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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Optimisation of the Search for CP-symmetry Violation at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long baseline experiment, which will be situated in South Dakota. Its detectors will utilise liquid-argon time projection chamber technology, which is able to capture neutrino interactions with an incredible spatial and calorimetric resolution. With what will become the world’s most intense neutrino beam, a highly capable near detector, and four (10kt fducial mass) far detector modules, DUNE will be able to achieve an ambitious physics programme. Most notably, DUNE will determine whether charge-parity symmetry is broken in neutrino oscillations - a finding that would have significant implications for the understanding of the matter-antimatter asymmetry in our Universe.This thesis presents the optimisation of a CP-violation analysis at DUNE using thePandora pattern-recognition software. The analysis assumes a 3.5 year exposure (1.36 × 1023 protons on target) to a neutrino and an antineutrino beam (7 year total). Only the predicted data of the far detector modules is used; near detector samples are not included. The initial sensitivity to CP-violation is found to be 3.8σ+0.9σ−1.1σ in an estimate that includes oscillation parameter uncertainties, systematic uncertainties and statistical fluctuations, and assumes a normal-ordering of the neutrino mass hierarchy. The performance of the Pandora event reconstruction is linked to that of the analysis, which is found to be limited by the reconstruction of the initial track-like region of electrons and photons. The ShowerRefinement algorithm is developed in response to this and its implementation into the analysis workflow results in an improved sensitivity to CP-violation of 4.6σ+0.9σ−1.0σ. With a perfected neutrino interaction vertex placement, this is further increased to 5.1σ+1.0σ−1.1σ.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Prototyping the Light Detection of the DUNE Near Detector

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a 70kt liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr TPC) at the Far Detector complex at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) and a Near Detector (ND) complex planned for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The ND complex plans for three detector subsystems, including a modular LAr TPC comprised of 35 optically segregated modules. The modular detector design required the development a novel dielectric light readout, the ArCLight technology, which can be operated in a high voltage environment and has a large active surface. A demonstrator of four modular detectors, DUNE ND-LAr 2x2, will operate in 2023 in Fermilab's NuMI beam. After the construction of the modules was completed, they were successfully operated and commissioned in liquid argon using cosmic-ray muons at the University of Bern. This talk will discuss the designs of the light readout systems used in these modules with focus on the construction and commissioning of the ArCLights as well as the performance of the LRS during the tests at Bern.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1972

The quiet-time spectra of cosmic-ray electrons of energies between 10 and 200 MeV observed on OGO-5.

Measurement of spectra of cosmic-ray electrons of energies between 10 and 200 MeV over a one-year period starting 1968 March. The measurement was made with a detector system on board the OGO-5 satellite. The instrument consists of a solid-state dE/dx detector, a total-energy CsI detector, a gas Cerenkov threshold detector, and two scintillation guard counters. Time periods during which no solar-flare events were recorded were selected for the study. It was found that during these quiet periods there were numerous intensity variations of the electron flux. These variations, which are seen only below 25 MeV, do not show marked correlation with any solar or interplanetary-medium parameters. The flux of the electrons of energies above 25 MeV, on the other hand, showed a gradual decrease over the one-year period, paralleling the neutron monitor intensity. The parameter describing this long-term modulation is almost independent of the rigidity of the electrons in the reported energy range. The physical implication of the finding is discussed.

L'Heureux, J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spherical time-encoded radiation imaging simulations

Radiation source localization is important for nuclear nonproliferation and can be obtained using time-encoded imaging systems with unsegmented detectors. A scintillation crystal can be used with a moving coded-aperture mask to vary the detected count rate produced from radiation sources in the far field. The modulation of observed counts over time can be used to reconstruct an image with the known coded-aperture mask pattern. Current time-encoded imaging systems incorporate cylindrical coded-aperture masks and have limits to their fully coded imaging field-of-view. This work focuses on expanding the field-of-view to 4π by using a novel spherical coded-aperture mask. A regular icosahedron is used to approximate a spherical mask. This icosahedron consists of 20 equilateral triangles; the faces of which are each subdivided into four equilateral triangle-shaped voxels which are then projected onto a spherical surface, creating an 80-voxel coded-aperture mask. Furthermore, these polygonal voxels can be made from high-Z materials for gamma-ray modulation and/or low-Z materials for neutron modulation. In this work, we present Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulations and simple models programmed in Mathematica to explore image reconstruction capabilities of this 80-voxel coded-aperture mask.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

