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DOE OSTI2025

Fermilab PIP-II CDS & CM Cryogenic Controls System

Details on Final design for Cryogenic Electrical & Controls System for Fermilab' s next-gen particle accelerator PIP-II. Electrical Controls System includes instrumentation and controls of Cryogenics Distribution System and Cryomodules. Design includes Siemens PCS7 Controls System with 26 Remote IO Rittal Cabinets and 48 Relay Racks for Temperature Readouts, Valve Positioners, Level, Heater Controls etc. Electrical Drawings and Design have been completed with focus now on fabrication of the 26 Rittal Cabinets and 48 Relay Racks. All materials have been procured. EPICS will be used as a SCADA system communicating to S7 Controllers via OPC UA.

Patel, Pratik [Fermilab]↗

DOE OSTI2025

Radiation Imaging with Event Camera

Neuromorphic or event-based imaging is a new, commercially available sensor technology inspired by how the human eye works. Instead of measuring frames at a fixed rate, the camera measures changes in pixel intensity asynchronously. This difference in readout architecture results in a high dynamic range and low latency. Event-based cameras have been used in a variety of applications, including object tracking, navigation, and lidar technologies. However, event-based cameras have not been adequately researched for their ability to image high-energy particles. This report explores the use of an event camera for imaging alpha, beta, and X-rays particles, when coupled with scintillator screens to convert high-energy particles into visible light. Methods to process event data were developed and are presented here, along with the results. The event camera can measure alpha and beta particles with comparable performance to that of a conventional camera. Event cameras can also image higher-activity sources and offer the possibility of discriminating particle interaction types on the basis of timing differences, which typical cameras cannot do. Additionally, event cameras can image objects with an X-ray source when the source strength dynamically changes but does not create a high-contrast image during static X-ray measurement.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2025

ALICE-USA Barrel Tracking Upgrade (Project Final Report)

The ALICE-USA Barrel Tracking Upgrade (BTU) project began in 2015 to participate in a major upgrade of the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Inner Tracking System (ITS) of the ALICE Experiment at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. This upgrade increased the maximum readout rate of the ALICE detector to accommodate the increased heavy ion interaction rates following Long Shutdown 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, and greatly improved the vertexing performance of the detector. The original scope was completed and reviewed in November 2019. The BTU project document BTU.19.v1 "ALICE Barrel Tracking Upgrade Project Closeout / Transition to Operations (2019)" from November 2019 describes the status in detail and is attached as Appendix 1 below. At that point, all delivery milestones had been met on time, all Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) of the project had been satisfied, and the project was under budget. Several subsequent No Cost Extensions (NCEs) supported integration and pre-commissioning of the BTU project deliverables at CERN, as well as study and assessment of performance with Pb-Pb collisions at 50 kHz. The BTU project was successfully completed on 30 September 2024.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2025

Neutron Tagging From Neutrino Interactions in DUNE-ND 2x2 Prototype

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that aims to measure whether CP is violated in the leptonic sector (if violated, how much) and unambiguously determine the neutrino mass ordering. DUNE consists of near and far detectors that rely on liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) technology to observe neutrino interactions. The near detector (ND) will be placed in Fermilab, near the neutrino source, while the far detector (FD) will be deployed in Sanford Lab, 1.5 km deep underground, which is 1300 km away from the source. LArTPCs provide excellent particle identification and calorimetry; however, detecting neutrons is challenging, as they do not leave direct ionization signals in LArTPCs. Neutrons can carry away up to 25% of the neutrino energy, introducing a significant uncertainty in DUNE measurements. The DUNE near detector (ND) features a novel modular LArTPC with pixelated charge readout, which enhances event recons truction. The modular design enables precise correlation between ionization signals and light signals in a high-rate environment, improving the identification of delayed energy depositions from neutrons in neutrino interactions. We introduce a neutron tagging technique using the 2x2 Demonstrator, a small-scale prototype of the DUNE ND LArTPC. The analysis utilizes Monte Carlo simulations and deep-learning techniques to identify neutron-induced energy depositions and reconstruct low-energy activity.

Kufatty, Georgette [Florida State U.]↗

DOE OSTI2025

MaPSA Quality Control and AI-Enhanced Grading For the CMS Phase-II Tracker Upgrade

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment will undergo changes as part of the Large Hadron Collider upgrade. The CMS tracker will be upgraded to cope with the new radiation environment and to provide tracking at the first level trigger. This upgrade features a new type of silicon module called PS Module, which combines a Pixel sensor and a Strip sensor in the same module. The pixel portion of the PS module has a sensor bump bonded to 16 Macro Pixel ASICs (MPA) to form a Macro Pixel Sub Assembly (MaPSA). At Fermilab, MaPSAs are tested for quality control before being assembled with the strip sensors, readout and service electronics to form a PS Module. All of this test data is stored in a centralized database, and is used to grade the final module to determine if it will be installed in the detector. The Phase II Outer Tracker Analyzer of Test Outputs (POTATO) is the software that processes this data and determines the module grades. Using recent technologies, an AI agent is being im plemented into POTATO in order to allow users to more efficiently sort through the large amounts of analysis data and ensure that only the user specified data is being considered. This poster will display the process of testing a MaPSA, how that test data is relevant to module assembly and grading, and how the POTATO grading tool is being improved with the use of an embedded AI agent.

