The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) radioactivity and cleanliness control programs
File(s)Akerib2020_Article_TheLUX-ZEPLINLZRadioactivityAn.pdf (1.28 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
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.
Date Issued
2020-11-10
Date Acceptance
2020-08-29
Citation
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields, 2020, 80 (11), pp.1-52
ISSN
1124-1861
Publisher
EDP Sciences
Start Page
1
End Page
52
Journal / Book Title
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Volume
80
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2020. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
License URL
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000593717000005&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
ST/M003655/1
ST/P00377X/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Particles & Fields
Physics
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
DETECTOR
BACKGROUNDS
IMPURITIES
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 1044
Date Publish Online
2020-11-10