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Poley, L., Stolzenberg, U., Schwenker, B., Frey, A., Gottlicher, P., Marinas, C., et al. (2021). Mapping the material distribution of a complex structure in an electron beam. J. Instrum., 16(1), P01010–33pp.
Abstract: The simulation and analysis of High Energy Physics experiments require a realistic simulation of the detector material and its distribution. The challenge is to describe all active and passive parts of large scale detectors like ATLAS in terms of their size, position and material composition. The common method for estimating the radiation length by weighing individual components, adding up their contributions and averaging the resulting material distribution over extended structures provides a good general estimate, but can deviate significantly from the material actually present. A method has been developed to assess its material distribution with high spatial resolution using the reconstructed scattering angles and hit positions of high energy electron tracks traversing an object under investigation. The study presented here shows measurements for an extended structure with a highly inhomogeneous material distribution. The structure under investigation is an End-of-Substructure-card prototype designed for the ATLAS Inner Tracker strip tracker – a PCB populated with components of a large range of material budgets and sizes. The measurements presented here summarise requirements for data samples and reconstructed electron tracks for reliable image reconstruction of large scale, inhomogeneous samples, choices of pixel sizes compared to the size of features under investigation as well as a bremsstrahlung correction for high material densities and thicknesses.
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PTOLEMY Collaboration(Betti, M. G. et al), Gariazzo, S., & Pastor, S. (2019). Neutrino physics with the PTOLEMY project: active neutrino properties and the light sterile case. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 07(7), 047–31pp.
Abstract: The PTOLEMY project aims to develop a scalable design for a Cosmic Neutrino Background (CNB) detector, the first of its kind and the only one conceived that can look directly at the image of the Universe encoded in neutrino background produced in the first second after the Big Bang. The scope of the work for the next three years is to complete the conceptual design of this detector and to validate with direct measurements that the non-neutrino backgrounds are below the expected cosmological signal. In this paper we discuss in details the theoretical aspects of the experiment and its physics goals. In particular, we mainly address three issues. First we discuss the sensitivity of PTOLEMY to the standard neutrino mass scale. We then study the perspectives of the experiment to detect the CNB via neutrino capture on tritium as a function of the neutrino mass scale and the energy resolution of the apparatus. Finally, we consider an extra sterile neutrino with mass in the eV range, coupled to the active states via oscillations, which has been advocated in view of neutrino oscillation anomalies. This extra state would contribute to the tritium decay spectrum, and its properties, mass and mixing angle, could be studied by analyzing the features in the beta decay electron spectrum.
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Rasco, B. C., Brewer, N. T., Yokoyama, R., Grzywacz, R., Rykaczewski, K. P., Tolosa-Delgado, A., et al. (2018). The ORNL analysis technique for extracting beta-delayed multi-neutron branching ratios with BRIKEN. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 911, 79–86.
Abstract: Many choices are available in order to evaluate large radioactive decay networks. There are many parameters that influence the calculated beta-decay delayed single and multi-neutron emission branching fractions. We describe assumptions about the decay model, background, and other parameters and their influence on beta-decay delayed multi-neutron emission analysis. An analysis technique, the ORNL BRIKEN analysis procedure, for determining beta-delayed multi-neutron branching ratios in beta-neutron precursors produced by means of heavy-ion fragmentation is presented. The technique is based on estimating the initial activities of zero, one, and two neutrons occurring in coincidence with an ion-implant and beta trigger. The technique allows one to extract beta-delayed multi-neutron decay branching ratios measured with the He-3 BRIKEN neutron counter. As an example, two analyses of the beta-neutron emitter Cu-77 based on different a priori assumptions are presented along with comparisons to literature values.
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Rebel, B., Hall, C., Bernard, E., Faham, C. H., Ito, T. M., Lundberg, B., et al. (2014). High voltage in noble liquids for high energy physics. J. Instrum., 9, T08004–57pp.
Abstract: A workshop was held at Fermilab November 8-9, 2013 to discuss the challenges of using high voltage in noble liquids. The participants spanned the fields of neutrino, dark matter, and electric dipole moment physics. All presentations at the workshop were made in plenary sessions. This document summarizes the experiences and lessons learned from experiments in these fields at developing high voltage systems in noble liquids.
