Long term operation with the DarkSide-50 detector

Abstract

DarkSide is a staged experimental project based on radiopure argon aiming at direct dark matter detection. The DarkSide-50 (DS-50) detector is currently operating underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. DS-50 detector is a dual-phase, 50 kg, liquid argon time-projection-chamber readout by 38 cryogenic PMTs (Hamamatsu R11065), surrounded by an active liquid scintillator veto and contained in a water Cherenkov detector acting as a muon veto. DS-50 has been been operating continuously since 2013, first with atmospheric argon and subsequently filled in 2015 with argon from an underground source, allowing a reduction of the Ar-39 isotope by more than a factor 1000. Features of the DS-50 detector are described, long term operations and stability are reported and its performances in scintillation light detection discussed. Results on dark matter searches obtained with DarkSide-50 detector are briefly reported.