| Records |
| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Henriques, C.A.O. et al); Alvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Botas, A.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Kekic, M.; Laing, A.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Perez, J.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Rodriguez, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Simon, A.; Sorel, M.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
Electroluminescence TPCs at the thermal diffusion limit |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Journal of High Energy Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. High Energy Phys. |
| Volume |
01 |
Issue  |
1 |
Pages |
027 - 23pp |
| Keywords |
Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Photon production; Particle correlations and fluctuations; Rare decay |
| Abstract |
The NEXT experiment aims at searching for the hypothetical neutrinoless double-beta decay from the Xe-136 isotope using a high-purity xenon TPC. Efficient discrimination of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionisation tracks is a major requirement for the experiment. However, it is limited by the diffusion of electrons. It is known that the addition of a small fraction of a molecular gas to xenon reduces electron diffusion. On the other hand, the electroluminescence (EL) yield drops and the achievable energy resolution may be compromised. We have studied the effect of adding several molecular gases to xenon (CO2, CH4 and CF4) on the EL yield and energy resolution obtained in a small prototype of driftless gas proportional scintillation counter. We have compared our results on the scintillation characteristics (EL yield and energy resolution) with a microscopic simulation, obtaining the diffusion coefficients in those conditions as well. Accordingly, electron diffusion may be reduced from about 10 for pure xenon down to 2.5 using additive concentrations of about 0.05%, 0.2% and 0.02% for CO2, CH4 and CF4, respectively. Our results show that CF4 admixtures present the highest EL yield in those conditions, but very poor energy resolution as a result of huge fluctuations observed in the EL formation. CH4 presents the best energy resolution despite the EL yield being the lowest. The results obtained with xenon admixtures are extrapolated to the operational conditions of the NEXT-100 TPC. CO2 and CH4 show potential as molecular additives in a large xenon TPC. While CO2 has some operational constraints, making it difficult to be used in a large TPC, CH4 shows the best performance and stability as molecular additive to be used in the NEXT-100 TPC, with an extrapolated energy resolution of 0.4% at 2.45 MeV for concentrations below 0.4%, which is only slightly worse than the one obtained for pure xenon. We demonstrate the possibility to have an electroluminescence TPC operating very close to the thermal diffusion limit without jeopardizing the TPC performance, if CO2 or CH4 are chosen as additives. |
| Address |
[Henriques, C. A. O.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Mano, R. D. P.; Jorge, M. R.; Fernandes, A. F. M.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; dos Santos, J. M. F.] Univ Coimbra, Phys Dept, LIBPhys, Rua Larga, P-3004516 Coimbra, Portugal, Email: pancho@gian.fis.uc.pt |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Springer |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1029-8479 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000455157300002 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
3873 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
NEXT Collaboration (Kekic, M. et al); Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Carcel, S.; Carrion, J.V.; Diaz, J.; Felkai, R.; Lopez-March, N.; Martin-Albo, J.; Martinez, A.; Martinez-Lema, G.; Martinez-Vara, M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Romo-Luque, C.; Sorel, M.; Uson, A.; Yahlali, N. |
| Title |
Demonstration of background rejection using deep convolutional neural networks in the NEXT experiment |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal of High Energy Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. High Energy Phys. |
| Volume |
01 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
189 - 22pp |
| Keywords |
Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments) |
| Abstract |
Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used state-of-the-art computer vision tools that are becoming increasingly popular in high-energy physics. In this paper, we attempt to understand the potential of CNNs for event classification in the NEXT experiment, which will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in Xe-136. To do so, we demonstrate the usage of CNNs for the identification of electron-positron pair production events, which exhibit a topology similar to that of a neutrinoless double-beta decay event. These events were produced in the NEXT-White high-pressure xenon TPC using 2.6 MeV gamma rays from a Th-228 calibration source. We train a network on Monte Carlo-simulated events and show that, by applying on-the-fly data augmentation, the network can be made robust against differences between simulation and data. The use of CNNs offers significant improvement in signal efficiency and background rejection when compared to previous non-CNN-based analyses. |
| Address |
[Hauptman, J.; Nygren, D. R.] Iowa State Univ, Dept Phys & Astron, 12 Phys Hall, Ames, IA 50011 USA, Email: marija.kekic@usc.es |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Springer |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1029-8479 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000616730800001 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4729 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Ferrario, P. |
| Title |
Application of scintillating properties of liquid xenon and silicon photomultiplier technology to medical imaging |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2016 |
Publication |
Spectrochimica Acta Part B |
Abbreviated Journal |
Spectroc. Acta Pt. B |
| Volume |
118 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
6-13 |
| Keywords |
PET; TOF; Liquid xenon; Energy resolution; High sensitivity; Coincidence resolution time (CRT); SiPMs |
| Abstract |
