Characterization of the Hamamatsu R11410-10 3-in. photomultiplier tube for liquid xenon dark matter direct detection experiments

To satisfy the requirements of the next generation of dark matter detectors based on the dual phase TPC, Hamamatsu, in close collaboration with UCLA, has developed the R11410-10 photomultiplier tube. In this work, we present the detailed tests performed on this device. High QE (∼30%) accompanied by a low dark count rate (50 Hz at 0.3 PE) and high gain (1×10 7) with good single PE resolution have been observed. A comprehensive screening measurement campaign is ongoing while the manufacturer quotes a radioactivity of 20 mBq/PMT. These characteristics show the R11410-10 to be particularly suitable for the forthcoming zero background liquid xenon detectors. © 2012 Elsevier B.V