Real, D., Calvo, D., Diaz, A., Salesa Greus, F., & Sanchez Losa, A. (2022). A Narrow Optical Pulse Emitter Based on LED: NOPELED. Sensors, 22(19), 7683–15pp.
Abstract: Light sources emitting short pulses are needed in many particle physics experiments using optical sensors as they can replicate the light produced by the particles being detected and are also an important calibration and test element. This work presents NOPELED, a light source based on LEDs emitting short optical pulses with typical rise times of less than 3 ns and Full Width at Half Maximum lower than 7 ns. The emission wavelength depends on the model of LED used. Several LED models have been characterized in the range from 405 to 532 nm, although NOPELED can work with LED emitting wavelengths outside of that region. While the wavelength is fixed for a given LED model, the intensity and the frequency of the optical pulse can be controlled. NOPELED, which also has low cost and simple operation, can be operated remotely, making it appropriate for either different physics experiments needing in-place light sources such as astrophysical neutrino detectors using photo-multipliers or positron emission tomography devices using scintillation counters, or, beyond physics, applications needing short pulses of light such as protein fluorescence or chemodetection of heavy metals.
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Viegas, R., Roser, J., Barrientos, L., Borja-Lloret, M., Casaña, J. V., Lopez, J. G., et al. (2023). Characterization of a Compton camera based on the TOFPET2 ASIC. Radiat. Phys. Chem., 202, 110507–11pp.
Abstract: The use of Compton cameras for medical imaging and its interest as a hadron therapy treatment monitoring has increased in the last decade with the development of silicon photomultipliers. MACACOp is a Compton camera prototype designed and assembled at the IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia. This Compton camera is based on monolithic Lanthanum (III) Bromide crystals and silicon photomultipliers, and employs the novel TOFPET2 ASIC as readout electronics. This system emerged as an alternative to MACACO II prototype, with the aim of improving its limited time resolution. To test the performance of the ASIC in a Compton camera setup, the prototype was characterized, both in laboratory and in-beam. A time resolution of 1.5 ns was obtained after time corrections, which improves greatly the performance of the MACACO II. Moreover, the results obtained at high photon energies demonstrate the ability of the system to obtain 1 mm displacements of the reconstructed spots. The results reinforce the potential of the system as a monitoring device for hadron therapy.
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Papavassiliou, J. (2022). Emergence of mass in the gauge sector of QCD. Chin. Phys. C, 46(11), 112001–23pp.
Abstract: It is currently widely accepted that gluons, while massless at the level of the fundamental QCD Lagrangian, acquire an effective mass through the non-Abelian implementation of the classic Schwinger mechanism. The key dynamical ingredient that triggers the onset of this mechanism is the formation of composite massless poles inside the fundamental vertices of the theory. These poles enter the evolution equation of the gluon propagator and nontrivially affect the way the Slavnov-Taylor identities of the vertices are resolved, inducing a smoking-gun displacement in the corresponding Ward identities. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of the pivotal concepts associated with this dynamical scenario, emphasizing the synergy between functional methods and lattice simulations and highlighting recent advances that corroborate the action of the Schwinger mechanism in QCD.
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Cervello, A., Carrio, F., Garcia, R., Martos, J., Soret, J., Torres, J., et al. (2022). The TileCal PreProcessor interface with the ATLAS global data acquisition system at the HL-LHC. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1043, 167492–2pp.
Abstract: The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has envisaged a series of upgrades towards a High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) delivering five times the LHC nominal instantaneous luminosity. It will take place throughout 2026-2028, corresponding to the Long Shutdown 3. During this upgrade, the ATLAS Tile Hadronic Calorimeter (TileCal) will replace completely on-and off-detector electronics adopting a new read-out architecture. Signals captured from TileCal are digitized by the on-detector electronics and transmitted to the TileCal PreProcessor (TilePPr) located off-detector, which provides the interface with the ATLAS trigger and data acquisition systems.TilePPr receives, process and transmits the data from the on-detector system and transmits it to the Front -End Link eXchange (FELIX) system. FELIX is the ATLAS common hardware in all the subdetectors designed to act as a data router, receiving and forwarding data to the SoftWare Read-Out Driver (SWROD) computers. FELIX also distributes the Timing, Trigger and Control (TTC) signals to the TilePPr to be propagated to the on-detector electronics. The SWROD is an ATLAS common software solution to perform detector specific data processing, including configuration, calibration, control and monitoring of the partitionIn this contribution we will introduce the new read-out elements for TileCal at the HL-LHC, the intercon-nection between the off-detector electronics and the FELIX system, the configuration and implementation for the test beam campaigns, as well as future developments of the preprocessing and monitoring status of the calorimeter modules through the SWROD infrastructure.
