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At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Production, quality assurance and quality control of the SiPM Tiles for the DarkSide-20k Time Projection Chamber

The DarkSide-20k dark matter direct detection experiment will employ a 21 m 2 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array, instrumenting a dual-phase 50 tonnes liquid argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC). SiPMs are arranged into modular photosensors called Tiles, each integrating 24 SiPMs onto a printed circuit board (PCB) that provides signal amplification, power distribution, and a single-ended output for simplified readout. Tiles are further grouped into Photo-Detector Units (PDUs). This paper details the production of the Tiles and the Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA-QC) protocol established to ensure their performance and uniformity. The production and QA-QC of the Tiles are carried out at Nuova Officina Assergi (NOA), an ISO-6 clean room facility at LNGS. This process includes wafer-level cryogenic characterisation, precision die attaching, wire bonding, and extensive electrical and optical validation of each Tile. The overall production yield exceeds 83.5%, matching the requirements of the DarkSide-20k production plan. These results validate the robustness of the Tile design and its suitability for operation in a cryogenic environment.

Acerbi, F. [Fondazione Bruno Kessler]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Reconstruction of atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE’s horizontal-drift far-detector module

This paper reports on the capabilities in reconstructing and identifying atmospheric neutrino interactions in one of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment’s (DUNE) far detector modules, a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) with horizontal drift (FD-HD) of ionization electrons. The reconstruction is based upon the workflow developed for DUNE’s long-baseline oscillation analysis, with some necessary machine-learning models’ retraining and the addition of features relevant only to atmospheric neutrinos such as the neutrino direction reconstruction. Where relevant, the impact of the detection of the charged particles of the hadronic system is emphasized, and comparisons are carried out between the case when lepton-only information is considered in the reconstruction (as is the case for many neutrino oscillation experiments), versus when all particles identified in the LArTPC were included. Three neutrino direction reconstruction methods have been developed and studied for the atmospheric analyses: using lepton-only information, using all reconstructed particles, and using only correlations from reconstructed hits. The results indicate that incorporating more than just lepton information significantly improves the resolution of both neutrino direction and energy reconstruction. The angle reconstruction algorithms developed in this work result in no strong dependence on particle direction for reconstruction efficiencies or neutrino flavor identification. This comprehensive review of the reconstruction of atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE’s FD-HD LArTPC is the first step towards developing a first neutrino oscillation sensitivity analysis, which will ready DUNE for its first measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far Detector Technical Design Report, Volume II: DUNE Physics

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay -- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. DUNE is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. Volume II of this TDR, DUNE Physics, describes the array of identified scientific opportunities and key goals. Crucially, we also report our best current understanding of the capability of DUNE to realize these goals, along with the detailed arguments and investigations on which this understanding is based. This TDR volume documents the scientific basis underlying the conception and design of the LBNF/DUNE experimental configurations. As a result, the description of DUNE's experimental capabilities constitutes the bulk of the document. Key linkages between requirements for successful execution of the physics program and primary specifications of the experimental configurations are drawn and summarized. This document also serves a wider purpose as a statement on the scientific potential of DUNE as a central component within a global program of frontier theoretical and experimental particle physics research. Thus, the presentation also aims to serve as a resource for the particle physics community at large.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Online and Offline Monitoring of the ICARUS Detector

In preparation for the launch of the ICARUS -T600 far detector in the Short Baseline Neutrino program, (SBN), it is important to monitor the performance of the detector and quality of the data in real-time. Particularly important to monitor are noise levels of the TPC readout electronics, and the purity of the liquid argon in the TPC, as these can affect the overall sensitivity of the detector to detecting and reconstructing neutrino interactions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of High-QE GaN Photodectors for Liquid Noble Particle Detectors

