2015/09/08 by E. Erdal, Erdal, E., L. Arazi +9
Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1509.02354
openalex publication_date 2015/09/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Bubble formation in liquid xenon underneath a Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (THGEM) electrode immersed in liquid xenon was observed with a CCD camera. With voltage across the THGEM, the appearance of bubbles was correlated with that of electroluminescence signals induced by ionization electrons from alpha-particle tracks. This confirms recent indirect evidence that the observed photons are due to electroluminescence within a xenon vapor layer trapped under the electrode. The bubbles seem to emerge spontaneously due to heat flow from 300K into the liquid, or in a controlled manner, by locally boiling the liquid with resistive wires. Controlled bubble formation resulted in energy resolution of σ/E~7.5% for ~6,000 ionization electrons. The phenomenon could pave ways towards the conception of large-volume 'local dual-phase' noble-liquid TPCs.