Charge amplification in low pressure CF4:SF6:He mixtures with a multi-mesh ThGEM for directional dark matter searches

The CYGNO collaboration is developing next generationdirectional Dark Matter (DM) detection experiments, using gaseousTime Projection Chambers (TPCs), as a robust method for identifyingWeakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) below the NeutrinoFog. SF6 is potentially ideal for this since it prov...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of instrumentation 2024-06, Vol.19 (6), p.P06021
Main Authors: Amaro, F.D., Baracchini, E., Benussi, L., Bianco, S., Borra, F., Capoccia, C., Caponero, M., Cardoso, D.S., Cavoto, G., Costa, I.A., Crane, T., Dané, E., D'Astolfo, M., Dho, G., Di Giambattista, F., D'Imperio, G., Di Marco, E., Dos Santos, J.M.F., Ezeribe, A.C., Fiorina, D., Iacoangeli, F., Lima Júnior, H.P., Lopes, G.S.P., Maccarrone, G., Mano, R.D.P., Marcelo Gregorio, R.R., Marques, D.J.G., Mazzitelli, G., McLean, A.G., Monteiro, C.M.B., Nobrega, R.A., Pains, I.F., Paoletti, E., Passamonti, L., Piacentini, S., Piccolo, D., Pierluigi, D., Pinci, D., Prajapati, A., Renga, F., Roque, R.J.d.C., Rosatelli, F., Russo, A., Saviano, G., Scarff, A., Spooner, N.J.C., Tesauro, R., Tomassini, S., Torelli, S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amplification
Charge transport, multiplication and electroluminescence in rare gases and liquids
Containment vessels
Dark matter
Dark Matter detectors (WIMPs, axions, etc.)
Energy resolution
Gaseous detectors
Gases
Helium
Low pressure
Micropattern gaseous detectors (MSGC, GEM, THGEM, RETHGEM, MHSP, MICROPIC, MICROMEGAS, InGrid, etc)
Mixtures
Negative ions
Photomultiplier tubes
Sensitivity enhancement
Weakly interacting massive particles
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Summary:The CYGNO collaboration is developing next generationdirectional Dark Matter (DM) detection experiments, using gaseousTime Projection Chambers (TPCs), as a robust method for identifyingWeakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) below the NeutrinoFog. SF6 is potentially ideal for this since it provides a highfluorine content, enhancing sensitivity to spin-dependentinteractions and, as a Negative Ion Drift (NID) gas, reduces chargediffusion leading to improved positional resolution. CF4,although not a NID gas, has also been identified as a favourable gastarget as it provides a scintillation signal which can be used for acomplimentary light/charge readout approach. These gases can operateat low pressures to elongate Nuclear Recoil (NR) tracks andfacilitate directional measurements. In principle, He could be addedto low pressure SF6/CF4 without significant detriment to thelength of 16S, 12C, and 19F recoils. This wouldimprove the target mass, sensitivity to lower WIMP masses, and offerthe possibility of atmospheric operation; potentially reducing thecost of a containment vessel. In this article, we present gas gainand energy resolution measurements, taken with a Multi-Mesh ThickGaseous Electron Multiplier (MMThGEM), in low pressure SF6 andCF4:SF6 mixtures following the addition of He. We find thatthe CF4:SF6:He mixtures tested were able to produce gas gainson the order of 104 up to a total pressure of 100 Torr. Theseresults demonstrate an order of magnitudeimprovement [1] in charge amplification in NID gasmixtures with a He component.
ISSN:1748-0221
DOI:10.1088/1748-0221/19/06/P06021