Radiation Damage Studies and Operation of the DØ Luminosity Monitor
The D0 Luminosity Monitor (LM) employs scintillating wedges with photomultiplier tube readout to detect particles from inelastic collisions in p interactions at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The Luminosity Monitor provides a real-time measurement of the relative luminosity during data-taking, and, with the determination of the effective inelastic cross section, it also provides an absolute measurement of the luminosity delivered to the D0 Experiment, which is later used for normalization of D0 physics results. In the course of normal Tevatron operations these scintillators accrue significant radiation damage. Operating parameters are monitored and adjusted to compensate for this degradation, and the scintillators are periodically replaced to facilitate stable performance. Results from radiation damage studies to the scintillator as well as the stability of the luminosity measurement will be presented.