Speaker
Description
Some recent noble-liquid electron-multiplier concepts have been recently proposed as potential sensing elements of single-phase detectors. They aim at overcoming current liquid-to-gas interface instabilities in large-area dual-phase TPCs.
We report the first observation of electroluminescence (EL) of liquid xenon with Micro-Strip plates (MSPs), similar to those used in gas Micro-Strip Plate Chambers (MSPCs). Electrons extracted from alpha-particle tracks induce EL directly in the liquid in the strong, non-uniform electric field produced in the vicinity of narrow (few μm) anode strips deposited on a glass substrate. The high intensity of the electric field is enough to also induce a small charge avalanche. Both primary scintillation (due to alpha particles) and EL (due to the extracted electrons) were measured by a photomultiplier also immersed in liquid xenon. The electroluminescence light yield and the charge multiplication factor were measured.
The preliminary results of the performance of two small-size MSP prototypes of different strip geometries will be presented. Their potential impact on future large-volume noble-liquid detectors and further R&D plans will be discussed.
