Characterization of large area APDs for the EXO-200 detector

Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO)-200 uses 468 large area avalanche photodiodes (LAAPDs) for detection of scintillation light in an ultra-low-background liquid xenon (LXe) detector. We describe initial measurements of dark noise, gain and response to xenon scintillation light of LAAPDs at temperatures from room temperature to 169 K-the temperature of liquid xenon. We also describe the individual characterization of more than 800 LAAPDs for selective installation in the EXO-200 detector. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.