Andreotti, M. et al, Cervera-Villanueva, A., Garcia-Peris, M. a., Martin-Albo, J., Querol, M., Rocabado, J., et al. (2024). Cryogenic characterization of Hamamatsu HWB MPPCs for the DUNE photon detection system. J. Instrum., 19(1), T01007–27pp.
Abstract: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next generation experiment aimed to study neutrino oscillation. Its long-baseline configuration will exploit a Near Detector (ND) and a Far Detector (FD) located at a distance of similar to 1300 km. The FD will consist of four Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) modules. A Photon Detection System (PDS) will be used to detect the scintillation light produced inside the detector after neutrino interactions. The PDS will be based on light collectors coupled to Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). Different photosensor technologies have been proposed and produced in order to identify the best samples to fullfill the experiment requirements. In this paper, we present the procedure and results of a validation campaign for the Hole Wire Bonding (HWB) MPPCs samples produced by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) for the DUNE experiment, referring to them as 'SiPMs'. The protocol for a characterization at cryogenic temperature (77 K) is reported. We present the down-selection criteria and the results obtained during the selection campaign undertaken, along with a study of the main sources of noise of the SiPMs including the investigation of a newly observed phenomenon in this field.
Keywords: Cryogenic detectors; Photon detectors for UV, visible and IR photons (solid-state); Photon detectors for UV, visible and IR photons (solid-state) (PIN diodes, APDs, Si-PMTs, G-APDs, CCDs, EBCCDs, EMCCDs, CMOS imagers, etc)
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Mata, R., Cros, A., Gimeno, B., & Raboso, D. (2024). Secondary electron emission yield in thick dielectric materials: a comparison between Kelvin probe and capacitive methods. J. Phys. D, 57(40), 405302–9pp.
Abstract: The recent high demand of secondary electron emission yield (SEY) measurements in dielectric materials from space industry has driven SEY laboratories to improve their facilities and measurement techniques. SEY determination by the common capacitive method, also known as pulsed method, is well accepted and has given satisfactory results in most cases. Nevertheless, the samples under study must be prepared according to the experimental limitations of the technique, i.e. they should be manufactured separated from the devices representing faithfully the surface state of the own device and be as thin as possible. A method based on the Kelvin probe (KP) is proposed here to obtain the SEY characteristics of electrically floating Platinum, Kapton and Teflon placed over dielectric spacers with thicknesses ranging from 1.6 to 12.1 mm. The results are compared with those of the capacitive method and indicate that KP SEY curves are less sensitive to spacer thickness. An explanation based on the literature is also given. In all, we have established that KP is better suited for the analysis of dielectric samples thicker than 3 mm.
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Penas, J., Alejo, A., Bembibre, A., Apiñaniz, J. I., Garcia-Garcia, E., Guerrero, C., et al. (2024). Production of carbon-11 for PET preclinical imaging using a high-repetition rate laser-driven proton source. Sci Rep, 14(1), 11448–12pp.
Abstract: Most advanced medical imaging techniques, such as positron-emission tomography (PET), require tracers that are produced in conventional particle accelerators. This paper focuses on the evaluation of a potential alternative technology based on laser-driven ion acceleration for the production of radioisotopes for PET imaging. We report for the first time the use of a high-repetition rate, ultra-intense laser system for the production of carbon-11 in multi-shot operation. Proton bunches with energies up to 10-14 MeV were systematically accelerated in long series at pulse rates between 0.1 and 1 Hz using a PW-class laser. These protons were used to activate a boron target via the 11 \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$<^>{11}$$\end{document} B(p,n) 11 \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$<^>{11}$$\end{document} C nuclear reaction. A peak activity of 234 kBq was obtained in multi-shot operation with laser pulses with an energy of 25 J. Significant carbon-11 production was also achieved for lower pulse energies. The experimental carbon-11 activities measured in this work are comparable to the levels required for preclinical PET, which would be feasible by operating at the repetition rate of current state-of-the-art technology (10 Hz). The scalability of next-generation laser-driven accelerators in terms of this parameter for sustained operation over time could increase these overall levels into the clinical PET range.
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Martin-Luna, P., Esperante, D., Prieto, A. F., Fuster-Martinez, N., Rivas, I. G., Gimeno, B., et al. (2024). Simulation of electron transport and secondary emission in a photomultiplier tube and validation. Sens. Actuator A-Phys., 365, 114859–10pp.
Abstract: The electron amplification and transport within a photomultiplier tube (PMT) has been investigated by developing an in-house Monte Carlo simulation code. The secondary electron emission in the dynodes is implemented via an effective electron model and the Modified Vaughan's model, whereas the transport is computed with the Boris leapfrog algorithm. The PMT gain, rise time and transit time have been studied as a function of supply voltage and external magnetostatic field. A good agreement with experimental measurements using a Hamamatsu R13408-100 PMT was obtained. The simulations have been conducted following different treatments of the underlying geometry: three-dimensional, two-dimensional and intermediate (2.5D). The validity of these approaches is compared. The developed framework will help in understanding the behavior of PMTs under highly intense and irregular illumination or varying external magnetic fields, as in the case of prompt gamma-ray measurements during pencil-beam proton therapy; and aid in optimizing the design of voltage dividers with behavioral circuit models.
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Bottoni, S. et al, Gadea, A., & Perez-Vidal, R. M. (2024). Search for the γ decay of the narrow near-threshold proton resonance in 11B. Phys. Lett. B, 855, 138851–4pp.
Abstract: The y decay of the elusive narrow, near-threshold proton resonance in 11 B was investigated at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (INFN) in a particle-y coincidence experiment, using the 6 Li( 6 Li,py) fusion-evaporation reaction and the GALILEO-GALTRACE setup. No clear signature was found for a possible E1 decay to the 1/2-1, – 1 , first-excited state of 11 B, predicted by the Shell Model Embedded in the Continuum (SMEC) with a branching of 0.98+167 +167 -69 x 10-3 -3 with respect to the dominant particle-decaying modes. The statistical analysis of the y-ray spectrum provided an average upper limit of 2.37 x 10-3 -3 for this y-ray branching, with a global significance of 5 sigma. On the other hand, by imposing a global confidence level of 3 sigma, a significant excess of counts was observed for Ey y = 9300(20) keV, corresponding to a resonance energy of 11429(20) keV (namely 200(20) keV above the proton separation energy of 11 B) and a y-ray branching of 1.12(35) x10-3. -3 . This result is compatible with the SMEC calculations, potentially supporting the existence of a near-threshold proton resonance in 11 B.
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