Abstract: AC coupled silicon strip sensors can be damaged in case of a beam loss due to the possibility of a large charge accumulation in the bulk, developing very high voltages across the coupling capacitors which can destroy them. Punch-through structures are currently used to avoid this problem helping to evacuate the accumulated charge as large voltages are developing. Nevertheless, previous experiments, performed with laser pulses, have shown that these structures can become ineffective in relatively long strips. The large value of the implant resistance can effectively isolate the “far” end of the strip from the punchthrough structure leading to large voltages. We present here our developments to fabricate lowresistance strip sensors to avoid this problem. The deposition of a conducting material in contact with the implants drastically reduces the strip resistance, assuring the effectiveness of the punch-through structures. First devices have been fabricated with this new technology. Initial results with laser tests show the expected reduction in peak voltages on the low resistivity implants. Other aspects of the sensor performance, including the signal formation, are not affected by the new technology.

Abstract: The Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) has been installed at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL), Italy. In this installation, AGATA will consist, at the beginning, of 13 AGATA triple clusters (ATCs) with an angular coverage of 1n,and progressively the number of ATCs will increase up to a 2 pi angular coverage. This setup will exploit both stable and radioactive ion beams delivered by the Tandem-PIAVE-ALPI accelerator complex and the SPES facility. The new implementation of AGATA at LNL will be used in two different configurations, firstly one coupled to the PRISMA large-acceptance magnetic spectrometer and lately a second one at Zero Degrees, along the beam line. These two configurations will allow us to cover a broad physics program, using different reaction mechanisms, such as Coulomb excitation, fusion-evaporation, transfer and fission at energies close to the Coulomb barrier. These setups have been designed to be coupled with a large variety of complementary detectors such as charged particle detectors, neutron detectors, heavy-ion detectors, high-energy gamma-ray arrays, cryogenic and gasjet targets and the plunger device for lifetime measurements. We present in this paper the conceptual design, characteristics and performance figures of this implementation of AGATA at LNL.

Abstract: It is well known that avalanche photodiodes operated in the Geiger mode above the breakdown voltage offer a virtually infinite gain and time accuracy in the picosecond range that can be used for single photon detection. However, their performance in particle detection still remains unexplored. In this contribution, we are going to expose different steps that we have taken in order to prove the efficiency of the Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes in the aforementioned field. In particular, we will present a setup for the characterization of these sensors in a test beam. The expected results of the test beam at DESY and CERN have been simulated with Geant4 and will also be exposed.

Abstract: A newly developed segmented YSO scintillator detector was implemented for the first time at the RI-beam Factory at RIKEN Nishina Center as an implantation-decay counter. The results from the experiment demonstrate that the detector is a viable alternative to conventional silicon-strip detectors with its good timing resolution and high detection efficiency for beta particles. A Position-Sensitive Photo-Multiplier Tube (PSPMT) is coupled with a 48 x 48 segmented YSO crystal. To demonstrate its capabilities, a known short-lived isomer in Ni-76 and the beta decay of Co-74 were measured by implanting those ions into the YSO detector. The half-lives and gamma-rays observed in this work are consistent with the known values. The beta-ray detection efficiency is more than 80 % for the decay of Co-74.