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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

A deep-learning based raw waveform region-of-interest finder for the liquid argon time projection chamber

The liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) detector technology has an excellent capability to measure properties of low-energy neutrinos produced by the sun and supernovae and to look for exotic physics at very low energies. In order to achieve those physics goals, it is crucial to identify and reconstruct signals in the waveforms recorded on each TPC wire. In this work, we report on a novel algorithm based on a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) to look for the region-of-interest (ROI) in raw waveforms. We test this algorithm using data from the ArgoNeuT experiment in conjunction with an improved noise mitigation procedure and a more realistic data-driven noise model for simulated events. This deep-learning ROI finder shows promising performance in extracting small signals and gives an efficiency approximately twice that of the traditional algorithm in the low energy region of ~0.03–0.1 MeV. This method offers great potential to explore low-energy physics using LArTPCs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Calibration and simulation of ionization signal and electronics noise in the ICARUS liquid argon time projection chamber

The ICARUS liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detector has been taking physics data since 2022 as part of the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program. This paper details the equalization of the response to charge in the ICARUS time projection chamber (TPC), as well as data-driven tuning of the simulation of ionization charge signals and electronics noise. The equalization procedure removes non-uniformities in the ICARUS TPC response to charge in space and time. This work leverages the copious number of cosmic ray muons available to ICARUS at the surface. The ionization signal shape simulation applies a novel procedure that tunes the simulation to match what is measured in data. The end result of the equalization procedure and simulation tuning allows for a comparison of charge measurements in ICARUS between Monte Carlo simulation and data, showing good performance with minimal residual bias between the two.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Precise 3D Track Reconstruction Algorithm for the ICARUS T600 Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Detector

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) detectors offer charged particle imaging capability with remarkable spatial resolution. Precise event reconstruction procedures are critical in order to fully exploit the potential of this technology. In this paper we present a new, general approach to 3D reconstruction for the LAr TPC with a practical application to the track reconstruction. The efficiency of the method is evaluated on a sample of simulated tracks. We present also the application of the method to the analysis of stopping particle tracks collected during the ICARUS T600 detector operation with the CNGS neutrino beam.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Physics at the MeV-Scale in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

The liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) is the detection technology chosen for several Fermilab-based neutrino experiments. This technology will be used in studies of neutrino cross-sections and oscillations, neutrinos from supernovae as well as a variety of studies of beyond the Standard Model physics. This thesis explores the use of these detectors to study MeV-scale activity. MeV-scale electrons arising from Compton scatters of deexcitation photons and photons from inelastic neutron scattering in neutrino-nucleus interactions are reconstructed using novel methods presented here. This work represents the first demonstration of MeV-scale physics capabilities in a LArTPC neutrino experiment as well as the first observation of neutrino-produced photons from nuclear de-excitation and inelastic neutron scattering. A search for millicharged particles, postulated by theories of beyond the standard model physics, is also performed using data from a LArTPC and the low-ener gy reconstruction techniques developed. The results set world-leading bounds on the parameter space of millicharged particles. The work in this thesis demonstrates that studies of MeV-scale activity and new physics are possible with LArTPC technology and provides the foundation for future LArTPC studies of low energy neutrinos and new physics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Calibration of calorimetric measurement in a liquid argon time projection chamber

The liquid argon time projection chamber provides high-resolution event images and excellent calorimetric resolution for studying neutrino physics and searching for beyond-standard-model physics. In this article, we review the main physics processes that affect detector response, including the electronics and field responses, space charge effects, electron attachment to impurities, diffusion, and recombination. We describe methods to measure those effects, which are used to calibrate the detector response and convert the measured raw analog-to-digital converter (ADC) counts into the original energy deposition.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Measurement of the Total Hadronic $\pi^-$ on Argon Cross Section in the Kinetic Energy Range from 0.2-1 Giga-Electron Volts in a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber

The liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) technology offers fine-grained tracking along with excellent calorimetric and particle identification capabilities, making it a powerful tool for experimental neutrino physics. Thus, the LArTPC has become the technology of choice for studying neutrino oscillations over short ( 1000 km) baselines by experiments such as MicroBooNE, SBND, ICARUS, and DUNE. The LArIAT (Liquid Argon in a Test-beam) experiment exposes a LArTPC to a controlled beam of charged particles at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility to perform calibration studies and measurements of charged hadron-argon cross sections, with the goal of helping to reduce systematic uncertainties in LArTPC-based neutrino experiments. This work presents a measurement of the total hadronic π⁻-Ar cross section in the kinetic energy range from 0.2 GeV to 1 GeV, using data from the LArIAT experiment.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Report on Fission Time Projection Chamber M3FT-12IN0210052

