Speaker
Description
The nEXO detector, a 5 ton-scale single-phase liquid xenon time projection chamber enriched to 90% in the isotope 136Xe, plans to observe the groundbreaking phenomenon of neutrinoless double beta decay, producing first data in 2030. Its projected sensitivity is robust against backgrounds and “unknown unknowns” due to the use of multiple observables for signal-to-background discrimination, not limited to but including its design energy resolution of <1% resolution at the 0vbb Q-value. The ionization-charge readout system is at the heart of each of the observables used in nEXO. In this talk, I will discuss the properties of this charge detection plane, which lends itself to the use of liquid-xenon submergible amplifying and digitizing electronics. Submerged electronics allow for amplification and digitization to occur directly at the sensor, resulting in lower analog noise due to reduced capacitance, data serialization that reduces the number of cables, and higher channel-count capabilities. Tests of prototype combined modules of charged detector and electronics readout will be presented.
