) has a horizontal (x, y) uncertainty of 2.13 cm.

Published
2018

91. Chromatographic separation of radioactive noble gases from xenon

Author

Akerib, DS, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Bramante, R, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Chiller, AA, Chiller, C, Coffey, T, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Dobson, JEY, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Faham, CH, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Gehman, VM, Ghag, C, Gibson, KR, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Ihm, M, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lee, C, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Pech, K, Phelps, P, Reichhart, L, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Stephenson, S, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, W, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Xenon, Krypton, Adsorption, Chromatography, Gas Separation, Dark Matter, physics.ins-det, Astronomical and Space Sciences, Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, Astronomical sciences, Particle and high energy physics
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment operates at the Sanford Underground Research Facility to detect nuclear recoils from the hypothetical Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on a liquid xenon target. Liquid xenon typically contains trace amounts of the noble radioactive isotopes 85Kr and 39Ar that are not removed by the in situ gas purification system. The decays of these isotopes at concentrations typical of research-grade xenon would be a dominant background for a WIMP search experiment. To remove these impurities from the liquid xenon, a chromatographic separation system based on adsorption on activated charcoal was built. 400 kg of xenon was processed, reducing the average concentration of krypton from 130 ppb to 3.5 ppt as measured by a cold-trap assisted mass spectroscopy system. A 50 kg batch spiked to 0.001 g/g of krypton was processed twice and reduced to an upper limit of 0.2 ppt.

Published
2018

92. Ultralow energy calibration of LUX detector using Xe 127 electron capture

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O'Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex
Abstract

We report an absolute calibration of the ionization yields (Qy) and fluctuations for electronic recoil events in liquid xenon at discrete energies between 186 eV and 33.2 keV. The average electric field applied across the liquid xenon target is 180 V/cm. The data are obtained using low energy Xe127 electron capture decay events from the 95.0-day first run from LUX (WS2013) in search of weakly interacting massive particles. The sequence of gamma-ray and x-ray cascades associated with I127 deexcitations produces clearly identified two-vertex events in the LUX detector. We observe the K-(binding energy, 33.2 keV), L-(5.2 keV), M-(1.1 keV), and N-(186 eV) shell cascade events and verify that the relative ratio of observed events for each shell agrees with calculations. The N-shell cascade analysis includes single extracted electron (SE) events and represents the lowest-energy electronic recoil in situ measurements that have been explored in liquid xenon.

Published
2017

93. Kr 83 m calibration of the 2013 LUX dark matter search

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, DM, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, Murphy, ASJ, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O'Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX was the first dark matter experiment to use a Kr83m calibration source. In this paper, we describe the source preparation and injection. We also present several Kr83m calibration applications in the context of the 2013 LUX exposure, including the measurement of temporal and spatial variation in scintillation and charge signal amplitudes, and several methods to understand the electric field within the time projection chamber.

Published
2017

94. Kr83m calibration of the 2013 LUX dark matter search

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle and High Energy Physics, Physical Sciences, physics.ins-det
Abstract

LUX was the first dark matter experiment to use a Kr83m calibration source. In this paper, we describe the source preparation and injection. We also present several Kr83m calibration applications in the context of the 2013 LUX exposure, including the measurement of temporal and spatial variation in scintillation and charge signal amplitudes, and several methods to understand the electric field within the time projection chamber.

Published
2017

95. Ultralow energy calibration of LUX detector using Xe127 electron capture

Author

Akerib, DS, Alsum, S, Araújo, HM, Bai, X, Bailey, AJ, Balajthy, J, Beltrame, P, Bernard, EP, Bernstein, A, Biesiadzinski, TP, Boulton, EM, Brás, P, Byram, D, Cahn, SB, Carmona-Benitez, MC, Chan, C, Currie, A, Cutter, JE, Davison, TJR, Dobi, A, Druszkiewicz, E, Edwards, BN, Fallon, SR, Fan, A, Fiorucci, S, Gaitskell, RJ, Genovesi, J, Ghag, C, Gilchriese, MGD, Hall, CR, Hanhardt, M, Haselschwardt, SJ, Hertel, SA, Hogan, DP, Horn, M, Huang, DQ, Ignarra, CM, Jacobsen, RG, Ji, W, Kamdin, K, Kazkaz, K, Khaitan, D, Knoche, R, Larsen, NA, Lenardo, BG, Lesko, KT, Lindote, A, Lopes, MI, Manalaysay, A, Mannino, RL, Marzioni, MF, McKinsey, DN, Mei, D-M, Mock, J, Moongweluwan, M, Morad, JA, St. J. Murphy, A, Nehrkorn, C, Nelson, HN, Neves, F, O’Sullivan, K, Oliver-Mallory, KC, Palladino, KJ, Pease, EK, Rhyne, C, Shaw, S, Shutt, TA, Silva, C, Solmaz, M, Solovov, VN, Sorensen, P, Sumner, TJ, Szydagis, M, Taylor, DJ, Taylor, WC, Tennyson, BP, Terman, PA, Tiedt, DR, To, WH, Tripathi, M, Tvrznikova, L, Uvarov, S, Velan, V, Verbus, JR, Webb, RC, White, JT, Whitis, TJ, Witherell, MS, Wolfs, FLH, Xu, J, Yazdani, K, Young, SK, and Zhang, C