X-ARAPUCA Photon Detectors in SBND

The Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) is a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) for detecting neutrinos from Fermilab's Booster Neutrino Beam. Located 110 m downstream of the beam target, SBND collects both ionization electrons and scintillation photons from particle interactions within the detector volume. The photon detection system (PDS) consists of both PMTs and X-ARAPUCAs, a novel technology featuring large area cost-effective coverage with single photo-electron resolution at cryogenic temperatures. SBND utilizes two types of X-ARAPUCAs: one sensitive to vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) scintillation light produced and one sensitive to visible light for the light reflected off TPB-coated reflective foils. SBND is the only experiment currently testing the X-ARAPUCA technology in a neutrino beam over a period of several years, and will provide critical information for deployment in future detectors like DUNE. This poster will cover the calibration and early performance of X-ARAPUCAs in SBND.

Dalager, Olivia [Fermilab]↗
NASA NTRS1985

Results from the UCSD magnetic monopole search

The energy loss mechanism for slowly moving magnetic monopoles in helium provides a means of extending the search for such particles by ionization techniques to velocities approximately 3 X 1 million cm/sec (beta approximately equals 0.0001). Other gases (e.g., CH2 or CO2) mixed with helium will be ionized with high efficiency by collisions with excited helium atoms, thus allowing the use of large proportional chamber systems for the detection of the monopoles. The first reported results utilizing this mechanism was the experiment of Kajino, et al., using a detector with an area-solid angle product alpha time delta alpha of 24.7 square meters sr. They set a limit on the flux of monopoles of 7.2 x 10 to the 13th power cm(-2) sr(-1) sec(-1) at a 90% confidence level for beta 3x 0.0001. Here, the results of a He:CH2 proportional tube array designed to extend the velocity limit down to beta approximately 0.0001 are reported. The detector which has been operating at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) since last summer, is a prototype for a larger array currently under construction at UCSD. The data presented here is from 200 days of live time with the prototype detector.

Masek, G. E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Cryogenic Muon Tagging System Integrated with a Superconducting Qubit Device for Radiation-Induced Error Mitigation

Superconducting qubits are highly sensitive to ionizing radiation, which can induce correlated errors and limit scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing. In particular, cosmic-ray muons can deposit energy in the substrate, generating phonon bursts that break Cooper pairs and produce quasiparticles, leading to correlated decoherence events across multiple qubits. We present the development of a cryogenic muon tagging system based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) and its integration with superconducting quantum hardware. Originally developed within the ACE-SuperQ project and validated as a standalone detector, the system demonstrated a muon tagging efficiency of approximately 90% and excellent agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. Building on this validation, the tagging system has been integrated with a multi-qubit superconducting chip operated in a dilution refrigerator. The detector configuration consists of a multi-layer KID stack arranged above and below the quantum device, enabling time-coincident identification of muon-induced events within the same cryogenic environment. The integrated setup has been successfully commissioned, enabling simultaneous operation of the qubit chip and the muon tagging system. A first measurement campaign has been carried out, and preliminary data show time-correlated events between the muon tagging detectors and the qubit readout. A quantitative analysis of radiation-induced effects on qubit performance is currently ongoing. This work represents a step toward the implementation of event-level radiation tagging as a tool for characterizing and potentially mitigating correlated errors in superconducting quantum processors, while establishing a modular platform for future studies at the interface between particle physics and quantum information science.

Roy, Tanay [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000019442862X)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quartz fluorescence backgrounds in xenon particle detectors

It has been known for almost a decade that delayed photon noise with a power law time profile follows scintillation pulses in liquid xenon particle detectors. The origin of the noise has remained unknown, and in the past two years, has become an overwhelming background for low-threshold dark matter searches aimed at 𝒪⁡(10) GeV dark matter particle masses, as well as measurements of coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering of 8 B solar neutrinos. We have performed a comprehensive series of tests in a small liquid xenon cell at LBL, from which we conclude that the dominant component of this delayed photon noise is due to UV-induced fluorescence of quartz photosensor windows.

