Intense vacuum ultraviolet and infrared scintillation of liquid Ar-Xe mixtures

Vacuum ultraviolet light emission from xenon-doped liquid argon is described in the context of liquid noble gas particle detectors. Xenon concentrations in liquid argon from 0.1 ppm to 1000 ppm were studied. The energy transfer from the second excimer continuum of argon (∼127 nm) to the second excimer continuum of xenon (∼174 nm) is observed by recording optical emission spectra. The transfer almost saturates at a xenon concentration of ∼10 ppm for which, in addition, an intense emission in the infrared at a peak wavelength of 1.17 μm with 130004000 photons per MeV deposited by electrons had been found. The corresponding value for the VUV emission at a peak wavelength of 174 nm (second excimer continuum of xenon) is determined to be 200006000 photons per MeV electron energy deposited. Under these excitation conditions pure liquid argon emits 220003000 photons per MeV electron energy deposited at a peak wavelength of 127 nm. An electron-beaminduced emission spectrum for the 10 ppm Ar-Xe liquid mixture ranging from 115 nm to 3.5 μm is presented. VUV emission spectra from xenon-doped liquid argon with exponentially varied xenon concentrations from 0.1 ppm to 1000 ppm are also shown.