|
Poley, L., Blue, A., Bloch, I., Buttar, C., Fadeyev, V., Fernandez-Tejero, J., et al. (2019). Mapping the depleted area of silicon diodes using a micro-focused X-ray beam. J. Instrum., 14, P03024–14pp.
Abstract: For the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS detector at CERN, the current ATLAS Inner Detector will be replaced with the ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk). The ITk will be an all-silicon detector, consisting of a pixel tracker and a strip tracker. Sensors for the ITk strip tracker are required to have a low leakage current up to bias voltages of 500V to maintain a low noise and power dissipation. In order to minimise sensor leakage currents, particularly in the high-radiation environment inside the ATLAS detector, sensors are foreseen to be operated at low temperatures and to be manufactured from wafers with a high bulk resistivity of several k Omega.cm. Simulations showed the electric field inside sensors with high bulk resistivity to extend towards the sensor edge, which could lead to increased surface currents for narrow dicing edges. In order to map the electric field inside biased silicon sensors with high bulk resistivity, three diodes from ATLAS silicon strip sensor prototype wafers were studied with a monochromatic, micro-focused X-ray beam at the Diamond Light Source (Didcot, U.K.). For all devices under investigation, the electric field inside the diode was mapped and its dependence on the applied bias voltage was studied.
|
|
|
Poley, L. et al, Bernabeu, J., Civera, J. V., Lacasta, C., Leon, P., Platero, A., et al. (2020). The ABC130 barrel module prototyping programme for the ATLAS strip tracker. J. Instrum., 15(9), P09004–78pp.
Abstract: For the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS Detector [1], its Inner Detector, consisting of silicon pixel, silicon strip and transition radiation sub-detectors, will be replaced with an all new 100% silicon tracker, composed of a pixel tracker at inner radii and a strip tracker at outer radii. The future ATLAS strip tracker will include 11,000 silicon sensor modules in the central region (barrel) and 7,000 modules in the forward region (end-caps), which are foreseen to be constructed over a period of 3.5 years. The construction of each module consists of a series of assembly and quality control steps, which were engineered to be identical for all production sites. In order to develop the tooling and procedures for assembly and testing of these modules, two series of major prototyping programs were conducted: an early program using readout chips designed using a 250 nm fabrication process (ABCN-250) [2, 3] and a subsequent program using a follow-up chip set made using 130 nm processing (ABC130 and HCC130 chips). This second generation of readout chips was used for an extensive prototyping program that produced around 100 barrel-type modules and contributed significantly to the development of the final module layout. This paper gives an overview of the components used in ABC130 barrel modules, their assembly procedure and findings resulting from their tests.
|
|
|
Polettini, M. et al, & Algora, A. (2021). DESPEC Phase-0 campaign at GSI. Nuovo Cim. C, 44(2-3), 67–4pp.
Abstract: This paper reports preliminary results of the DESPEC campaign at GSI, focused on the study of neutron-deficient nuclei approaching Sn-100. The results presented show the isomeric decays of excited states with I-pi = 14(+) and 8(+) in Pd-96 and Pd-94, respectively. The detailed characterisation of the DESPEC set-up and analysis methodologies, proven in this experimental run, are crucial for the future campaigns.
|
|
|
Plompen, A. J. M. et al, & Algora, A. (2020). The joint evaluated fission and fusion nuclear data library, JEFF-3.3. Eur. Phys. J. A, 56(7), 181–108pp.