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Du, M. L., Penalva, N., Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2022). New physics effects on Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c)*tau(nu)over-bar(tau) decays. Phys. Rev. D, 106(5), 055039–21pp.
Abstract: We benefit from a recent lattice determination of the full set of vector, axial and tensor form factors for the Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c)* (2595)tau(nu) over bar (tau) and Lambda(c) (2625)tau(nu) over bar (tau) semileptonic decays to study the possible role of these two reactions in lepton flavor universality violation studies. Using an effective theory approach, we analyze different observables that can be accessed through the visible kinematics of the charged particles produced in the tau decay, for which we consider the pi(-)nu(tau), rho(-) nu(tau) and mu(-)(nu) over bar (mu)nu(tau) channels. We compare the results obtained in the Standard Model and other schemes containing new physics (NP) interactions, with either left-handed or right-handed neutrino operators. We find a discriminating power between models similar to the one of the Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c) decay, although somewhat hindered in this case by the larger errors of the Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c)* lattice form factors. Notwithstanding this, the analysis of these reactions is already able to discriminate between some of the NP scenarios and its potentiality will certainly improve when more precise form factors are available.
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Real, D., & Calvo, D. (2022). Production requirements and functional tests of the KM3NeT Digital Optical Module Power Board. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1042, 167426–3pp.
Abstract: The KM3NeT research facility is being built in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of matrices of optical detectors, the so-called Digital Optical Module. Each of this elementary detector holds a set of 31 small-area photomultipliers, which detect the Cherenkov light generated by secondary particles produced in neutrino interactions. It includes also the acquisition electronics and the power board which supplies both, the acquisition electronics and the photomultipliers. The production of electronics boards needs to have a high quality and reliability level as it is going to be deployed for more than ten years without any maintenance possible. This work presents the requirements and the qualification tests being implemented in order to increase the reliability of the Power Board of the acquisition electronics of KM3NeT during the mass production. At the moment, more than one thousand board have been produced. Results on the production of the boards, including the production yield is presented. From the already produced boards, more than 350 have been already deployed and are operative in the detectors.
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Bernabeu, J., Botella, F. J., Nebot, M., & Segarra, A. (2022). B-0 – (B)over-bar(0) entanglement for an ideal experiment for the direct CP violation phi(3)/gamma phase. Phys. Rev. D, 106(5), 054026–7pp.
Abstract: B-0-(B) over bar0 entanglement offers a conceptual alternative to the single charged B-decay asymmetry for the measurement of the direct CP-violating gamma/phi(3) phase. With f = J/Psi(L); J/Psi K-S and g = (pi pi)(0); (rho(L)rho(L))(0), the 16 time-ordered double-decay rate intensities to (f, g) depend on the relative phase between the f- and g-decay amplitudes given by gamma at tree level. Several constraining consistencies appear. An intrinsic accuracy of the method at the level of +/- 1 degrees could be achievable at Belle-II with an improved determination of the penguin amplitude to g channels from existing facilities.
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Borys, D. et al, & Brzezinski, K. (2022). ProTheRaMon-a GATE simulation framework for proton therapy range monitoring using PET imaging. Phys. Med. Biol., 67(22), 224002–15pp.
