Study of dielectric breakdown in liquid xenon with XeBrA: The xenon breakdown apparatus

Maintaining the electric fields necessary for the current generation of noble liquid time projection chambers (TPCs), with drift lengths exceeding 1 m, requires a large negative voltage applied to their cathode. Delivering such high voltage is associated with an elevated risk of electrostatic discha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2023-01, Vol.94 (1)
Main Authors: Watson, J., Olcina, I., Soria, J., McKinsey, D. N., Kravitz, S., Deck, E. E., Bernard, E. P., Tvrznikova, L., Waldron, W. L., Riffard, Q., O’Sullivan, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bubble dynamics
Dark matter
Dielectric properties
Electrical properties and parameters
Liquid noble gases
NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Streamer discharge
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Summary:Maintaining the electric fields necessary for the current generation of noble liquid time projection chambers (TPCs), with drift lengths exceeding 1 m, requires a large negative voltage applied to their cathode. Delivering such high voltage is associated with an elevated risk of electrostatic discharge and electroluminescence, which would be detrimental to the performance of the experiment. The Xenon Breakdown Apparatus (XeBrA) is a 5-l, high voltage test chamber built to investigate the contributing factors to electrical breakdown in noble liquids. In this work, we present the main findings after conducting scans over stressed electrode areas, surface finish, pressure, and high voltage ramp speed in the medium of liquid xenon. Area scaling and surface finish were observed to be the dominant factors affecting breakdown, whereas no significant changes were observed with varying pressure or ramp speed. A general rise in both the anode current and photon rate was observed in the last 30 s, leading up to a breakdown, with a marked increase in the last couple of seconds. In addition, the position of breakdowns was reconstructed with a system of high-speed cameras and a moderate correlation with the Fowler–Nordheim field emission model was found. Tentative evidence for bubble nucleation being the originating mechanism of breakdown in the liquid was also observed. We deem the results presented in this work to be of particular interest for the design of future, large TPCs, and practical recommendations are provided.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623