The Liverpool Liquid Argon Detector Research Facility

In an exciting era for Neutrino and Dark Matter physics, the Liverpool LAr Research Facility is a blue-sky innovation hub for development and maturation of LAr detector technologies that are impacting Neutrino and Dark Matter experiments. Internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in LAr detector innovation, the facility includes a suite of gaseous and cryogenic detectors including the 1-ton ARIADNE LAr TPC.

The next generation particle physics experiments are based around colossal Liquid Argon (LAr) detectors. These kton-scale detectors will be used to study Neutrinos which hold the key to the elucidation of physics beyond the standard model (SM); this is one of the great goals of present-day particle physics as the SM fails to explain phenomena such as dark matter, dark energy and the observed matter – antimatter asymmetry in the Universe.

The planned LAr detectors of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) are widely considered the future of long-baseline neutrino oscillation physics. LAr detectors also serve as multipurpose detectors for physics beyond accelerator neutrino physics, such as for nucleon decay searches, dark matter and supernova neutrinos. To realise these experiments there are many levels of challenges to overcome including cryogenic infrastructure, high voltage systems, ultra-pure argon and perhaps the most challenging is the readout which needs to be able to provide tracking at a very good signal to noise ratio. At Liverpool we have been been tackling all of the above challenges such as through development of an innovative cryogenic recirculation and purification system and a new HV feedthrough, and with a particular emphasis on creation of a sophisticated, physics enhancing, much more efficient and cost-effective optical readout solution to imaging of LAr interactions.

The ARIADNE detector

Based at the Liverpool LAr Research Facility, ARIADNE is a state-of-the-art and first-of-its-kind 1-ton optical readout LAr detector bringing innovative readout solutions to the future colossal experiments. ARIADNE employs ultra-fast TimePix3 sensors coupled to an image intensifier to create a truly dream 3D optical detector readout capable of taking videos of particle interactions with ns time and mm spatial resolution. This innovative system provides game-changing simplification of data acquisition, intrinsic 3D event reconstruction, mitigation of engineering challenges, an order of magnitude reduced cost of readout and extends scientific reach by providing a lower energy threshold and superb event reconstruction capabilities.

In an expedition to CERN the ARIADNE detector was placed at a charged particle beam and made the first demonstration of this new approach taking beautiful images of LAr interactions . The ARIADNE detector has also demonstrated a low enough threshold (~100keV) that can comfortably allow supernova studies. The ARIADNE optical readout approach is being considered for the fourth 10kton DUNE Module of Opportunity.

New Glass THGEMs

The ARIANDE optical readout approach reads light produced by THick Gaseous Electron Multipliers (THGEMs); in order to lower the energy threshold of the system further, we have developed a new manufacturing process for glass THGEMs (Patent: WO 2022/123260 A1) which enhances the light production and improves operational stability. In addition the process allows creation of larger glass THGEMs and flexibility of type of glass material (important for low background experiments such as dark matter). This innovation brings glass THGEMs center stage for colossal LAr detectors for both Neutrino and Dark Matter applications as well as to broader applications. A new facility with the capability of manufacturing very large glass THGEMs with our new approach is being created.

Team Leader

Dr Kostas Mavrokoridis

Academic and Research Staff

Dr Adam Roberts
Dr Adam Lowe
Dr Krish Majumdar

Designer/Technicians

Mr George Stavrakis
Mr Heriques Frandini Gatti

PhD students

Mr Sudi Ravinthiran
Dr Adam Roberts (completed)
Dr Adam Lowe (completed)
Dr Barney Philippou (completed)
Dr Jared Vann (completed)