Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material

An important background to the liquid argon detectors is that they are caused by the diffusion of radioactive isotopes in a scintillator (liquid phase). This radioactive isotope is produced in argon’s surrounding devices, such as circulation pipelines and liquid argon containers. The solid argon as...

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Main Authors: Lei Zhang, Chenkai Qiao, Jingjun Zhu, Yu Liu, Yulu Yan, Shin-Ted Lin, Shukui Liu, Changjian Tang, Haoyang Xing
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-10-01
Series:Crystals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/12/10/1416
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author Lei Zhang
Chenkai Qiao
Jingjun Zhu
Yu Liu
Yulu Yan
Shin-Ted Lin
Shukui Liu
Changjian Tang
Haoyang Xing
author_facet Lei Zhang
Chenkai Qiao
Jingjun Zhu
Yu Liu
Yulu Yan
Shin-Ted Lin
Shukui Liu
Changjian Tang
Haoyang Xing
author_sort Lei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description An important background to the liquid argon detectors is that they are caused by the diffusion of radioactive isotopes in a scintillator (liquid phase). This radioactive isotope is produced in argon’s surrounding devices, such as circulation pipelines and liquid argon containers. The solid argon as a scintillation material in the detector can inhibit the diffusion and drift of radioactive isotopes in a solid phase scintillator. Additionally, the structure of a solid argon detector is simple and reduces the total source of radioactive background. In the CDEX-300 detection system, solid argon could substitute for liquid argon as the veto detector, preventing radioactive isotopes drifting to the central main detector (HPGe detectors array) surface to reduce backgrounds. Therefore, solid argon has great potential in the experiments since it is especially helpful to get the lower background in a larger active volume than liquid argon required in those low background detection experiments. This work introduces the preparation process and device of the large volume transparent crystalline argon, the acquisition of scintillation light, and the pulse amplitude spectrum of <sup>137</sup>Cs obtained from a prototype detector of transparent solid argon crystal. The results show that the scheme proposed in this study can successfully produce a large volume transparent crystalline argon detector, the scintillation light signals can be effectively obtained from the solid argon scintillator, and the corresponding pulse amplitude spectrum is given. This work indicates that it is feasible to develop a solid argon crystal scintillation detector by using our approach.
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spelling doaj.art-6d14d581be9d4f22803df00954db3e1b2023-11-23T23:38:05ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522022-10-011210141610.3390/cryst12101416Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation MaterialLei Zhang0Chenkai Qiao1Jingjun Zhu2Yu Liu3Yulu Yan4Shin-Ted Lin5Shukui Liu6Changjian Tang7Haoyang Xing8College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Science, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, ChinaInstitute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaAn important background to the liquid argon detectors is that they are caused by the diffusion of radioactive isotopes in a scintillator (liquid phase). This radioactive isotope is produced in argon’s surrounding devices, such as circulation pipelines and liquid argon containers. The solid argon as a scintillation material in the detector can inhibit the diffusion and drift of radioactive isotopes in a solid phase scintillator. Additionally, the structure of a solid argon detector is simple and reduces the total source of radioactive background. In the CDEX-300 detection system, solid argon could substitute for liquid argon as the veto detector, preventing radioactive isotopes drifting to the central main detector (HPGe detectors array) surface to reduce backgrounds. Therefore, solid argon has great potential in the experiments since it is especially helpful to get the lower background in a larger active volume than liquid argon required in those low background detection experiments. This work introduces the preparation process and device of the large volume transparent crystalline argon, the acquisition of scintillation light, and the pulse amplitude spectrum of <sup>137</sup>Cs obtained from a prototype detector of transparent solid argon crystal. The results show that the scheme proposed in this study can successfully produce a large volume transparent crystalline argon detector, the scintillation light signals can be effectively obtained from the solid argon scintillator, and the corresponding pulse amplitude spectrum is given. This work indicates that it is feasible to develop a solid argon crystal scintillation detector by using our approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/12/10/1416solid argonpreparationscintillation detectorimpurityradiation background
spellingShingle Lei Zhang
Chenkai Qiao
Jingjun Zhu
Yu Liu
Yulu Yan
Shin-Ted Lin
Shukui Liu
Changjian Tang
Haoyang Xing
Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
Crystals
solid argon
preparation
scintillation detector
impurity
radiation background
title Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
title_full Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
title_fullStr Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
title_full_unstemmed Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
title_short Preparation of Large Volume Solid Argon Crystal and Its Feasibility Test as a Scintillation Material
title_sort preparation of large volume solid argon crystal and its feasibility test as a scintillation material
topic solid argon
preparation
scintillation detector
impurity
radiation background
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/12/10/1416
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