AXEL: High-pressure xenon gas TPC for neutrinoless double beta decay search
A Xenon ElectroLuminescence (AXEL) is a high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber with a unique ionization-electron counter called Electroluminescence Light Collection Cell (ELCC), which has been developed for neutrinoless double beta decay ( 0 ν β β ) search. We have developed a dedicated Cockcroft-Walton high-voltage generator installed inside the chamber of a 180L-size prototype and applied up to − 34.3 kV in xenon gas at 6.8 bar. A full-width at half-maximum energy resolution of ( 0 . 68 ± 0 . 01 ) % was obtained for 2615-keV electrons. Three-dimensional tracks of electrons were reconstructed, and the ability of the background rejection in 0 ν β β search is being evaluated. Toward the first 0 ν β β search with the AXEL detector, a 1000L-size detector is being constructed, and R&D of the components is in progress such as ELCC with large-area silicon photomultipliers, readout electronics, Cockcroft-Walton generator and scintillation detector.
Authors
- Bungo Sugashima
- S. Ban (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0869-2243)
- S. Obara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3488-3553)
- H. Sekiya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9034-0436)
- T. Kikawa
- K. Sakashita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2602-7837)
- S. Akiyama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7281-1166)
- Masaaki Hirose (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2672-4384)
- S. Urano
- Yoshihisa Iwashita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8145-700X)
- J Hikida
- Y. Nakajima (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-5216)
- T. Nakaya
- S. Kobayashi
- M. Yoshida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4579-8460)
- K. D. Nakamura
- A. K. Ichikawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1009-1490)
- Hironobu Sasaki
- Sota Hatsumi
- L. Evan
Institutions
- Tokyo University of Agriculture (JP)
- High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (JP)
- Tokyo University of Science (JP)
- Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (JP)
- Tohoku University (JP)
- Kyoto University (JP)
- Misato Observatory (JP)
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (JP)
- The University of Tokyo (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment
- Published
- 2025-06-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170706
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.74
Funders
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science