<p>The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0<InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\nu \beta \beta $</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>ν</mi> <mi>β</mi> <mi>β</mi> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>) is a major focus of modern physics, with xenon-doped liquid scintillator (LS) representing a promising detector technology for future large-scale experiments. This paper presents a laboratory-scale investigation of the scintillation properties of xenon-doped LS, focusing on the reduction in light yield induced by doping and on a method to partially mitigate it. A dedicated gas circulation system was constructed to dissolve xenon into a linear alkylbenzene-based LS. Using a precise gravimetric technique, a xenon concentration of 1.44 ± 0.84% by mass was achieved. The light yield was measured with a stable setup employing a <InlineEquation ID="IEq2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$^{207}$</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mmultiscripts> <mrow /> <mrow /> <mn>207</mn> </mmultiscripts> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>Bi electron source and a photomultiplier tube. At this doping level, the light yield was found to be reduced by 9.20 ± 0.11% compared to undoped LS. Attributing this reduction to a spectral mismatch between xenon scintillation (peaking at <InlineEquation ID="IEq3"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\sim $</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mo>∼</mo> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>175 nm) and the detection system optimized for LS emission (<InlineEquation ID="IEq4"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\sim $</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mo>∼</mo> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>430 nm), tetraphenylbutadiene (TPB) was introduced as an additional wavelength shifter. An optimal TPB concentration of 0.1 mg/L was identified, which enhanced the light yield of the xenon-doped LS by 2.91 ± 0.29%, thereby partially recovering the lost signal. These results provide essential reference for the ongoing development of xenon-doped LS as a target material for next-generation 0<InlineEquation ID="IEq5"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\nu \beta \beta $</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>ν</mi> <mi>β</mi> <mi>β</mi> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation> searches.</p>

Developing xenon-doped liquid scintillator for neutrinoless double beta decay searching experiment

期刊论文
发表日期：

2026年5月11日

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X. T. Xu,
C. Guo,
X. H. Liang,
X. J. Wen,
Y. X. Li

摘要

The search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0 $\nu \beta \beta $ $ν β β$ ) is a major focus of modern physics, with xenon-doped liquid scintillator (LS) representing a promising detector technology for future large-scale experiments. This paper presents a laboratory-scale investigation of the scintillation properties of xenon-doped LS, focusing on the reduction in light yield induced by doping and on a method to partially mitigate it. A dedicated gas circulation system was constructed to dissolve xenon into a linear alkylbenzene-based LS. Using a precise gravimetric technique, a xenon concentration of 1.44 ± 0.84% by mass was achieved. The light yield was measured with a stable setup employing a $^{207}$ $^{207}$ Bi electron source and a photomultiplier tube. At this doping level, the light yield was found to be reduced by 9.20 ± 0.11% compared to undoped LS. Attributing this reduction to a spectral mismatch between xenon scintillation (peaking at $\sim $ $\sim$ 175 nm) and the detection system optimized for LS emission ( $\sim $ $\sim$ 430 nm), tetraphenylbutadiene (TPB) was introduced as an additional wavelength shifter. An optimal TPB concentration of 0.1 mg/L was identified, which enhanced the light yield of the xenon-doped LS by 2.91 ± 0.29%, thereby partially recovering the lost signal. These results provide essential reference for the ongoing development of xenon-doped LS as a target material for next-generation 0 $\nu \beta \beta $ $ν β β$ searches.