Optical characterization of the DEAP 360 Dark Matter detector

Abstract

DEAP-3600 (Dark Matter Experiment using Argon for Pulse shape discrimination) is a dark matter experiment using liquid argon as a target to detect dark matter’s Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). This work is a contribution to the experiment, focused on optical processes inside the inner detector. In order to re-scale and calibrate complex optical system used in the apparatus, the distribution of external light is studied. This work includes a qualitative description of the optical model, data analysis of light reflection from liquid/gas argon boundary and an attempt of estimating the refractive index of wave-shifter material.