We describe a new positron emission time-of-flight apparatus using liquid xenon. The detector is based in a liquid xenon scintillating cell. The cell shape and dimensions can be optimized depending on the intended application. In its simplest form, the liquid xenon scintillating cell is a box in which two faces are covered by silicon photomultipliers and the others by a reflecting material such as Teflon. It is a compact, homogenous and highly efficient detector which shares many of the desirable properties of monolithic crystals, with the added advantage of high yield and fast scintillation offered by liquid xenon. Our initial studies suggest that good energy and spatial resolution comparable with that achieved by lutetium oxyorthosilicate crystals can be obtained with a detector based in liquid xenon scintillating cells. In addition, the system can potentially achieve an excellent coincidence resolving time of better than 100 ps. |
| Address |
[Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M.; Ferrario, Paola] Univ Valencia, CSIC, IFIC, E-46003 Valencia, Spain, Email: gomez@mail.cern.ch |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0584-8547 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000374073300002 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
no |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
2631 |
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| Author |
Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Ferrario, P.; Monrabal, F.; Rodriguez, J.; Toledo, J.F. |
| Title |
Investigation of the coincidence resolving time performance of a PET scanner based on liquid xenon: a Monte Carlo study |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2016 |
Publication |
Journal of Instrumentation |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Instrum. |
| Volume |
11 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
P09011 - 18pp |
| Keywords |
Gamma camera; SPECT; PET PET/CT; coronary CT angiography (CTA); Instrumentation and methods for time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy; Noble liquid detectors (scintillation ionization, double-phase); Scintillators; scintillation and light emission processes (solid, gas and liquid scintillators) |
| Abstract |
The measurement of the time of flight of the two 511 keV gammas recorded in coincidence in a PET scanner provides an effective way of reducing the random background and therefore increases the scanner sensitivity, provided that the coincidence resolving time (CRT) of the gammas is sufficiently good. The best commercial PET-TOF system today (based in LYSO crystals and digital SiPMs), is the VEREOS of Philips, boasting a CRT of 316 ps (FWHM). In this paper we present a Monte Carlo investigation of the CRT performance of a PET scanner exploiting the scintillating properties of liquid xenon. We find that an excellent CRT of 70 ps (depending on the PDE of the sensor) can be obtained if the scanner is instrumented with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) sensitive to the ultraviolet light emitted by xenon. Alternatively, a CRT of 160 ps can be obtained instrumenting the scanner with (much cheaper) blue-sensitive SiPMs coated with a suitable wavelength shifter. These results show the excellent time of flight capabilities of a PET device based in liquid xenon. |
| Address |
[Gomez-Cadenas, J. J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J. M.; Ferrario, P.; Rodriguez, J.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Calle Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: paola.ferrario@ific.uv.es |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Iop Publishing Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1748-0221 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000387862300011 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
2866 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
Gomez-Cadenas, J.J.; Benlloch-Rodriguez, J.M.; Ferrario, P. |
| Title |
Monte Carlo study of the coincidence resolving time of a liquid xenon PET scanner, using Cherenkov radiation |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2017 |
Publication |
Journal of Instrumentation |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Instrum. |
| Volume |
12 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
P08023 - 13pp |
| Keywords |
Cherenkov and transition radiation; Gamma camera; SPECT; PET PET/CT; coronary CT angiography (CTA); Noble liquid detectors (scintillation, ionization, double-phase); Photon detectors for UV; visible and IR photons (solid-state) (PIN diodes, APDs, Si-PMTs, G-APDs, CCDs, EBCCDs, EMCCDs etc) |
| Abstract |
In this paper we use detailed Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that liquid xenon (LXe) can be used to build a Cherenkov-based TOF-PET, with an intrinsic coincidence resolving time (CRT) in the vicinity of 10 ps. This extraordinary performance is due to three facts: a) the abundant emission of Cherenkov photons by liquid xenon; b) the fact that LXe is transparent to Cherenkov light; and c) the fact that the fastest photons in LXe have wavelengths higher than 300 nm, therefore making it possible to separate the detection of scintillation and Cherenkov light. The CRT in a Cherenkov LXe TOF-PET detector is, therefore, dominated by the resolution (time jitter) introduced by the photosensors and the electronics. However, we show that for sufficiently fast photosensors (e.g, an overall 40 ps jitter, which can be achieved by current micro-channel plate photomultipliers) the overall CRT varies between 30 and 55 ps, depending on the detection efficiency. This is still one order of magnitude better than commercial CRT devices and improves by a factor 3 the best CRT obtained with small laboratory prototypes. |
| Address |
[Ferrario, P.] CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, Calle Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia 46980, Spain, Email: paola.ferrario@ific.uv.es |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
Iop Publishing Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1748-0221 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
WOS:000414160300006 |
Approved |
no |
| Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
no |
| Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
3347 |
| Permanent link to this record |
