Abstract
The gas SF6 has become of interest as a negative ion drift gas for use in directional dark matter searches. However, as for other targets in such searches, it is important that radon contamination can be removed as this provides a source of unwanted background events. In this work we demonstrate for the first time filtration of radon from SF6 gas by using a molecular sieve. Four types of sieves from Sigma-Aldrich were investigated, namely 3Å, 4Å, 5Å and 13X. A manufactured radon source was used for the tests. This was attached to a closed loop system in which gas was flowed through the filters and a specially adapted Durridge RAD7 radon detector. In these measurements, it was found that only the 5Å type was able to significantly reduce the radon concentration without absorbing the SF6 gas. The sieve was able to reduce the initial radon concentration of 3875 ± 13 Bqm−3 in SF6 gas by 87% when cooled with dry ice. The ability of the cooled 5Å molecular sieve filter to significantly reduce radon concentration from SF6 provides a promising foundation for the construction of a radon filtration setup for future ultra-sensitive SF6 gas rare-event physics experiments.
Highlights
- Radon in the DRIFT-II directional dark matter TPC: emanation, detection and mitigation J.B.R
In this work we demonstrate for the first time filtration of radon from SF6 gas by using a molecular sieve
It was found that the molecular sieves were not saturated by the radon atoms, and so the 5Å radon reduction capabilities were further optimised by applying a cold trap containing dry ice
Summary
- Radon in the DRIFT-II directional dark matter TPC: emanation, detection and mitigation J.B.R. Battat, J. - Measurement of directional range components of nuclear recoil tracks in a fiducialised dark matter detector J.B.R. Battat, E.J. Daw, A.C. Ezeribe et al. - Long-term study of backgrounds in the DRIFT-II directional dark matter experiment J Brack, E Daw, A Dorofeev et al. : The gas SF6 has become of interest as a negative ion drift gas for use in directional dark matter searches. A manufactured radon source was used for the tests. This was attached to a closed loop system in which gas was flowed through the filters and a specially adapted Durridge RAD7 radon detector
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