Abstract: The joint evaluated fission and fusion nuclear data library 3.3 is described. New evaluations for neutron-induced interactions with the major actinides 235U, 238U and 239Pu, on 241Am and 23Na, 59Ni, Cr, Cu, Zr, Cd, Hf, W, Au, Pb and Bi are presented. It includes new fission yields, prompt fission neutron spectra and average number of neutrons per fission. In addition, new data for radioactive decay, thermal neutron scattering, gamma-ray emission, neutron activation, delayed neutrons and displacement damage are presented. JEFF-3.3 was complemented by files from the TENDL project. The libraries for photon, proton, deuteron, triton, helion and alpha-particle induced reactions are from TENDL-2017. The demands for uncertainty quantification in modeling led to many new covariance data for the evaluations. A comparison between results from model calculations using the JEFF-3.3 library and those from benchmark experiments for criticality, delayed neutron yields, shielding and decay heat, reveals that JEFF-3.3 performes very well for a wide range of nuclear technology applications, in particular nuclear energy.
|
|
|
Plenter, J., & Rodrigo, G. (2021). Asymptotic expansions through the loop-tree duality. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(4), 320–13pp.
Abstract: Asymptotic expansions of Feynman amplitudes in the loop-tree duality formalism are implemented at integrand-level in the Euclidean space of the loop three-momentum, where the hierarchies among internal and external scales are well-defined. The ultraviolet behaviour of the individual contributions to the asymptotic expansion emerges only in the first terms of the expansion and is renormalized locally in four space-time dimensions. These two properties represent an advantage over the method of Expansion by Regions. We explore different approaches in different kinematical limits, and derive explicit asymptotic expressions for several benchmark configurations.
|
|
|
Plaza, J., Martinez, T., Becares, V., Cano-Ott, D., Villamarin, D., de Rada, A. P., et al. (2023). Thermal neutron background at Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC). Astropart Phys., 146, 102793–9pp.
Abstract: The thermal neutron background at Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) has been determined using several He-3 proportional counter detectors. Bare and Cd shielded counters were used in a series of long measurements. Pulse shape discrimination techniques were applied to discriminate between neutron and gamma signals as well as other intrinsic contributions. Montecarlo simulations allowed us to estimate the sensitivity of the detectors and calculate values for the background flux of thermal neutrons inside Hall-A of LSC. The obtained value is (3.5 +/- 0.8)x10(-6) n/cm(2)s, and is within an order of magnitude compared to similar facilities.
|
|
|
Plaza, J., Bécares, V., Cano-Ott, D., Gómez, C., Martínez, T., Mendoza, E., et al. (2023). CLYC as a neutron detector in low background conditions. Eur. Phys. J. C, 83(11), 1049–10pp.
Abstract: We report on the thermal neutron flux measurements carried out at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) with two commercial 2 '' x 2 '' CLYC detectors. The measurements were performed as part of an experimental campaign at LSC with He-3 detectors, for establishing the sensitivity limits and use of CLYCs in low background conditions. Acareful characterization of the intrinsic alpha and gamma-ray background in the detectors was required and done with dedicated measurements. It was found that the alpha activities in the two CLYC crystals differ by a factor of three, and the use of Monte Carlo simulations and a Bayesian unfolding method allowed us to determine the specific alpha activities from the U-238 and Th-232 decay chains. The simulations and unfolding also revealed that the gamma-ray background registered in the detectors is dominated by the intrinsic activity of the components of the detector such as the aluminum housing and photo-multiplier and that the activity within the crystal is low in comparison. The data from the neutron flux measurements with the two detectors were analyzed with different methodologies: one based on an innovative alpha/neutron pulse shape discrimination method and one based on the subtraction of the intrinsic alpha background that masks the neutron signals in the region of interest. The neutron sensitivity of the CLYCs was calculated by Monte Carlo simulations with MCNP6 and GEANT4. The resulting thermal neutron fluxes are in good agreement with complementary flux measurement performed with He-3 detectors, but close to the detection limit imposed by the intrinsic a activity.
|
|
|
Pla, S., & Winstanley, E. (2023). Equivalence of the adiabatic expansion and Hadamard renormalization for a charged scalar field. Phys. Rev. D, 107(2), 025004–22pp.