The Time Projection Chamber is a collaborative effort to implement an innovative approach and deliver unprecedented fission measurements to DOE programs. This 4π-detector system will provide unrivaled 3-D data about the fission process. Shown here is a half populated TPC (2π) at the LLNL TPC laboratory as it undergoes testing before being shipped to LANSCE for beam experiments.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Novel Liquid Argon Time-Projection Chamber Readouts

Liquid argon time-projection chambers (LArTPCs) have become a prominent tool for experiments in particle physics. Recent years have yielded significant advances in the techniques used to capture the signals generated by these cryogenic detectors. This article summarizes these novel developments for detection of ionization electrons and scintillation photons in LArTPCs. New methods to capture ionization signals address the challenges of scaling traditional techniques to the large scales necessary for future experiments. Pixelated readouts improve signal fidelity and expand the applicability of LArTPCs to higher-rate environments. Methods that leverage amplification in argon enable measurements in the keV regime and below. Techniques to enhance collection of argon scintillation photons improve calorimetry and expand the physics program for very large detectors. Future efforts aim to demonstrate systems for the combined detection of both electrons and photons.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Dynamics of Ions on Phased Radio-frequency Carpets in High Pressure Gases and Application for Barium Tagging in Xenon Gas Time Projection Chambers

Radio-frequency (RF) carpets with ultra-fine pitches are examined for ion transport in gases at atmospheric pressures and above. We develop new analytic and computational methods for modeling RF ion transport at densities where dynamics are strongly influenced by buffer gas collisions. An analytic description of levitating and sweeping forces from phased arrays is obtained, then thermodynamic and kinetic principles are used to calculate ion loss rates in the presence of collisions. This methodology is validated against detailed microscopic SIMION simulations. We then explore a parameter space of special interest for neutrinoless double beta decay experiments: transport of barium ions in xenon at pressures from 1 to 10 bar. Our computations account for molecular ion formation and pressure dependent mobility as well as finite temperature effects. We discuss the challenges associated with achieving suitable operating conditions, which lie beyond the capabilities of existing devices, using presently available or near-future manufacturing techniques.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Predicting the single-site and multi-site event discrimination power of dual-phase time projection chambers

Dual-phase xenon time projection chambers (TPCs) are widely used in searches for rare dark matter and neutrino interactions, in part because of their excellent position reconstruction capability in 3D. Despite their millimeter-scale resolution along the charge drift axis, xenon TPCs face challenges in resolving single-site (SS) and multi-site (MS) interactions in the transverse plane. In this paper, we build a generic TPC model with an idealized signal readout, and use Fisher Information (FI) to predict its theoretical capability of differentiating SS and MS events using the electroluminescence signal. We also demonstrate via simulation that, when only statistical photon noise is present, the theoretical limits can be approached with conventional reconstruction algorithms like maximum likelihood estimation, and with a convolutional neural network classifier. The implications of this study on future TPC experiments will be discussed.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2017

Measurement of the directional sensitivity of Dark Matter Time Projection Chamber detectors

The dark matter time projection chamber (DMTPC) is a direction-sensitive detector designed to measure the direction of recoiling 19 F and 12 C nuclei in low-pressure CF 4 gas using optical and charge readout systems. In this paper, we employ measurements from two DMTPC detectors, with operating pressures of 30–60 torr, to develop and validate a model of the directional response and performance of such detectors as a function of recoil energy. Using our model as a benchmark, we formulate the necessary specifications for a scalable directional detector with sensitivity comparable to that of current-generation counting (nondirectional) experiments, which measure only recoil energy. Furthermore assuming the performance of existing DMTPC detectors, as well as current limits on the spin-dependent WIMP-nucleus cross section, we find that a 10–20 kg scale direction-sensitive detector is capable of correlating the measured direction of nuclear recoils with the predicted direction of incident dark matter particles and providing decisive (3σ) confirmation that a candidate signal from a nondirectional experiment was indeed induced by elastic scattering of dark matter particles off of target nuclei.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A New Concept for Kilotonne Scale Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

We develop a novel Time Projection Chamber (TPC) concept suitable for deployment in kilotonne-scale detectors, with a charge-readout system free from reconstruction ambiguities, and a robust TPC design that reduces high-voltage risks while increasing the coverage of the light-collection system and maximizing the active volume. This novel concept could be used as a far detector module in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). For the charge-readout system, we used the charge-collection pixels and associated application-specific integrated circuits currently being developed for the liquid argon (LAr) component of the DUNE Near Detector design, ArgonCube. In addition, we divided the TPC into a number of shorter drift volumes, reducing the total voltage used to drift the ionization electrons, and minimizing the stored energy per TPC. Segmenting the TPC also contains scintillation light, allowing for precise trigger localization and a more expansive light-readout system. Furthermore, the design opens the possibility of replacing or upgrading components. These augmentations could substantially improve the reliability and the sensitivity, particularly for low-energy signals, in comparison to traditional monolithic LArTPCs with projective-wire charge readouts.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Light and Dark in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Neutrino Detectors

