120799482
Charge collection and charge sharing in heavily irradiated n-side read-out silicon microstrip detectors
Abstract Hadron radiation damage of n-bulk silicon detectors leads to a change in the effective space charge from positive to negative. This effect is called type inversion. Type inversion occurs after exposure to a fluence of a few 10 13 proton cm −2 and is characterized by migration of the diode junction to the n + implanted side (n-side) of the detector. After inversion the charge collection efficiency (CCE) of segmented detectors at low voltage is higher when the n-side, rather than the p-side, is read out. A p-side read out (p–in–n) and an n-side read out (n–in–n) strip detector with identical strip geometry and a wafer thickness of 200 μm were simultaneously and inhomogenously irradiated to a maximum fluence of 7×10 14 proton cm −2 with 24 GeV  c −1 protons. A comparison of the CCE at very high irradiation doses is shown with these two read out geometries. The inhomogeneous irradiation induces an inhomogenous distribution of the effective space charge with a transverse component of the electric field that could in principle affect the resolution properties of the microstrip detector. The inter-strip charge sharing properties, as a function of dose, for the n–in–n detector have been measured. No systematic distortion of the reconstructed cluster position was detected within the limits of the measurement accuracy. The detectors were manufactured using oxygen enriched silicon substrates to limit the degradation of the full depletion voltage under charged hadron irradiation. The measured CCE confirms that the use of oxygenated n–in–n detectors is viable up to fluences of 7×10 14 proton cm −2 .
123451542
Experimental results from a microdot detector overcoated with a semiconducting layer
Abstract A Microdot (MDOT) detector has been overcoated with a boron-doped amorphous silicon carbide semiconductive layer. The stable operation of the device in mixtures of argon, neon and helium with di-methyl ether (DME) at high gains and at high counting rates is shown. Radiation damage tests give a lifetime of over 120 mC/cm using a gas system with plastic gas pipes.
120683548
Large-area low-pressure microstrip gas chambers for thermal neutron imaging
Abstract Thermal neutron imaging gas detectors using counting gas mixtures with gaseous neutron convertors (e.g. 3 He) suffer from inherent limitations in position and time-of-flight resolutions resulting from the long ranges of the released secondary ions in the counting gas and from parallax errors due to the necessary depth of the detector gas volume of >1 cm. In order to overcome these limitations a novel detector generation is presently being constructed utilizing composite neutron convertor foils ( 157 Gd or 6 Li overcoated with CsI) in combination with arrays of large-area microstrip and microdot gas chambers (MSGCs and MDOTs) which are operated in low-pressure, two-stage amplification mode and delivering unsurpassed gains. In this paper the optimization of MSGCs for low-pressure operation with 157 Gd convertors is discussed. The MSGCs are of technologically advanced, robust design, using 3 mm thick synthetic quartz substrates and two closely spaced electrode planes for true two-dimensional position readout. These metal planes are separated by a ∼3 μm thick SiO 2 /DLC double-layer deposited by means of plasma-enhanced CVD. The same fabrication technology is presently prepared for production of large-area MDOTs. The work shall be conducted in collaboration with nine teams from research institutes and industry.
122185622
Measurement of kaonic X-rays from Li, LiH AND Be
Abstract We have observed X-rays from kaons stopping in targets of Li, LiH and Be. The strong interaction widths, shifts and relative yield of the last observed X-ray have been measured. There is evidence for a difference in the yield of the n = 3 → 2 Li X-rays in Li metal and LiH. There is no evidence in the spectra for X-rays from kaonic hydrogen formed in LiH.
120592230
A multiterm Boltzmann analysis of drift velocity, diffusion, gain and magnetic-field effects in argon-methane-water-vapour mixtures
Abstract The effect of adding water vapour to argon-methane mixtures used in TPC-type detectors is investigated using the exact multiterm Boltzmann expansion. The transverse and longitudinal diffusion coefficients and the drift velocity are calculated with an accuracy of ± 3, ± 2 and ± 1% respectively. The calculations are extended into the avalanche region and compared to avalanche gain measurements. The effect of misalignment of the electric and magnetic fields on the drift direction is also investigated.
122398469
Doppler-shifted nuclear gamma rays following stopped K− capture in aluminium
Abstract The Doppler broadened 26 Mg * decay gamma peak hasma peak has been observed in coincidence with stopped kaons in an Al target. The results are compared with predictions based on single-nucleon absorption of the kaon.
110097009
The trigger and data acquisition for the NEMO-Phase 2 tower
In the framework of the Phase 2 of the NEMO neutrino telescope project, a tower with 32 optical modules is being operated since march 2013. A new scalable Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TriDAS) has been developed and extensively tested with the data from this tower. Adopting the all-data-to-shore concept, the NEMO TriDAS is optimized to deal with a continuous data-stream from off-shore to on-shore with a large bandwidth. The TriDAS consists of four computing layers: (i) data aggregation of isochronal hits from all optical modules; (ii) data filtering by means of concurrent trigger algorithms; (iii) composition of the filtered events into post-trigger files; (iv) persistent data storage. The TriDAS implementation is reported together with a review of dedicated on-line monitoring tools.
120456193
Status and first results of the NEMO Phase-2 tower
In March 2013, the NEMO Phase 2 tower has been successfully installed in the Capo Passero site, at a depth of 3500 m and 80 km off from the southern coast of Sicily. The unfurled tower is 450 m high; it is composed of 8 mechanical floors, for a total amount of 32 PMTs and various instruments for environmental measurements. The tower positioning is achieved by an acoustic system. The tower is continuously acquiring and transmitting all the measured signals to shore. Data reduction is completely performed in the Portopalo shore station by a dedicated computing facility connected to the persistent storage system at LNS, in Catania. Results from the last 9 months of acquisition will be presented. In particular, the analyzed optical rates, showing stable and low baseline values, are compatible with the contribution mainly of 40K light emission, with a small percentage of light bursts due to bioluminescence. These features reveal the optimal nature of the Capo Passero abyssal site to host a km3-sized Neutrino Telescope.
55753733
Measurement of the atmospheric muon depth intensity relation with the NEMO Phase-2 tower
Abstract The results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Phase-2 tower, deployed at 3500 m depth about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero (Italy), are presented. Cerenkov photons detected with the photomultipliers tubes were used to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. Their zenith-angle distribution was measured and the results compared with Monte Carlo simulations. An evaluation of the systematic effects due to uncertainties on environmental and detector parameters is also included. The associated depth intensity relation was evaluated and compared with previous measurements and theoretical predictions. With the present analysis, the muon depth intensity relation has been measured up to 13 km of water equivalent.
120966174
The NEMO project: A status report
Abstract The latest results and the activities towards the construction of a km 3 Cherenkov neutrino detector carried out by the NEMO Collaboration are described. Long-term exploration of a 3500 m deep-sea site close to the Sicilian coast has shown that it is optimal for the installation of the detector. The NEMO Phase-1 project has validated several technologies proposed for the construction of the km 3 detector on a test site at 2000 m depth. The new infrastructure on the candidate Capo Passero site set up as part of the Phase-2 project will provide the possibility to test detector components at 3500 m depth.
122993753
Recent results and perspectives of the NEMO project
Abstract The latest results and the activities towards the realization of a km 3 Cherenkov neutrino detector carried out by the NEMO Collaboration are described. The realization of a Phase-1 project has validated all relevant technologies proposed for the realization of the km 3 detector on a test site at 2000 m depth. The realization of a new infrastructure on the candidate Capo Passero site (for Phase-2 project) will provide the possibility to test detector components at 3500 m depth.