THE ELECTROLUMINESCENCE OF XE-NE GAS-MIXTURES - A MONTE-CARLO SIMULATION STUDY

We have performed a Monte Carlo simulation of the drift of electrons t hrough a mixture of gaseous xenon with the lighter noble gas neon at a total pressure of 1 atm. The electroluminescence characteristics and other transport parameters are investigated as a function of the reduc ed electric field and composition of the mixture. For Xe-Ne mixtures w ith 5, 10, 20, 40, 70, 90, and 100% of Xe, we present results for elec troluminescence yield and excitation efficiency, average electron ener gy, electron drift velocity, reduced mobility, reduced diffusion coeff icients, and characteristic energies over a range of reduced electric fields which exclude electron multiplication. For the 5% Xe mixture, w e also assess the influence of electron multiplication on the electrol uminescence yield. The present study of Xe-Ne mixtures was motivated b y an interest in using them as a filling for gas proportional scintill ation counters in low-energy X-ray applications. In this energy range, the X rays will penetrate further into the detector due to the presen ce of Ne, and this will lead to an improvement in the collection of pr imary electrons originating near the detector window and may represent an advantage over the use of pure Xe.