crystal optics↗
NASA NTRS2006

Fundamental Limits to Wavefront Sensing in the Submillimeter

With the advent of large-format submillimeter wavelength detector arrays, and a new 25 m diameter submillimeter telescope under consideration, the question of optimal wavefront sensing methods is timely. Indeed, not only should bolometric array detectors allow the use of a variety of wavefront sensing techniques already in use in the optical/infrared, but in some cases it should actually be easier to apply these techniques because of the more benign temporal properties of the atmosphere at long wavelengths. This paper thus addresses the fundamental limits to wavefront sensing at submillimeter wavelengths, in order to determine how well a telescope surface can be measured in the submillimeter band. First several potential measurement approaches are discussed and compared. Next the theoretical accuracy of a fringe phase measurement in the submillimeter is discussed. It is concluded that with Mars as the source, wavefront sensing at the micron level should be achievable at submillimeter wavelengths in quite reasonable integration times.

wavefront sensing↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulations of Sparse Static Detector Networks for City-Scale Radiological/Nuclear Detection

Sparse static detector networks in urban environments can be used in efforts to detect illicit radioactive sources, such as stolen nuclear material or radioactive "dirty bombs." We use detailed simulations to evaluate multiple configurations of detector networks and their ability to detect sources moving through a $6\times 6$ km 2 area of downtown Chicago. A detector network's probability of detecting a source increases with detector density but can also be increased with strategic node placement. Here, we show that the ability to fuse correlated data from a source-carrying vehicle passing by multiple detectors can significantly contribute to the overall detection probability. In this article, we distinguish static sensor deployments operated as networks able to correlate signals between sensors, from deployments operated as arrays where each sensor is operated individually. In particular, we show that additional visual attributes of source-carrying vehicles, such as vehicle color and make, can greatly improve the ability of a detector network to detect illicit sources.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2023

Refining fast simulation using machine learning

At the CMS experiment, a growing reliance on the fast Monte Carlo application (FastSim) will accompany the high luminosity and detector granularity expected in Phase 2. The FastSim chain is roughly 10 times faster than the application based on the GEANT4 detector simulation and full reconstruction referred to as FullSim. However, this advantage comes at the price of decreased accuracy in some of the final analysis observables. In this contribution, a machine learning-based technique to refine those observables is presented. We employ a regression neural network trained with a sophisticated combination of multiple loss functions to provide post-hoc corrections to samples produced by the FastSim chain. The results show considerably improved agreement with the FullSim output and an improvement in correlations among output observables and external parameters. This technique is a promising replacement for existing correction factors, providing higher accuracy and thus contributing to the wider usage of FastSim.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of a large array of Silicon Drift Detectors for high-rate synchrotron fluorescence spectroscopy

An array of small-area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD), named Hera, has been developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the past few years. Its primary application is high-rate spectroscopy at synchrotrons. Each SDD pixel is a 1 mm × 1 mm square to match the footprint of the original diode-based pixel detector called Maia, which was developed for the same application. The replacement of the diode with an SDD allows for better energy resolution at short shaping times and an increased stability of the detector. 32, 96, and 384-channel arrays were designed and fabricated and achieved a Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) as low as 176 eV at 5.9 keV with peaking time of 1 μs at -13°C. The sensor design, simulation, fabrication, its readout system, and its spectroscopic performance are reported.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1992

Observations of optical counterparts of Gamma-Ray bursts

This is a final report for a contract begun in Dec. 1987 and ended in Mar. 1989 to use the existing Lincoln Laboratory Experimental Test Site in Socorro, NM to search for optical counterparts to gamma-ray bursts. The objective was to develop an autonomous staring system to search for stationary, transient optical flashes. The search was to use an existing 31-inch telescope equipped with a sensitive video detector. The approach for the search was to develop real-time processing software to monitor the video signal from the detector and to record any transient, point-like flashes that occurred in the field of view. The system would have been able to detect fainter flashes (B is approximately 15(sup m) in 1/30 s, delta(m(sub v)) = 0.25(sup m)) than other systems but lacked a large field of view (only 1.2 deg diameter) necessary to give a high probability of detecting a random flash on the sky. As such, the plan was to monitor known gamma-ray burst error boxes and wait for a repetition of an earlier event. The high payoff of good sensitivity with high angular resolution (1 pixel = 10sec) and good time resolution (30 s) to allow post-burst searches warranted funding if the cost was not prohibitive. The contract began in the middle of the three-year cycle for High Energy Astrophysics Gamma-Ray Astronomy Research and Analysis Program. This final report briefly describes the portion of the plan completed under the original contract.

