C. Bungau

The ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector: Instrument design, manufacture and commissioning

We present details of the technical design, manufacture and testing of the ZEPLIN-III dark matter experiment. ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase xenon detector which measures both the scintillation light and the ionisation charge generated in the liquid by interacting particles and radiation. The instrument design is driven by both the physics requirements and by the technology requirements surrounding the use of liquid xenon. These include considerations of key performance parameters, such as the efficiency of scintillation light collection, restrictions placed on the use of materials to control the inherent radioactivity levels, attainment of high vacuum levels and chemical contamination control. The successful solution has involved a number of novel design and manufacturing features which will be of specific use to future generations of direct dark matter search experiments as they struggle with similar and progressively more demanding requirements.

Limits on WIMP cross-sections from the NAIAD experiment at the Boulby Underground Laboratory

The NAIAD experiment (NaI Advanced Detector) for WIMP dark matter searches at the Boulby Underground Laboratory (North Yorkshire, UK) ran from 2000 until 2003. A total of 44.9 kg x years of data collected with 2 encapsulated and 4 unencapsulated NaI(Tl) crystals with high light yield were included in the analysis. We present final results of this analysis carried out using pulse shape discrimination. No signal associated with nuclear recoils from WIMP interactions was observed in any run with any crystal. This allowed us to set upper limits on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent and WIMP-proton spin-dependent cross-sections. The NAIAD experiment has so far imposed the most stringent constraints on the spin-dependent WIMP-proton cross-section.

The ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector: Performance study using an end-to-end simulation tool

We present results from a GEANT4-based Monte Carlo tool for end-to-end simulations of the ZEPLIN-III dark matter experiment. ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase detector which measures both the scintillation light and the ionisation charge generated in liquid xenon by interacting particles and radiation. The software models the instrument response to radioactive backgrounds and calibration sources, including the generation, ray-tracing and detection of the primary and secondary scintillations in liquid and gaseous xenon, and subsequent processing by data acquisition electronics. A flexible user interface allows easy modification of detector parameters at run time. Realistic datasets can be produced to help with data analysis, an example of which is the position reconstruction algorithm developed from simulated data. We present a range of simulation results confirming the original design sensitivity of a few times 10−8 pb to the WIMP-nucleon cross-section.

Limits on spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections from the first ZEPLIN-II data

The first underground data run of the ZEPLIN-II experiment has set a limit on the nuclear recoil rate in the two-phase xenon detector for direct dark matter searches. In this Letter the results from this run are converted into the limits on spin-dependent WIMP-proton and WIMP-neutron cross-sections. The minimum of the curve for WIMP-neutron cross-section corresponds to 7 × 10−2 pb at a WIMP mass of around 65 GeV.

Measurements of neutrons produced by high-energy muons at the Boulby Underground Laboratory

We present the first measurements of the muon-induced neutron flux at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. The experiment was carried out with an 0.73 tonne liquid scintillator that also served as an anticoincidence system for the ZEPLIN-II direct dark matter search. The experimental method exploited the delayed coincidences between high-energy muon signals and gamma-rays from radiative neutron capture on hydrogen or other elements. The muon-induced neutron rate, defined as the average number of detected neutrons per detected muon, was measured as 0.079±0.003 (stat.) neutrons/muon using neutron-capture signals above 0.55 MeV in a time window of 40–190 μs after the muon trigger. Accurate Monte Carlo simulations of the neutron production, transport and detection in a precisely modeled laboratory and experimental setup using the GEANT4 toolkit gave a result 1.8 times higher than the measured value. The difference greatly exceeds all statistical and systematic uncertainties. As the vast majority of neutrons detected in the current setup were produced in lead we evaluated from our measurements the neutron yield in lead as (1.31±0.06)×10-3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm2) for a mean muon energy of about 260 GeV.

The ZEPLIN II dark matter detector: Data acquisition system and data reduction

ZEPLIN II is a two-phase (liquid/gas) xenon dark matter detector searching for WIMP-nucleon interactions. In this paper we describe the data acquisition system used to record the data from ZEPLIN II and the reduction procedures which parameterise the data for subsequent analysis.

Measurements and simulations of muon-induced neutrons

The first measurements of the muon-induced neutron flux at the Boulby Underground Laboratory are presented. The experiment was carried out with an 0.73 tonne liquid scintillation detector that also served as an anticoincidence system for the ZEPLIN-II direct dark matter search. The experimental method exploited the delayed coincidences between high-energy muon signals and gamma-rays from radiative neutron capture on hydrogen or other elements. The muon-induced neutron rate, defined as the average number of detected neutr ons per detected muon, was measured as 0.079± 0.003 (stat.) neutrons/muon using neutron-capture signals above 0.55 MeV in a time window of 40-190 μs after the muon trigger. Accurate Monte Carlo simulations of the neutron production, transport and detection in a precisely modeled laboratory and experimental setup using the GEANT4 toolkit gave a result 1.8 times higher than the measured value. The difference greatly exceeds all statistical and systematic uncertainties. As the vast majority of neutrons detected in the current setup were produced in lead we evaluated from our measurements the neutron yield in lead as (1.31± 0.06)× 10 3 neutrons/muon/(g/cm 2 ) for a mean muon energy of about 260 GeV.

ZEPLIN‐II limits on WIMP‐nucelon interactions

ZEPLIN II is a two‐phase xenon detector designed to detect dark matter in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). Following the first 31‐day underground run in Boulby Mine, UK, the collaboration published dark matter limits in January 2007; the first such limits using two‐phase xenon technology. We outline the key detector design, performance and results here.

Status of ZEPLIN II and ZEPLIN III

We describe the ZEPLIN II (30-kg) and ZEPLIN III (7-kg) discriminating dark matter detector using two-phase xenon designed for direct detection of cold dark matter in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. These two detectors are currently being commissioned. Both detector will begin operation in the Boulby Mine, UK in 2005. ZEPLIN II & III are capable of discriminating between nuclear recoils and background events and have a design reach up to two orders of magnitude beyond current limits. These two detectors will also serve as a step in the development program for a next-generation ton-scale detector.