The hybrid MPGD-based photon detectors of COMPASS RICH-1 Agarwala, J.; Alexeev, M.; Azevedo, C.D.R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
02/2020, Letnik:
952
Journal Article
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Novel gaseous detectors of single photons for RICH applications have been developed and installed on COMPASS RICH-1 in 2016, covering a total area of 1.4 m2. They have a hybrid architecture ...consisting of two staggered THGEM layers (one equipped with a CsI photoconverting layer) and a bulk Micromegas and operate stably and efficiently, providing a single photon angular resolution of ∼1.8 mrad and about 10 detected photons per ring at saturation. The main aspects of their construction, commissioning, characterization and performance are presented.
One of the most informative methods of cosmic ray studies is the detection of Cherenkov light from extensive air showers (EAS). The primary energy reconstruction is possible by using the Earth’s ...atmosphere as a huge calorimeter. The EAS Cherenkov light array Tunka-133, with ∼3 km2 geometrical area, is taking data since 2009. Tunka-133 is located in the Tunka Astrophysical Center at ∼50 km west of Lake Baikal. This array allows us to perform a detailed study of the energy spectrum and the mass composition in the energy range from 6⋅1015eV to 1018eV. Most of the ongoing efforts are focused on the construction of the first stage of the detector TAIGA (Tunka Advanced Instrument for cosmic ray physics and Gamma Astronomy). The latter is designed for the study of gamma rays and charged cosmic rays in the energy range of 1013eV–1018eV. The TAIGA prototype will consist of ∼100 wide angle timing Cherenkov stations (TAIGA-HiSCORE) and three IACTs deployed over an area of ∼1 km2. The installation of the array is planned to be finished in 2019 while the data-taking can start already during the commissioning phase. The joint reconstruction of energy, direction, and core position of the imaging and non-imaging detectors will allow us to increase the distance between the IACTs up to 800 m, therefore providing a low-cost, highly sensitive detector. The relatively low cost together with the high sensitivity for energies ≥30–50 TeV make this pioneering technique very attractive for exploring galactic PeVatrons and cosmic rays. In addition to the Cherenkov light detectors we intend to deploy surface and underground muon detectors over an area of 1 km2 with a total area of about 1000 m2. The results of the first season of coincident operation of the first ∼4 m diameter IACT with an aperture of ∼10°with 30 stations of TAIGA-HiSCORE will be presented.
The TUS space experiment is aimed to study the energy spectrum and arrival direction of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) at E~1020eV. The TUS detector will measure the fluorescence and Cherenkov ...light radiated by Extensive Air Shower of the UHECR using the optical system that comprises a Fresnel mirror-concentrator of seven modules with a total area of ~2m2. The production process of the Fresnel mirror and the method and results of measurement of its optical parameters are presented.
Novel MPGD based detectors of single photons in COMPASS RICH-1 Agarwala, J.; Alexeev, M.; Azevedo, C.D.R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
12/2018, Letnik:
912
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COMPASS is a fixed target experiment at CERN SPS aimed to study Hadron Structure and Spectroscopy. Hadron Identification in the momentum range between 3 and 55 GeV/c is provided by a large gaseous ...Ring Imaging Cherenkov Counter (RICH-1). To cope with the challenges imposed by the new physics program of COMPASS, RICH-1 has been upgraded by replacing four MWPCs based photon detectors with newly developed MPGD based photon detectors. The architecture of the novel detectors is a hybrid combination of two layers of THGEMs and a MicroMegas. The top of the first THGEM is coated with CsI acting as a reflective photo-cathode. The anode is segmented in pads capacitively coupled to the APV-25 based readout. The new hybrid detectors have been commissioned during 2016 COMPASS data taking and stably operated during 2017 run. In this paper all aspects of the novel photon detectors for COMPASS RICH-1 are discussed.