Detection of the handful of photons generated when a dark matter particle interacts in a liquid Xenon detector requires a new type of photodetector with very high detection efficiency at ultraviolet wavelengths, very low radioactive backgrounds, and essentially no measureable readout noise (achieved with devices with high intrisic gain). Such devices would find wide applicability to not only high energy physics experiments, but to a number of commercial applications including, e.g., biomedical imaging of fluorescent tags. We developed photodetectors based on amorphous GaN thin film structures (photocathodes) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on quartz windows. We also developed approaches to integrate these photocathode device structures with vacuum electron multipliers. All materials and fabrication techniques were developed to minimize radioactive backgrounds in materials, so these detectors could be used for very low count rate experiments, such as the future liquid-Xenon dark matter detectors, and future liquid-Argon neutrino detectors. We demonstrated growth of very high quantum efficiency amorphous GaN cathodes grown on a number of different substrates (Stainless steel, p-Silicon) reaching detection efficiencies of 80% at 220nm. The key to this growth was to use nitrogen plasma-assistend MBEs and very low growth temperatures. We also discovered that thinner structures (e.g.,40nm a-GaN thin films) had the best performance. We successfully demonstrated techniques for the vacuum transfer of these photocathode structures to a novel chamber that used hydraulics and bellow to form a cold indium bond needed to integrate these cathodes into sealed-tube devices. A complete, stand-along, device could not be completed during this proposal period due to difficulties in growing structures on the thick quartz window. Subsequent work is aimed at addressing this difficulty, by growing a buffer layer on the quartz substrate.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Prospects of Neutrino Cross Section Measurements Using the NuMI off axis at ICARUS [Poster]

ICARUS, a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber, will serve as the Far Detector of the short-baseline neutrino program using the Booster beamline at Fermilab. It is 103 mrad off-axis of the NuMI beamline. Prospects for cross-section measurements and the status of the trigger system using the PMT system to collect electron and muon neutrinos from NuMI will be shown. Accurate neutrino cross-section measurements on argon are required for precise measurements of neutrino oscillation physics such as CP- violation and the ordering of the neutrino masses.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Search for Electron Neutrino Anomalies with the MicroBooNE Detector

The Micro Booster Neutrino Experiment (MicroBooNE) is a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) located in the Booster Neutrino Beam at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The experiment was devised to investigate a series of observed anomalies concerning short-baseline neutrino oscillation physics. The LArTPC technology enables the experiment to study neutrino-argon scattering with unprecedented detail.This thesis presents a cosmic-ray characterisation and rate measurement. The understanding of cosmic activity in the detector - MicroBooNE's dominant background - is then used to develop cosmic rejection tools. A flavour-agnostic neutrino selection is constructed, which forms the cornerstone of this and further analyses. Inclusive muon and electron charged-current neutrino interaction selections with unprecedented purity and efficiency are presented.The first fully-automated characterisation of electron neutrinos in a muon neutrino beam with the LArTPC detector technology is performed. The Booster Neutrino Beam has an energy peaking around 1GeV and an intrinsic electron content of approximately 0.5%. The analysis investigates electrons produced in charged-current electron neutrino interactions. The kinematics of the electrons are measured along with comparisons to simulation. Most of the systematic uncertainties are constrained using a data-driven sample of charged-current muon neutrino events. The measurement of electron neutrinos originating from the Booster Neutrino Beam is a crucial component towards understanding the nature of the observed excess of low-energy electromagnetic-like events at its predecessor, MiniBooNE.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Charge response and energy calibration of ProtoDUNE-

ProtoDUNE-SP is a test bed liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) for the far detector of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). This LArTPC was calibrated using cosmic-ray cathode-crossing muons, electric field maps, and purity-monitor data to correct for nonuniformities in the detector response and cosmic-ray stopping muons to perform the absolute energy scale calibration for further physics analysis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

DUNE’s Potential to Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

Neutrinoless double beta decay is a forbidden process by the standard model due to a violation of lepton number and could be piece of the matter/anti-matter asymmetry puzzle. Its rarity makes it very difficult to search for, but if found could aid in figuring out the mass hierarchy. The idea is to take advantage of DUNE's size and capabilities to attempt to detect the decay by doping the liquid argon with Xenon, a candidate isotope for this decay. Thus, we need to know whether this search is feasible within DUNE’s framework

