Upgrading the BACoN liquid argon cryogenic system to study scintillation light*

The study of liquid argon scintillation light is of interest for many nuclear and particle physics experiments. Doping with xenon significantly shifts the wavelength of scintillation light, changes the time profile, and increases the light yield. Measurements will be performed using the BACoN test stand on the campus of the University of New Mexico (UNM), consisting of a cryostat vacuum system for liquid argon with precision injection of xenon gas for doping. The BACoN system has already produced significant results and is currently being upgraded to enhance its capability. An array of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) will be deployed and to be complemented by a new photomultiplier Tube (PMT) to collect scintillation light. The upgrade plan also includes the deployment of germanium detector(s) in Xe-doped liquid argon. We will describe the current progress and future plan of the BACoN experiment. The project is supported by DOE via Los Alamos National Lab LDRD, by NSF via the University of South Dakota, and by UNM funds.