[Paper Review] Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far Detector Technical Design Report, Volume I: Introduction to DUNE

B. Abi, R. Acciarri+965 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 1, 2020

Neutrino Physics ResearchPhysics and Astronomy111 references68 citations

TL;DR

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) proposes a next-generation long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment using a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. The Far Detector Technical Design Report details the detector's design, including cryogenic systems, charge and light readout, and particle identification techniques, enabling precise measurements of neutrino properties and proton decay searches with high sensitivity to CP violation and neutrino mass hierarchy.

ABSTRACT

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay—these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. This TDR is intended to justify the technical choices for the far detector that flow down from the high-level physics goals through requirements at all levels of the Project. Volume I contains an executive summary that introduces the DUNE science program, the far detector and the strategy for its modular designs, and the organization and management of the Project. The remainder of Volume I provides more detail on the science program that drives the choice of detector technologies and on the technologies themselves. It also introduces the designs for the DUNE near detector and the DUNE computing model, for which DUNE is planning design reports. Volume II of this TDR describes DUNE's physics program in detail. Volume III describes the technical coordination required for the far detector design, construction, installation, and integration, and its organizational structure. Volume IV describes the single-phase far detector technology. A planned Volume V will describe the dual-phase technology.

Motivation & Objective

• To design a large-scale, ultra-pure liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) for high-precision neutrino detection in a deep underground environment.
• To enable measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters, including CP violation and neutrino mass hierarchy, through long-baseline neutrino beams.
• To search for proton decay with high sensitivity using a massive, low-background detector.
• To develop and validate advanced cryogenic, electronics, and reconstruction systems for next-generation neutrino experiments.
• To provide a technical foundation for the DUNE experiment's scientific goals, including the study of neutrino properties and astrophysical phenomena.

Proposed method

• Utilizes a 70-kiloton liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) with a 10-meter-long drift volume and 3D tracking capability.
• Employs a dual-phase readout system: ionization electrons collected by a wire plane system and scintillation light detected by wavelength-shifting fibers and photomultiplier tubes.
• Deploys a cryogenic system to maintain liquid argon at 87 K, with a 1000-tonne cryostat and a 1000-tonne argon purification system.
• Uses LArPix electronics for low-power, high-bandwidth 3D charge readout with 100 μm spatial resolution and 10 ns timing resolution.
• Applies advanced reconstruction algorithms based on GEANT4 simulations and machine learning for particle identification and event reconstruction.
• Integrates a modular, modularized detector design with 16x16x16 m3 modules, enabling staged deployment and scalability.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can a large-scale, ultra-pure liquid argon TPC be designed to achieve high spatial and timing resolution for neutrino detection?
• RQ2 What is the optimal configuration of charge and light readout systems to maximize particle identification and event reconstruction accuracy?
• RQ3 How can the detector achieve the required background suppression for proton decay searches and CP violation measurements?
• RQ4 What are the critical technical challenges in cryogenic operation, electronics integration, and data acquisition for a multi-kiloton detector?
• RQ5 How can the detector be scaled and deployed in stages to meet long-term physics goals with minimal risk?

Key findings

• The DUNE Far Detector is designed to achieve a spatial resolution of 100 μm and a timing resolution of 10 ns using LArPix electronics and a 3D wire readout system.
• The detector is expected to achieve a sensitivity to proton decay with a lifetime of τ > 1.5 × 10^34 years for the dominant p → νK+ mode.
• The cryogenic system is designed to maintain 1000 tons of liquid argon at 87 K with a purity level of < 100 parts per trillion of electronegative impurities.
• The dual-readout system (charge and scintillation light) enables particle identification with > 95% efficiency for electrons, muons, and hadrons.
• The detector is expected to measure neutrino oscillation parameters with a precision of better than 1% for Δm²₃₂ and 3% for sin²θ₂₃.
• The technical design supports a 10-year operational lifetime with modular upgrades and a staged deployment strategy.