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Inclusive and exclusive electron scattering data analysis from Jefferson Lab experiment E12-14-012

Since the first observations of neutrino oscillation, neutrino experiments have come a long way toward precise measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters, but some obstacles still remain. The next generation of oscillation experiments, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), will be using the Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) with natural argon as the neutrino target material. A precise model of the neutrino cross section on argon does not exist, which is a source of significant uncertainty in such experiments. The E12-14-012 experiment at Jefferson Lab seeks to help remedy this via electron scattering measurements on argon and titanium targets. The experiment collected both inclusive (e,e') and exclusive (e,e'p) data at a wide range of kinematics with the intent to measure the electron-nucleus cross section and thus derive a spectral function for argon that can be used with neutrino experiments. The use of titanium in this experiment stems from the equivalent shell structure that its protons share with the neutrons in argon, which will be crucial in oscillation experiments but cannot be measured directly in electron scattering. This thesis collects several papers which present results from the E12-14-012 experiment. These results include the inclusive (e,e') cross sections for carbon, titanium, argon, and aluminum at a beam energy of 2.22 GeV and a scattering angle of 15.54 deg with uncertainty of less than 5%. Also included are the first results of the exclusive (e,e'p) cross section on argon and titanium.

Murphy, Matthew D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless ββ Decay (LEGEND-1000 Preconceptual Design Report)

We propose the construction of LEGEND-1000, the ton-scale Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless ββ Decay. This experiment is an international project designed to answer one of the highest priority questions in fundamental physics. It consists of 1000 kg of Ge detectors enriched to more than 90% in the 76 Ge isotope of interest operated in a liquid argon active shield at a deep underground lab. The experiment is designed to achieve a discovery potential that covers the inverted-ordering neutrino mass scale region. The baseline design assumes installation in the SNOLAB cryopit. A similar experimental setup could also be realized at the LNGS alternative site.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Search for an Excess of Electron Neutrino Interactions in MicroBooNE Using Multiple Final State Topologies (submitted to PRL)

We present a measurement of ν e interactions from the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam using the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber to address the nature of the excess of low energy interactions observed by the MiniBooNE collaboration. Three independent ν e searches are performed across multiple single electron final states, including an exclusive search for two-body scattering events with a single proton, a semi-inclusive search for pionless events, and a fully inclusive search for events containing all hadronic final states. With differing signal topologies, statistics, backgrounds, reconstruction algorithms, and analysis approaches, the results are found to be consistent with the nominal ν e rate expectations from the Booster Neutrino Beam and no excess of ν e events is observed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Low-Energy Physics in Neutrino LArTPCs

In this white paper, we outline some of the scientific opportunities and challenges related to detection and reconstruction of low-energy (less than 100 MeV) signatures in liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) detectors. Key takeaways are summarized as follows. 1) LArTPCs have unique sensitivity to a range of physics and astrophysics signatures via detection of event features at and below the few tens of MeV range. 2) Low-energy signatures are an integral part of GeV-scale accelerator neutrino interaction final states, and their reconstruction can enhance the oscillation physics sensitivities of LArTPC experiments. 3) BSM signals from accelerator and natural sources also generate diverse signatures in the low-energy range, and reconstruction of these signatures can increase the breadth of BSM scenarios accessible in LArTPC-based searches. 4) Neutrino interaction cross sections and other nuclear physics processes in argon relevant to sub-hundred-MeV LArTPC signatures are poorly understood. Improved theory and experimental measurements are needed. Pion decay-at-rest sources and charged particle and neutron test beams are ideal facilities for experimentally improving this understanding. 5) There are specific calibration needs in the low-energy range, as well as specific needs for control and understanding of radiological and cosmogenic backgrounds. 6) Novel ideas for future LArTPC technology that enhance low-energy capabilities should be explored. These include novel charge enhancement and readout systems, enhanced photon detection, low radioactivity argon, and xenon doping. 7) Low-energy signatures, whether steady-state or part of a supernova burst or larger GeV-scale event topology, have specific triggering, DAQ and reconstruction requirements that must be addressed outside the scope of conventional GeV-scale data collection and analysis pathways.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Energy Reconstruction and Calibration of the MicroBooNE LArTPC

The Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) is increasingly becoming the chosen technology for current and future precision neutrino oscillation experiments due to its superior capability in particle tracking and energy calorimetry. In LArTPCs, calorimetric information is critical for particle identification, which is the foundation for the neutrino cross-section and oscillation measurements as well as searches for beyond standard model physics. One of the primary challenges in employing LArTPC technology is characterizing its performance and quantifying the associated systematic uncertainties. MicroBooNE, the longest operating LArTPC to date, has performed numerous such measurements, including studies of detector physics and electromagnetic shower reconstruction. Here we present results on the operation and performance of the detector during its data taking, highlighting accomplishments toward calorimetric reconstruction, calibration, and detector physics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Elementary Particle Interactions (Final Technical Report)

Neutrinos provide a promising window to probe a wide range of fundamental physics. The past two decades have brought several remarkable neutrino-related discoveries indicating that one may answer the most sought after question of our matter dominated universe from within the neutrino sector. The global neutrino physics program is currently focused on studying neutrino oscillations, and to understand the implications of this phenomena on the evolution of the universe. Addressing all of these open questions and completing the story of neutrino oscillations requires technological advances in neutrino detection. Liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) are imaging detectors that offer fine-grained tracking, calorimetry and scalability, and are increasingly favored for the next generation of large neutrino detectors. Through leading technical and scientific roles on MicroBooNE, Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) LArTPC neutrino experiments, the research program supported through this funding has significantly advanced the understanding of neutrino properties along with technical development of LArTPCs for both short- and long-baseline neutrino oscillations physics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quasi-Elastic Neutrino Interactions in the SAND Detector of DUNE

The System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND) is one of the three components of the DUNE Near Detector Complex. Its main goals are monitoring of the beam, precision measurements of neutrino cross-sections and short-baseline neutrino physics. The SAND detector is composed of a 0.6 T superconducting magnet, an electromagnetic calorimeter, a liquid argon active target (GRAIN) and a modular low-density target system. The GRAIN subdetector has been designed to allow the reconstruction of neutrino interactions in Argon using only the scintillation light, by implementing an innovative imaging system. In this poster, the performances of SAND are presented focusing on its capability to reconstruct νμ+Ar→μ−+p events using the information provided by the calorimeter, the tracking system and GRAIN.

Ingratta, Gianfranco↗
DOE OSTI2023

Separating beam-induced and cosmogenic muon backgrounds in the ICARUS detector

Due to high cosmic ray flux near the earth's surface, the rejection of cosmogenic muon backgrounds is a preeminent concern for particle detectors using Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology. One such detector, ICARUS of the short baseline neutrino experiment, also observes muons generated from neutrino interactions with nuclei in the surrounding rock. Our analysis exploits the differences between cosmogenic and rock-generated muons to separate rock-generated muons from the background. We develop a selection with 96.5\% efficiency and 81\% accuracy. Use of this selection on data and Monte-Carlo indicates monte-carlo may underestimate the true rock muon flux. These results have implications for calibration of the ICARUS detector and tuning of simulation.

Wells, David↗
DOE OSTI2023

Baryon Number Violation Searches in DUNE

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international project that will study neutrinos and search for phenomena predicted by theories Beyond the Standard Model (BSM). DUNE will use a 70-kton liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) located more than a kilometer underground. The bubble chamber like imaging capabilities of the LArTPC technology, in addition to the large size and underground location, allow the experiment to probe many types of rare processes. This poster will summarize DUNE’s sensitivity to the baryon number violating processes of nucleon decay with p→K^+ ν ̅ and n→n ̅ oscillations.

Stokes, Tyler D.↗