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Renner, J. et al, Romo-Luque, C., Carrion, J. V., Diaz, J., Martinez, A., Querol, M., et al. (2022). Monte Carlo characterization of PETALO, a full-body liquid xenon-based PET detector. J. Instrum., 17(5), P05044–17pp.
Abstract: New detector approaches in Positron Emission Tomography imaging will play an important role in reducing costs, lowering administered radiation doses, and improving overall performance. PETALO employs liquid xenon as the active scintillating medium and UV-sensitive silicon photomultipliers for scintillation readout. The scintillation time in liquid xenon is fast enough to register time-of-flight information for each detected coincidence, and sufficient scintillation is produced with low enough fluctuations to obtain good energy resolution. The present simulation study examines a full-body-sized PETALO detector and evaluates its potential performance in PET image reconstruction.
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Renner, J., Cervera-Villanueva, A., Hernando, J. A., Izmaylov, A., Monrabal, F., Muñoz, J., et al. (2015). Improved background rejection in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments using a magnetic field in a high pressure xenon TPC. J. Instrum., 10, P12020–19pp.
Abstract: We demonstrate that the application of an external magnetic field could lead to an improved background rejection in neutrinoless double-beta (0 nu beta beta) decay experiments using a high-pressure xenon (HPXe) TPC. HPXe chambers are capable of imaging electron tracks, a feature that enhances the separation between signal events (the two electrons emitted in the 0 nu beta beta decay of Xe-136) and background events, arising chiefly from single electrons of kinetic energy compatible with the end-point of the 0 nu beta beta decay (Q(beta beta)). Applying an external magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity (in the range of 0.5-1 Tesla for operating pressures in the range of 5-15 atmospheres) causes the electrons to produce helical tracks. Assuming the tracks can be properly reconstructed, the sign of the curvature can be determined at several points along these tracks, and such information can be used to separate signal (0 nu beta beta) events containing two electrons producing a track with two different directions of curvature from background (single-electron) events producing a track that should spiral in a single direction. Due to electron multiple scattering, this strategy is not perfectly efficient on an event-by-event basis, but a statistical estimator can be constructed which can be used to reject background events by one order of magnitude at a moderate cost (about 30%) in signal efficiency. Combining this estimator with the excellent energy resolution and topological signature identification characteristic of the HPXe TPC, it is possible to reach a background rate of less than one count per ton-year of exposure. Such a low background rate is an essential feature of the next generation of 0 nu beta beta experiments, aiming to fully explore the inverse hierarchy of neutrino masses.
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Ros, A., Lerche, C. W., Sebastia, A., Sanchez, F., & Benlloch, J. M. (2014). Retroreflector arrays for better light collection efficiency of gamma-ray imaging detectors with continuous scintillation crystals without DOI misestimation. J. Instrum., 9, P04009–14pp.
Abstract: A method to improve light collection efficiency of gamma-ray imaging detectors by using retroreflector arrays has been tested, simulations of the behaviour of the scintillation light illuminating the retroreflector surface have been made. Measurements including retroreflector arrays in the setup have also been taken. For the measurements, positron emission tomography (PET) detectors with continuous scintillation crystals have been used. Each detector module consists of a continuous LSO-scintillator of dimensions 49x49x10 mm(3) and a H8500 position-sensitive photo-multiplier (PSPMT) from Hamamatsu. By using a continuous scintillation crystal, the scintillation light distribution has not been destroyed and the energy, the centroids along the x- and y-direction and the depth of interaction (DOI) can be estimated. Simulations have also been run taking into account the use of continuous scintillation crystals. Due to the geometry of the continuous scintillation crystals in comparison with pixelated crystals, a good light collection efficiency is necessary to correctly reconstruct the impact point of the gamma-ray. The aim of this study is to investigate whether micro-machine retro-reflectors improve light yield without misestimation of the impact point. The results shows an improvement on the energy and centroid resolutions without worsening the depth of interaction resolution. Therefore it can be concluded that using retroreflector arrays at the entrance side of the scintillation crystal improves light collection efficiency without worsening the impact point estimation.
