A simulation study of the electroluminescence yield of xenon and xenon–neon mixtures contaminated by water vapor

Noble gases and their mixtures are widely used as detection media for X-rays, and in the liquid phase for γ-rays. In the gas phase, they are commonly used in gas proportional-ionization and proportional-scintillation detectors. This second type of detectors requires exceptionally high gas purity, since electroluminescence is extremely sensitive to the presence of molecular impurities. Using a Monte Carlo simulation which reproduces the drift of electrons in a noble gas medium, we investigate in this work the role of H2O on the quenching of electroluminescence from Xe and Xe–Ne mixtures. Results are presented for the scintillation yields and scintillation thresholds for 100 and 500 ppm H2O concentrations.