Nuclear Recoil Measurement in CsI(Tl) Crystal for Cold Dark Matter Detection

Abstract

There are recent interests with CsI(Tl) scintillating crystals for Dark Matter experiments. The scattering signatures by neutrons on a CsI(Tl) detector were studied using a neutron beam generated by a 13 MV Tandem accelerator. The energy spectra of nuclear recoils from 7 keV to 132 keV were measured, and their quenching factors for scintillating light yield were derived. The data represents the first confirmation of the Optical Model predictions on neutron elastic scatterings with a direct measurement on the nuclear recoils of heavy nuclei. The pulse shape discrimination techniques to differentiate nuclear recoils from $\gamma$-background were studied. Internal consistencies were obtained among the different methods of light yield measurements. The projected capabilities for Cold Dark Matter searches with CsI(Tl) crystals are presented.