•For the first time, single photons are detected by MPGDbased photon detectors in the upgrade of COMPASS RICH1.•The novel photon detectors are hybrid ones including two THGEM layers and a MicroMegas multiplication stage. The first THGEM also acts as photoconverting layer (CsI).•In 2017 the novel MPGDbased photon detectors have operated stably at gains above 104 for the first time in an experimental environment.•m2 The detector deadtime due to current sparks is kept minimum; spark rate 10/day/m2 with recovery time 10 s.
The MPGD-based photon detectors for the upgrade of COMPASS RICH-1 Alexeev, M.; Azevedo, C.D.R.; Birsa, R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
12/2017, Letnik:
876
Journal Article
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The RICH-1 Detector of the COMPASS experiment at CERN SPS has undergone an important upgrade for the 2016 physics run. Four new photon detectors, based on Micro Pattern Gaseous Detector technology ...and covering a total active area larger than 1.2m2 have replaced the previously used MWPC-based photon detectors. The upgrade answers the challenging efficiency and stability quest for the new phase of the COMPASS spectrometer physics programme. The new detector architecture consists in a hybrid MPGD combination of two Thick Gas Electron Multipliers and a MicroMegas stage. Signals, extracted from the anode pad by capacitive coupling, are read-out by analog F-E based on the APV25 chip. The main aspects of the COMPASS RICH-1 photon detectors upgrade are presented focussing on detector design, engineering aspects, mass production, the quality assessment and assembly challenges of the MPGD components. The status of the detector commissioning is also presented.
Recent progress in the development of THGEM-based photon detectors confirm the validity of this novel technology. Detectors made of THGEMs, arranged in a three layer architecture, with a CsI coating ...on the first layer (acting as a reflective photocathode), have been produced and operated in laboratory and during test beam runs: they provide a gain of 105 and a time resolution better than 10 ns. Improvements in the production of THGEMs with 300×300 mm 2 active area have recently been introduced leading to a uniform gain response and performance similar to that provided by the small area THGEMs. Promising results have been obtained by combining THGEM and Micromegas technologies to form a hybrid MPGD-based photon detector: the first prototype has proved to stably operate at large gain in a variety of gas mixtures, including pure CH 4 and to provide a low ion backflow rate. The RICH-1 detector of the COMPASS Experiment at CERN SPS will be equipped with a set of MPGD-based photon detectors replacing MWPC-based ones.
The performance of the MOON detector for a next-generation neutrino-less double-beta decay experiment was evaluated by means of the Monte Carlo method. The MOON detector was found to be a feasible ...solution for the future experiment to search for the Majorana neutrino mass in the range of 100-30 meV.
In the context of a project to upgrade the gas photon detectors of COMPASS RICH-1, we have performed an R&D programme aimed to develop photon detectors based on multi-layer arrangements of thick GEM ...electron multipliers coupled to a CsI photoconverter. For this purpose, thick GEMs have been characterised in detail including the gain performance, its dependance on the geometrical parameters and its time-evolution, a feature exhibited by the gas detectors with open insulator surfaces. The variation due to this evolution drammatically depends on the parameters themselves. In the present article we summarise the outcomes of the studies dedicated to the thick GEM gain and its evolution versus time. We also include a qualitative model which accounts for the peculiar details of the observed thick GEM gain time-evolution.
Detection of single photons with THickGEM-based counters Alexeev, M.; Barbosa, F.; Birsa, R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
12/2012, Letnik:
695
Journal Article
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Cherenkov imaging counters requiring large photosensitive areas, the capability to stand high rates and to operate in magnetic field environments could benefit from the use of photon detectors based ...on THick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (THGEM) coupled to a solid state CsI photo-cathode.
A systematic study of the THGEM detector response as a function of its geometrical parameters and electrodes' applied voltage has been performed. Dedicated electrostatic calculations to optimize the detector design have been accomplished. Data obtained from small photon detector prototypes operating in single photon detection mode are presented and discussed. In particular the key aspect of photo-electron extraction from the photo-cathode surface is investigated via the timing spectrum response of the detector for different electric field conditions at the photo-cathode: a comparison of the measured time distributions and the simulation results is illustrated.
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