Liquid xenon for gamma-ray imaging of special nuclear materials

In recent years xenon has risen as a medium for particle detection, exhibiting a number of desirable qualities that make it well-suited for applications such as medical imaging, imaging of nuclear materials, and fundamental physics research. PIXeY (Particle Identification in Xenon at Yale) is a compact, liquid-xenon-based time projection chamber that operates in either single or two-phase (liquid/gas) mode and detects both charge and light signals produced by gamma interactions within the detector. Charge-light anti-correlation techniques can then be used to reconstruct the event with good (2.4% FWHM at 662 keV) energy resolution. Here we report on the design and the current status of the PIXeY experiment and plans for future upgrades, such as the inclusion of multiple optical volumes and single-wire charge readout, which will help achieve the energy and angular resolution necessary for Compton gamma-ray imaging with application to the efficient and rapid detection of special nuclear materials.