Neutron background in large-scale xenon detectors for dark matter searches

M. J. Carson, J. C. Davies, E. Daw, R. J. Hollingworth, V. A. Kudryavtsev, T. B. Lawson, P. K. Lightfoot, J. E. McMillan, B. Morgan, S. M. Paling, M. Robinson, N. J. C. Spooner, D. R. Tovey

Published 2004-04-30Version 1

Simulations of the neutron background for future large-scale particle dark matter detectors are presented. Neutrons were generated in rock and detector elements via spontaneous fission and (alpha,n) reactions, and by cosmic-ray muons. The simulation techniques and results are discussed in the context of the expected sensitivity of a generic liquid xenon dark matter detector. Methods of neutron background suppression are investigated. A sensitivity of $10^{-9}-10^{-10}$ pb to WIMP-nucleon interactions can be achieved by a tonne-scale detector.