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Abstract

The discovery of the neutrino by Reines & Cowan in 1956 revolutionised our
understanding of the universe at its most fundamental level and provided a new
probe with which to explore the cosmos. Furthermore, it laid the groundwork for
one of the most successful and widely used neutrino detection technologies to
date: the liquid scintillator detector. In these detectors, the light produced
by particle interactions propagates across transparent scintillator volumes to
surrounding photo-sensors. This article introduces a new approach, called
LiquidO, that breaks with the conventional paradigm of transparency by
confining and collecting light near its creation point with an opaque
scintillator and a dense array of fibres. The principles behind LiquidO's
detection technique and the results of the first experimental validation are
presented. The LiquidO technique provides high-resolution imaging that enables
highly efficient identification of individual particles event-by-event.
Additionally, the exploitation of an opaque medium gives LiquidO natural
affinity for using dopants at unprecedented levels. With these and other
capabilities, LiquidO has the potential to unlock new opportunities in neutrino
physics, some of which are discussed here.