Subjects
Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Synchrotrons and Accelerators, Physical Sciences, Affordable and Clean Energy, physics.ins-det, astro-ph.IM, hep-ex
Abstract

We report an absolute calibration of the ionization yields (Qy) and fluctuations for electronic recoil events in liquid xenon at discrete energies between 186 eV and 33.2 keV. The average electric field applied across the liquid xenon target is 180 V/cm. The data are obtained using low energy Xe127 electron capture decay events from the 95.0-day first run from LUX (WS2013) in search of weakly interacting massive particles. The sequence of gamma-ray and x-ray cascades associated with I127 deexcitations produces clearly identified two-vertex events in the LUX detector. We observe the K-(binding energy, 33.2 keV), L-(5.2 keV), M-(1.1 keV), and N-(186 eV) shell cascade events and verify that the relative ratio of observed events for each shell agrees with calculations. The N-shell cascade analysis includes single extracted electron (SE) events and represents the lowest-energy electronic recoil in situ measurements that have been explored in liquid xenon.

Published
2017

96. Signal yields, energy resolution, and recombination fluctuations in liquid xenon

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Bramante, R., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Ihm, M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Phelps, P., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

This work presents an analysis of monoenergetic electronic recoil peaks in the dark-matter-search and calibration data from the first underground science run of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector. Liquid xenon charge and light yields for electronic recoil energies between 5.2 and 661.7 keV are measured, as well as the energy resolution for the LUX detector at those same energies. Additionally, there is an interpretation of existing measurements and descriptions of electron-ion recombination fluctuations in liquid xenon as limiting cases of a more general liquid xenon re- combination fluctuation model. Measurements of the standard deviation of these fluctuations at monoenergetic electronic recoil peaks exhibit a linear dependence on the number of ions for energy deposits up to 661.7 keV, consistent with previous LUX measurements between 2-16 keV with $^3$H. We highlight similarities in liquid xenon recombination for electronic and nuclear recoils with a comparison of recombination fluctuations measured with low-energy calibration data., Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables

Published
2016
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97. Results from a search for dark matter in the complete LUX exposure

Author

Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Bramante, R., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Ihm, M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O`Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Phelps, P., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

We report constraints on spin-independent weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP)-nucleon scattering using a 3.35e4 kg-day exposure of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment. A dual-phase xenon time projection chamber with 250 kg of active mass is operated at the Sanford Underground Research Facility under Lead, South Dakota (USA). With roughly fourfold improvement in sensitivity for high WIMP masses relative to our previous results, this search yields no evidence of WIMP nuclear recoils. At a WIMP mass of 50 GeV/c^2, WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross sections above 2.2e-46 cm^2 are excluded at the 90% confidence level. When combined with the previously reported LUX exposure, this exclusion strengthens to 1.1e-46 cm^2 at 50 GeV/c^2., Comment: This version includes a combined analysis with previously published LUX results, and matches the version published in PRL

Published
2016
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98. Proposed low-energy absolute calibration of nuclear recoils in a dual-phase noble element TPC using D-D neutron scattering kinematics

Author

Verbus, J. R., Rhyne, C. A., Malling, D. C., Genecov, M., Ghosh, S., Moskowitz, A. G., Chan, S., Chapman, J. J., de Viveiros, L., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Huang, D. Q., Pangilinan, M., Taylor, W. C., and Gaitskell, R. J.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We propose a new technique for the calibration of nuclear recoils in large noble element dual-phase time projection chambers used to search for WIMP dark matter in the local galactic halo. This technique provides an $\textit{in situ}$ measurement of the low-energy nuclear recoil response of the target media using the measured scattering angle between multiple neutron interactions within the detector volume. The low-energy reach and reduced systematics of this calibration have particular significance for the low-mass WIMP sensitivity of several leading dark matter experiments. Multiple strategies for improving this calibration technique are discussed, including the creation of a new type of quasi-monoenergetic 272 keV neutron source. We report results from a time-of-flight based measurement of the neutron energy spectrum produced by an Adelphi Technology, Inc. DD108 neutron generator, confirming its suitability for the proposed nuclear recoil calibration., Comment: 21 pages, 18 figures, 6 tables