Abstract: We examine the relationship between three approaches (Hadamard, DeWitt-Schwinger, and adiabatic) to the renormalization of expectation values of field operators acting on a charged quantum scalar field. First, we demonstrate that the DeWitt-Schwinger representation of the Feynman Green's function is a particular case of the Hadamard representation. Next, we restrict attention to a spatially flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe with time-dependent, purely electric, background electromagnetic field, considering two-, three-, and four-dimensional space-times. Working to the order required for the renormalization of the stress-energy tensor, we find the adiabatic and DeWitt-Schwinger expansions of the Green's function when the space-time points are spatially separated. In two and four dimensions, the resulting DeWitt-Schwinger and adiabatic expansions are identical. In three dimensions, the DeWittSchwinger expansion contains terms of adiabatic order 4 that are not necessary for the renormalization of the stress-energy tensor and hence absent in the adiabatic expansion. The equivalence of the DeWittSchwinger and adiabatic approaches to renormalization in the scenario considered is thereby demonstrated in even dimensions. In odd dimensions the situation is less clear and further investigation is required in order to determine whether adiabatic renormalization is a locally covariant renormalization prescription.
|
|
|
Pla, S., Newsome, I. M., Link, R. S., Anderson, P. R., & Navarro-Salas, J. (2021). Pair production due to an electric field in 1+1 dimensions and the validity of the semiclassical approximation. Phys. Rev. D, 103(10), 105003–23pp.
Abstract: Solutions to the backreaction equation in 1 + 1-dimensional semiclassical electrodynamics are obtained and analyzed when considering a time-varying homogeneous electric field initially generated by a classical electric current, coupled to either a quantized scalar field or a quantized spin-1/2 field. Particle production by way of the Schwinger effect leads to backreaction effects that modulate the electric field strength. Details of the particle production process are investigated along with the transfer of energy between the electric field and the particles. The validity of the semiclassical approximation is also investigated using a criterion previously implemented for chaotic inflation and, in an earlier form, semiclassical gravity. The criterion states that the semiclassical approximation will break down if any linearized gauge-invariant quantity constructed from solutions to the linear response equation, with finite nonsingular data, grows rapidly for some period of time. Approximations to homogeneous solutions of the linear response equation are computed and it is found that the criterion is violated when the maximum value, E-max, obtained by the electric field is of the order of the critical scale for the Schwinger effect, E-max similar to E-crit m(2)/q, where m is the mass of the quantized field and q is its electric charge. For these approximate solutions the criterion appears to be satisfied in the extreme limits qE(max)/m(2) << 1 and qE(max)/m(2) >> 1.
|
|
|
Piriz, G. H., Gonzalez-Sprinberg, G. A., Ballester, F., & Vijande, J. (2024). Dosimetry of Large Field Valencia applicators for Cobalt-60-based brachytherapy. Med. Phys., 51, 5094–5098.
Abstract: BackgroundNon-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and one of the main approaches is brachytherapy. For small lesions, the treatment of this cancer with brachytherapy can be done with two commercial applicators, one of these is the Large Field Valencia Applicators (LFVA).PurposeThe aim of this study is to test the capabilities of the LFVA to use clinically 60Co sources instead of the 192Ir ones. This study was designed for the same dwell positions and weights for both sources.MethodsThe Penelope Monte Carlo code was used to evaluate dose distribution in a water phantom when a 60Co source is considered. The LFVA design and the optimized dwell weights reported for the case of 192Ir are maintained with the only exception of the dwell weight of the central position, that was increased. 2D dose distributions, field flatness, symmetry and the leakage dose distribution around the applicator were calculated.ResultsWhen comparing the dose distributions of both sources, field flatness and symmetry remain unchanged. The only evident difference is an increase of the penumbra regions for all depths when using the 60Co source. Regarding leakage, the maximum dose within the air volume surrounding the applicator is in the order of 20% of the prescription dose for the 60Co source, but it decreases to less than 5% at about 1 cm distance.ConclusionsFlatness and symmetry remains unaltered as compared with 192Ir sources, while an increase in leakage has been observed. This proves the feasibility of using the LFVA in a larger range of clinical applications.
|
|