Abstract: Objective. This paper reports on the implementation and shows examples of the use of the ProTheRaMon framework for simulating the delivery of proton therapy treatment plans and range monitoring using positron emission tomography (PET). ProTheRaMon offers complete processing of proton therapy treatment plans, patient CT geometries, and intra-treatment PET imaging, taking into account therapy and imaging coordinate systems and activity decay during the PET imaging protocol specific to a given proton therapy facility. We present the ProTheRaMon framework and illustrate its potential use case and data processing steps for a patient treated at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) proton therapy center in Krakow, Poland. Approach. The ProTheRaMon framework is based on GATE Monte Carlo software, the CASToR reconstruction package and in-house developed Python and bash scripts. The framework consists of five separated simulation and data processing steps, that can be further optimized according to the user's needs and specific settings of a given proton therapy facility and PET scanner design. Main results. ProTheRaMon is presented using example data from a patient treated at CCB and the J-PET scanner to demonstrate the application of the framework for proton therapy range monitoring. The output of each simulation and data processing stage is described and visualized. Significance. We demonstrate that the ProTheRaMon simulation platform is a high-performance tool, capable of running on a computational cluster and suitable for multi-parameter studies, with databases consisting of large number of patients, as well as different PET scanner geometries and settings for range monitoring in a clinical environment. Due to its modular structure, the ProTheRaMon framework can be adjusted for different proton therapy centers and/or different PET detector geometries. It is available to the community via github (Borys et al 2022).
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Balibrea-Correa, J., Lerendegui-Marco, J., Ladarescu, I., Guerrero, C., Rodriguez-Gonzalez, T., Jimenez-Ramos, M. C., et al. (2022). Hybrid in-beam PET- and Compton prompt-gamma imaging aimed at enhanced proton-range verification. Eur. Phys. J. Plus, 137(11), 1258–18pp.
Abstract: We report on a hybrid in-beam PET and prompt-gamma Compton imaging system aimed at quasi real-time ion-range verification in proton-therapy treatments. Proof-of-concept experiments were carried out at the radiobiology beam line of the CNA cyclotron facility using a set of two synchronous Compton imagers and different target materials. The time structure of the 18 MeV proton beam was shaped with a series of beam-on and beam-off intervals, thereby mimicking a pulsed proton beam on a long time scale. During beam-on intervals, Compton imagingwas performed utilizing the high energy. -rays promptly emitted from the nuclear reactions occurring in the targets. In the course of the beam-off intervals in situ positron-emission tomography was accomplished with the same imagers using the beta+ decay of activated nuclei. The targets used were stacks of different materials covering also various proton ranges and energies. A systematic study on the performance of these two complementary imaging techniques is reported and the experimental results interpreted on the basis ofMonte Carlo calculations. The results demonstrate the possibility to combine both imaging techniques in a concomitant way, where high-efficiency prompt-gamma imaging is complemented with the high spatial accuracy of PET. Empowered by these results we suggest that a pulsed beam with a suitable duty cycle, in conjunction with in situ Compton- and PET-imaging may help to attain complementary information and quasi real-time range monitoring with high accuracy.
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Gonzalez-Iglesias, D., Esperante, D., Gimeno, B., Blanch, C., Fuster-Martinez, N., Martinez-Reviriego, P., et al. (2023). Analysis of the Multipactor Effect in an RF Electron Gun Photoinjector. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 70(1), 288–295.
Abstract: The objective of this work is the evaluation of the risk of suffering a multipactor discharge within an RF electron gun photoinjector. Photoinjectors are a type of source for intense electron beams, which are the main electron source for synchrotron light sources, such as free-electron lasers. The analyzed device consists of 1.6 cells and it has been designed to operate at the S-band. Besides, around the RF gun there is an emittance compensation solenoid, whose magnetic field prevents the growth of the electron beam emittance, and thus the degradation of the properties of the beam. The multipactor analysis is based on a set of numerical simulations by tracking the trajectories of the electron cloud in the cells of the device. To reach this aim, an in-house multipactor code was developed. Specifically, two different cases were explored: with the emittance compensation solenoid assumed to be off and with the emittance compensation solenoid in operation. For both the cases, multipactor simulations were carried out exploring different RF electric field amplitudes. Moreover, for a better understanding of the multipactor phenomenon, the resonant trajectories of the electrons and the growth rate of the electrons population are investigated.
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