Knight, Frederick K.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fast spark-detection system for GEM detectors

The sPHENIX experiment is currently under commissioning at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL). The Time Projection Chamber (TPC) serves as a tracking detector for the experiment. The sPHENIX TPC uses a stack of four Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs) as a gain stage in a reduced ion back-flow configuration. To mitigate the damaging effects of sparks in the GEMs, an online spark monitoring system was created. Once the system detects a spark in a GEM stack, the voltages across the GEMs in that stack can be lowered to prevent further sparking without affecting the gain and efficiency of the other modules. Spark signals are coupled out of the GEM stack by a pick-off capacitor attached to the bottom of the bottom GEM. Custom PCBs convert the oscillatory spark signal into a mono-polar pulse that is then digitized. The software then saves the waveform in a server and uses experimentally derived thresholds to determine how to react. As a result, the system has so far proven to be effective at improving the stability of the TPC and preventing damaging events while collecting cosmic ray data.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Requirements, Status, and Plans for Track Reconstruction at the sPHENIX Experiment

sPHENIX is a new experiment that is being constructed at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The primary physics goals of sPHENIX are to measure jets, their substructure, and the upsilon resonances in p+p, p+Au and Au+Au collisions. To realize these goals, a tracking system composed of a time projection chamber and several silicon detectors will be used to identify tracks that correspond to jets and upsilon decays. However, the sPHENIX experiment will collect approximately 200 PB of data utilizing a finite-sized computing center; thus, performing track reconstruction in a timely manner is a challenge due to the large occupancy of heavy-ion collisions. The sPHENIX experiment, its track reconstruction, and the need for implementing faster track-fitting algorithms, such as that provided by the A Common Tracking Software package, into the sPHENIX software stack are discussed.

Osborn, Joe↗
NASA NTRS1988

Sensitive gas chromatographic detection of acetaldehyde and acetone using a reduction gas detector

The response of a newly available mercuric oxide Reduction Gas Detector (RGD-2) to subpicomole and larger quantities of acetaldehyde and acetone is tested. The RGD-2 is found to be capable of subpicomole detection for these carbonyls and is more sensitive than an FID (Flame Ionization Detector) by an order of magnitude. Operating parameters can be further optimized to make the RGD-2 some 20-40 times more sensitive than an FID. The detector is linear over a wide range and is easily adapted to a conventional gas chromatograph (GC). Such a GC-RGD-2 system should be suitable for atmospheric carbonyl measurements in clean as well as polluted environments.

O'Hara, Dean↗
NASA NTRS1984

Charge-coupled device camera for the Galileo Jupiter Orbiter spacecraft

A slow-scan television camera called the solid-state imaging subsystem (SSI), built for the Galileo Jupiter Orbiter, is described. The SSI consists of a 1500-mm focal-length telescope coupled to a camera head housing a 800 x 800-element charge-coupled device (CCD) detector based on 'virtual-phase' charge transfer technology. The CCD detector provides broadband sensitivity over 100 times that of a comparable vidicon-tube camera, while also yielding improved resolution, linearity, geometric fidelity, and spectral range. The system noise floor is 30 electrons, which results in a dynamic range of about 3500. Saturation of the detector with 9000-A light, followed by a high-speed erasure cycle prior to exposing each image, stabilizes the detector quantum efficiency at its maximum level for wavelengths beyond 7000 A. An optical schematic diagram of the SSI is included.

Klaasen, K. P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measuring Light Yield with Isolated Protons in MicroBooNE

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) are precision detectors used extensively in neutrino physics. The MicroBooNE experiment at Fermilab is one of the experiments employing this technique and has collected 5 years of data from 2015-2021. The primary signal in LArTPCs is ionisation, but argon also emits large quantities of scintillation light, which can be used for calorimetry, timing and background rejection. Prompt scintillation light in MicroBooNE is recorded with an array of 32 PhotoMultiplier Tubes (PMTs). To enable the full use of scintillation light in the experiment, it is important to characterize the efficiency of light collection in the detector, i.e. the light yield. We present a new method of measuring the light yield using isolated proton interactions, which enables a position-dependent light yield measurement to map the response of the detector across its volume. This method can be used to calibrate the light response in large-scale LArTPC detectors as well as to test assumptions used in simulating scintillation light.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