Hans Kraus

Abstract:

LUX-ZEPLIN is a dark matter detector expected to obtain world-leading sensitivity to weakly-interacting massive particles interacting via nuclear recoils with a ∼7-tonne xenon target mass. This paper presents sensitivity projections to several low-energy signals of the complementary electron recoil signal type: 1) an effective neutrino magnetic moment, and 2) an effective neutrino millicharge, both for pp-chain solar neutrinos, 3) an axion flux generated by the Sun, 4) axionlike particles forming the Galactic dark matter, 5) hidden photons, 6) mirror dark matter, and 7) leptophilic dark matter. World-leading sensitivities are expected in each case, a result of the large 5.6 t 1000 d exposure and low expected rate of electron-recoil backgrounds in the <100 keV energy regime. A consistent signal generation, background model and profile-likelihood analysis framework is used throughout.

Abstract:

Luminescence probes that facilitate multimodal non-contact measurements of temperature are of particular interest due to the possibility of cross-referencing results across different readout techniques. This intrinsic referencing is an essential addition that enhances accuracy and reliability of the technique. A further enhancement of sensor performance can be achieved by using two luminescent ions acting as independent emitters, thereby adding in-built redundancy to non-contact temperature sensing, using a single readout technique. In this study we combine both approaches by engineering a material with two luminescent ions that can be independently probed through different readout modes of non-contact temperature sensing. The approach was tested using Al2O3 co-doped with Cr3+ and Mn4+, exhibiting sharp emission lines due to 2E → 4A2 transitions. The temperature sensing performance was examined by measuring three characteristics: temperature-induced changes of the intensity ratio of the emission lines, their spectral position, and the luminescence decay time constant. The processes responsible for the changes with temperature of the measured luminescence characteristics are discussed in terms of relevant models. By comparing temperature resolutions achievable by different modes of temperature sensing it is established that in Al2O3-Cr,Mn spectroscopic methods provide the best measurement accuracy over a broad temperature range. A temperature resolution better than ±2.8 K can be achieved by monitoring the luminescence intensity ratio (40–145 K) and the spectral shift of the R-line of Mn4+ (145–300 K range).