Observation of the UV scintillation light from high energy electron showers in liquid xenon

Abstract The UV scintillation light in liquid xenon has been observed using silicon drift photodiodes. Measurements were carried out in a rectangular light cell of dimentions 7.4 × 7.4 × 60 cm 3 using 5 GeV electrons. The photodiodes and the preamplifiers were immersed in the liquid. A high quantum efficiency for 175 nm UV light has been measured. The scintillation light yield is found to be (1.5 ± 0.6) × 10 4 photons per MeV of energy deposited in liquid xenon. A light attenuation lenght of ≈ 40 cm has been measured.