The NEXT-100 Detector

Abstract The NEXT collaboration is dedicated to the study of double beta decays of $$^{136}$$ 136 Xe using a high-pressure gas electroluminescent time projection chamber. This advanced technology combines exceptional energy resolution ( $$\le 1\%$$ ≤ 1 % FWHM at the $$Q_{\beta \beta }$$ Q β β value of the neutrinoless double beta decay) and powerful topological event discrimination. Building on the achievements of the NEXT-White detector, the NEXT-100 detector started taking data at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) in May of 2024. Designed to operate with xenon gas at 13.5 bar, NEXT-100 consists of a time projection chamber where the energy and the spatial pattern of the ionising particles in the detector are precisely retrieved using two sensor planes (one with photo-multiplier tubes and the other with silicon photo-multipliers). The detector has been operating at stable conditions using argon and xenon gases at $$\sim $$ ∼ 4 bar and drift fields of $$74\hbox { V cm}^{-1}$$ 74 V cm - 1 and $$118\hbox { V cm}^{-1}$$ 118 V cm - 1 , respectively. Alpha decays from the $$^{222}$$ 222 Rn chain have been used to test and monitor the stability of the detector, showing a constant electron lifetime in the drift volume. In this paper, in addition to reporting the results of the commissioning run, we provide a detailed description of the NEXT-100 detector, describe its assembly, and present the current estimation of the radiopurity budget.