  NEXT is a new experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay using a
100 kg radio-pure high-pressure gaseous xenon TPC. The detector requires
excellent energy resolution, which can be achieved in a Xe TPC with
electroluminescence readout. Hamamatsu R8520-06SEL photomultipliers are good
candidates for the scintillation readout. The performance of this
photomultiplier, used as VUV photosensor in a gas proportional scintillation
counter, was investigated. Initial results for the detection of primary and
secondary scintillation produced as a result of the interaction of 5.9 keV
X-rays in gaseous xenon, at room temperature and at pressures up to 3 bar, are
presented. An energy resolution of 8.0% was obtained for secondary
scintillation produced by 5.9 keV X-rays. No significant variation of the
primary scintillation was observed for different pressures (1, 2 and 3 bar) and
for electric fields up to 0.8 V cm-1 torr-1 in the drift region, demonstrating
negligible recombination luminescence. A primary scintillation yield of 81 \pm
7 photons was obtained for 5.9 keV X-rays, corresponding to a mean energy of 72
\pm 6 eV to produce a primary scintillation photon in xenon.
