液氩模型探测器预研进展研究

Progress of R&D on Prototype Liquid Argon Detector

液氩探测器是一种被广泛使用的粒子物理探测技术,在加速器实验中早就被用于粒子探测,如,Atlas实验、D0实验的量能器,在未来实验中可以应用在探测太阳中微子、超新星中微子、长基线中微子、暗物质、质子衰变等新物理中,如,LBNE等中微子实验、Ar DM、DEAP/CLEAN及Darkside等几代暗物质探测实验。液氩发光机制本身具备约亿倍的中子-伽玛分辨能力,远远超过了其他闪烁材料,对寻找稀有事例的暗物质探测非常重要,目前液氩这项多用途的探测器技术在国内还没有发展起来。研究的一个重要方面是致力于基于国内工业水平来研制液氩探测器,以期掌握探测器核心技术和降低研制成本。我们将基于液氮制冷的原理研制高温度稳定水平的探测器低温系统,基于国产锆基吸气剂研制高洁净度的氩气净化系统,用低温光电倍增管作为信号读出设备,测量液氩探测器的闪烁光,进行物理研究。该文报告液氩模型探测器预研的相关进展。

Liquid argon （LAr） detectors have been widely applied in particle physics. It is used in accelerator experiments for particle discovery, such as the ATLAS and the DO calorimeter. It is being used in experiments searching for new physics, such as solar, supernova, long baseline neutrino experiments, dark matter and proton decay experiments, Such as neutrino experiment LBNE, dark matter experiments ArDM, DEAP/CLEAN and DarkSide. LAr detectors have about a hundred million times neutron/gamma particle discrimination capability, which is better than any other scintillation materials. The neutron/gamma discrimination capability is a determinative characteristic of detectors for rare events searching experiments. However, liquid argon multipurpose detector technology has not yet been developed in China. We aimed on developing liquid argon detector by the support of the 973 project. Domestic materials and industry technology will be adopted preferentially. We plan to build cryogenic system with high stability and good reliability based on the principle of liquid nitrogen cryocooler, and to develop argon purifying system with ultra-low impurity concentration based on domestic Zr hot getter, Combining with commercial PMTs as the signal readout device, we can put together a liquid argon detector prototype for physics study. This report described the progress of R＆D on prototype liquid argon detector.