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Ruhr, F. et al, Escobar, C., & Miñano, M. (2020). Testbeam studies of barrel and end-cap modules for the ATLAS ITk strip detector before and after irradiation. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 979, 164430–6pp.
Abstract: In order to cope with the occupancy and radiation doses expected at the High-Luminosity LHC, the ATLAS experiment will replace its Inner Detector with an all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk), consisting of pixel and strip subsystems. In the last two years, several prototype ITk strip modules have been tested using beams of high energy electrons produced at the DESY-II testbeam facility. Tracking was provided by EUDET telescopes. The modules tested are built from two sensor types: the rectangular ATLAS17LS, which will be used in the outer layers of the central barrel region of the detector, and the annular ATLAS12EC, which will be used in the innermost ring (R0) of the forward region. Additionally, a structure with two RO modules positioned back-to-back has been measured, demonstrating space point reconstruction using the stereo angle of the strips. Finally, one barrel and one RO module have been measured after irradiation to 40% beyond the expected end-of-lifetime fluence. The data obtained allow for thorough tests of the module performance, including charge collection, noise occupancy, detection efficiency, and tracking performance. The results give confidence that the ITk strip detector will meet the requirements of the ATLAS experiment.
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Sahin, E. et al, Gadea, A., & Algora, A. (2012). Structure of the N=50 As, Ge, Ga nuclei. Nucl. Phys. A, 893, 1–12.
Abstract: The level structures of the N = 50 As-83, Ge-82, and Ga-81 isotones have been investigated by means of multi-nucleon transfer reactions. A first experiment was performed with the CLARA PRISMA setup to identify these nuclei. A second experiment was carried out with the GASP array in order to deduce the gamma-ray coincidence information. The results obtained on the high-spin states of such nuclei are used to test the stability of the N = 50 shell closure in the region of Ni-78 (Z = 28). The comparison of the experimental level schemes with the shell-model calculations yields an N = 50 energy gap value of 4.7(3) MeV at Z = 28. This value, in a good agreement with the prediction of the finite-range liquid-drop model as well as with the recent large-scale shell model calculations, does not support a weakening of the N = 50 shell gap down to Z = 28.
Keywords: NUCLEAR REACTIONS U-238(Se-82, Ga-81), (Se-82, Ge-82), (Se-82, As-83), E=515 MeV; measured E-gamma, I-gamma (theta), gamma gamma-coin, reaction fragments, (fragment)gamma-coin using PRISMA magnetic spectrometer, gamma after deexcitation using Ge Compton-suppressed detectors of CLARA array, thin and thick target; deduced sigma(theta), levels, J, pi; calculated levels, J, pi using shell model
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Schreeck, H., Paschen, B., Wieduwilt, P., Ahlburg, P., Andricek, L., Dingfelder, J., et al. (2020). Effects of gamma irradiation on DEPFET pixel sensors for the Belle II experiment. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 959, 163522–9pp.
Abstract: For the Belle II experiment at KEK (Tsukuba, Japan) the KEKB accelerator was upgraded to deliver a 40 times larger instantaneous luminosity than before, which requires an increased radiation hardness of the detector components. As the innermost part of the Belle II detector, the pixel detector (PXD), based on DEPFET (DEpleted P-channel Field Effect Transistor) technology, is most exposed to radiation from the accelerator. An irradiation campaign was performed to verify that the PXD can cope with the expected amount of radiation. We present the results of this measurement campaign in which an X-ray machine was used to irradiate a single PXD half-ladder to a total dose of 266 kGy. The half-ladder is from the same batch as the half-ladders used for Belle II. According to simulations, the total accumulated dose corresponds to 7-10 years of Belle II operation. While individual components have been irradiated before, this campaign is the first full system irradiation. We discuss the effects on the DEPFET sensors, as well as the performance of the front-end electronics. In addition, we present efficiency studies of the half-ladder from beam tests performed before and after the irradiation.
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