Published
2016
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99. Low-energy (0.7-74 keV) nuclear recoil calibration of the LUX dark matter experiment using D-D neutron scattering kinematics

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Alsum, S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Bradley, A., Bramante, R., Brás, P., Byram, D., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chapman, J. J., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., de Viveiros, L., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Ihm, M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Malling, D. C., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pangilinan, M., Pease, E. K., Phelps, P., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C. A., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solmaz, M., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W. C., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Xu, J., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment is a dual-phase liquid xenon time projection chamber (TPC) operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. A calibration of nuclear recoils in liquid xenon was performed $\textit{in situ}$ in the LUX detector using a collimated beam of mono-energetic 2.45 MeV neutrons produced by a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion source. The nuclear recoil energy from the first neutron scatter in the TPC was reconstructed using the measured scattering angle defined by double-scatter neutron events within the active xenon volume. We measured the absolute charge ($Q_{y}$) and light ($L_{y}$) yields at an average electric field of 180 V/cm for nuclear recoil energies spanning 0.7 to 74 keV and 1.1 to 74 keV, respectively. This calibration of the nuclear recoil signal yields will permit the further refinement of liquid xenon nuclear recoil signal models and, importantly for dark matter searches, clearly demonstrates measured ionization and scintillation signals in this medium at recoil energies down to $\mathcal{O}$(1 keV)., Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables

Published
2016

100. Chromatographic separation of radioactive noble gases from xenon

Author

LUX Collaboration, Akerib, D. S., Araújo, H. M., Bai, X., Bailey, A. J., Balajthy, J., Beltrame, P., Bernard, E. P., Bernstein, A., Biesiadzinski, T. P., Boulton, E. M., Bramante, R., Cahn, S. B., Carmona-Benitez, M. C., Chan, C., Chiller, A. A., Chiller, C., Coffey, T., Currie, A., Cutter, J. E., Davison, T. J. R., Dobi, A., Dobson, J. E. Y., Druszkiewicz, E., Edwards, B. N., Faham, C. H., Fiorucci, S., Gaitskell, R. J., Gehman, V. M., Ghag, C., Gibson, K. R., Gilchriese, M. G. D., Hall, C. R., Hanhardt, M., Haselschwardt, S. J., Hertel, S. A., Hogan, D. P., Horn, M., Huang, D. Q., Ignarra, C. M., Ihm, M., Jacobsen, R. G., Ji, W., Kamdin, K., Kazkaz, K., Khaitan, D., Knoche, R., Larsen, N. A., Lee, C., Lenardo, B. G., Lesko, K. T., Lindote, A., Lopes, M. I., Manalaysay, A., Mannino, R. L., Marzioni, M. F., McKinsey, D. N., Mei, D. -M., Mock, J., Moongweluwan, M., Morad, J. A., Murphy, A. St. J., Nehrkorn, C., Nelson, H. N., Neves, F., O'Sullivan, K., Oliver-Mallory, K. C., Palladino, K. J., Pease, E. K., Pech, K., Phelps, P., Reichhart, L., Rhyne, C., Shaw, S., Shutt, T. A., Silva, C., Solovov, V. N., Sorensen, P., Stephenson, S., Sumner, T. J., Szydagis, M., Taylor, D. J., Taylor, W., Tennyson, B. P., Terman, P. A., Tiedt, D. R., To, W. H., Tripathi, M., Tvrznikova, L., Uvarov, S., Verbus, J. R., Webb, R. C., White, J. T., Whitis, T. J., Witherell, M. S., Wolfs, F. L. H., Yazdani, K., Young, S. K., and Zhang, C.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment operates at the Sanford Underground Research Facility to detect nuclear recoils from the hypothetical Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on a liquid xenon target. Liquid xenon typically contains trace amounts of the noble radioactive isotopes $^{85}$Kr and $^{39}$Ar that are not removed by the in situ gas purification system. The decays of these isotopes at concentrations typical of research-grade xenon would be a dominant background for a WIMP search exmperiment. To remove these impurities from the liquid xenon, a chromatographic separation system based on adsorption on activated charcoal was built. 400 kg of xenon was processed, reducing the average concentration of krypton from 130 ppb to 3.5 ppt as measured by a cold-trap assisted mass spectroscopy system. A 50 kg batch spiked to 0.001 g/g of krypton was processed twice and reduced to an upper limit of 0.2 ppt., Comment: Accepted in Astropart. Phys

Published
2016
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