Xenonbased

Xenonbased refers to technologies, materials, or systems in which xenon plays a central role. Xenon is a heavy, inert noble gas with properties that are advantageous for specialized applications: high atomic number, strong scintillation and ionization, and chemical nonreactivity. The term is used across several fields to distinguish xenon-based approaches from those relying on other gases or solids.

In lighting and projection, xenon-based sources include xenon arc lamps and high-intensity discharge lamps that produce bright, broad-spectrum light used in cinema, stage lighting, and industrial sterilization. Xenon flash lamps provide intense short pulses for photography and scientific instrumentation. Hyperpolarized xenon-129 is also employed as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for lung studies.

In space propulsion, xenon is the preferred propellant for ion and Hall-effect thrusters. Its high atomic mass enables efficient accelerate ions, yielding high specific impulse and long mission lifetimes with low thrust. Xenon-based propulsion has been studied and deployed on several deep-space probes and communications satellites.

In physics and detection, liquid xenon time-projection chambers are used in dark matter and neutrino experiments. The dual capacity of xenon to scintillate and ionize allows precise event reconstruction. Projects such as XENON1T and XENONnT search for rare interactions, while other experiments use xenon-based detectors to study neutrino properties and neutrinoless double beta decay.

Xenon is scarce in the atmosphere and is typically recovered as a byproduct of the industrial separation of air components. Production is expensive, and xenon supply can be volatile to demand. Handling requires safety considerations: xenon is inert and nonflammable, but high concentrations can cause asphyxiation. Applications rely on cryogenic systems and robust containment.