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detectors have emerged as a detector technology poised to perform measurements of neutrino interactions with unprecedented precision and as a result answer some of the largest open questions in neutrino physics in the coming decade. This thesis describes methods developed to tackle the computational challenges faced as LArTPC detectors increase in scale and complexity moving towards the multi-kiloton DUNE detectors. These include a new, approximated, model that enables rapid simulation of scintillation light in very large scale detectors, as well as the first demonstration of running the LArSoft software framework on a high performance computer. The high precision of LArTPC detectors designed for next-generation neutrino measurements enables them to also search for Beyond the Standard Model physics produced in high-energy proton--fixed-target collisions in neutrino beams. This thesis presents searches for two dark-sector models performed with the ArgoNeuT experiment: Heavy Neutral Leptons and Heavy QCD Axions. Between them, these models can provide solutions for various unresolved puzzles including neutrino mass generation, the baryon asymmetry of the universe, dark matter and the strong CP problem. In both cases, the dark-sector particles could be produced in the NuMI neutrino beam and can then decay to a pair of oppositely charged muons observable in ArgoNeuT and the downstream MINOS near detector. Both measurements required the development of novel experimental selection techniques and enabled new constraints to be set on the existence of these particles in previously unexplored parameter-space. These searches are both the first of their kind in LArTPC neutrino detectors and pave the way for searches at future neutrino facilities.Date of Award31 Dec 2022Original languageEnglishAwarding InstitutionThe University of ManchesterSupervisorStefan Soldner-Rembold (Supervisor) & Justin Evans (Supervisor)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2011

MicroBooNE, A Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) Neutrino Experiment

Liquid Argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) is a promising detector technology for future neutrino experiments. MicroBooNE is a upcoming LArTPC neutrino experiment which will be located on-axis of Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab, USA. The R and D efforts on this detection method and related neutrino interaction measurements are discussed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design and production of the high voltage electrode grids and electron extraction region for the LZ dual-phase xenon time projection chamber

The dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC) is a powerful tool for direct-detection experiments searching for WIMP dark matter, other dark matter models, and neutrinoless double-beta decay. Successful operation of such a TPC is critically dependent on the ability to hold high electric fields in the bulk liquid, across the liquid surface, and in the gas. Careful design and construction of the electrodes used to establish these fields is therefore required. We present the design and production of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment's high-voltage electrodes, a set of four woven mesh wire grids. Grid design drivers are discussed, with emphasis placed on design of the electron extraction region. Here, we follow this with a description of the grid production process and a discussion of steps taken to validate the LZ grids prior to integration into the TPC.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Noise Dependence on Temperature and LAr Fill Level in the MicroBooNE Time Projection Chamber

MicroBooNE is a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beamline. In Summer of 2015 the detector was filled with liquid argon and commissioned. In this note we present the temperature and fill-level dependence of the noise measured on the wire signals. We observe the expected decrease of noise for the CMOS ASIC and the increase in wire noise due to the change in dielectric when submerged in liquid argon.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigations on a fuzzy process: effect of diffusion on calibration and particle identification in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

Ionization electron diffusion in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) has typically been considered at the detector design stage, but little attention has been given to its effects on calibration and particle identification. We use a GEANT4-based simulation to study how diffusion impacts these techniques, and give consideration to how this effect is simulated. We find that diffusion can cause a drift-dependent bias to both the median and Most Probable Value (MPV) of dQ/dx distributions. The bias is estimated to be ~2.5% (median) and ~5.0% (MPV) for typical maximum drift times in currently running LArTPCs before adding detector specific considerations such as electric field non-uniformities. This information indicates that these metrics should not be used for calibration without care, contrary to the conventional wisdom. The impact of diffusion on the ability of LArTPCs to separate muons and protons is small, and not expected to pose any problems in future detectors. Diffusion may however be a significant source of systematic uncertainty when separating particles of more similar masses (muons and pions, kaons and protons). Separation of such populations may be improved by implementation of a drift-time dependent particle identification.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Score-based diffusion models for generating liquid argon time projection chamber images

For the first time, we show high-fidelity generation of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC-like) data using a generative neural network. This demonstrates that methods developed for natural images do transfer to LArTPC-produced images, which, in contrast to natural images, are globally sparse but locally dense. We present the score-based diffusion method employed. We evaluate the fidelity of the generated images using several quality metrics, including modified measures used to evaluate natural images, comparisons between high-dimensional distributions, and comparisons relevant to LArTPC experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