Gzamouranis, Olivia [Purdue U.]↗

DOE OSTI2025

Synthesis of nanodiamonds encapsulated by zeolitic imidazole framework-8 for quantum sensing applications

Nitrogen vacancy (NV)-containing nanodiamonds are widely used in quantum sensing applications due to their high sensitivity to magnetic fields, relatively low cost, and ability to be initialized, manipulated, and read out at room temperature. Quantum sensing techniques such as optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and spin relaxometry have exploited the sensitivity of the NV nanodiamonds to magnetic fields to detect a range of analytes, such as pH, metal ions, and biomolecules. However, diversifying the sensing targets accessible by NV diamond quantum sensors typically requires careful engineering of the diamond surface chemistry with stimuli-responsive functional groups. Here, a simple protocol for coating NV nanodiamonds with the zeolitic imidazole framework 8 (ZIF-8), a widely used metal-organic framework, is presented. ZIF-8 is a highly porous material that has been used as a selective sensor for gasses, metal ions, and other analytes. The material is well-characterized by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and luminescence spectroscopy. Encapsulation of NV nanodiamonds with a porous scaffold such as ZIF-8 provides a promising method for improving the selectivity for the quantum sensing of various analytes. Importantly, the ZIF-8 coating does not impact the luminescence properties of the NV diamond, which is a key readout in ODMR and spin relaxometry sensing approaches. Indeed, the ODMR spectra with and without the ZIF-8 shell is nearly identical. Moreover, the ZIF-8 coating increases the longitudinal spin relaxation time of the NV nanodiamond by a factor of 4 relative to aggregated diamond, a desirable outcome for spin relaxation-based quantum sensing. Metal-organic framework composites with nanodiamonds thus are an exciting strategy for enhancing NV nanodiamond performance in applications such as quantum sensing and quantum-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

nitrogen vacancy nanodiamond↗

DOE OSTI2025

Commissioning of the trigger system for the ICARUS T600 LAr-TPC detector in SBN Program

The ICARUS experiment at Fermilab is the far detector of the Short Baseline Neutrino Program (SBN), aimed at studing the neutrino oscillation to find a fourth type of neutrino, called sterile neutrino. A key component for this detector is the trigger system, which aims to identify and isolate the physical interactions from the background events. In this framework my internship program was dedicated to the development of trigger logic and trigger inhibit mechanism in order to select the genuine neutrino interaction and to guarantee a correct functioning of the readout system. These two steps, that represent a part of the commissioning of the trigger system, were implemented with LabVIEW Software. The obtained results are a fundamental step towards a succesful activation of the detector in the next few months.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

DUNE ND-LAr 2x2 Demonstrator Tests

A modular liquid argon (LAr) Time Projection Chamber (TPC) will be part of the near-detector facility for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). Such a TPC is being developed by the ArgonCube collaboration. To demonstrate the feasibility of the LAr DUNE Near Detector, a medium size prototype has been built: the ArgonCube 2x2 Demonstrator. The detector will be placed in the MINOS-ND hall, upstream of the current MINERνA/MINOS-ND locations, at Fermilab. Currently two modules are being tested at the Liquid Argon Test Facility (LArTF), before being place on-axis in the NuMI neutrino beam. The present report will be focused on the work done within the 2x2 Demonstrator group: the first part of the project is focused on the Low Noise AC Power distribution at LArTF, whereas the second is related to the 2x2 demonstrator light readout system tests.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Analog Signal Multiplexing System for the IOTA Proton Injector

he Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) Facility at FNAL is a dedicated research and development center focused on advancing particle accelerator technologies for future applications worldwide. Currently, a key objective of FAST Opera-tions is to commission the 2.5 MeV IOTA Proton Injec-tor (IPI) and enable proton injection into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring. The low and medium-energy sections of the IPI include four frame-style dipole trims and two multi-function cor-rectors with independently controlled coils, requiring readout of 32 analog channels for current and voltage monitoring in total. To reduce cost and optimize rack space within the PLC-based control system, a 32-to-4 analog signal multiplexing system was designed and implemented. This system enables real-time readback of excitation parameters from all magnetic correctors. This paper presents the design, construction, implementation, and performance of the multiplexing system.

MacLean, Daniel R. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000210103↗

DOE OSTI2026

The FastrSHWFS Project Development Motivation, Analysis, & Test Results

The recent 2020 Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics listed habitable exoplanet imaging with future extreme adaptive optics (AO) on 30m-class telescopes as a key priority in the coming decade. However, there is a current 100x contrast gap between the best systems today and what is needed to enable this goal. Astronomical AO is a required approach to enable ground-based diffraction-limited imaging of exoplanets on future extremely large telescopes. Time lag between the end of an exposure and the application of deformable mirror commands is a major contributor to the error budget in many AO systems, and detector read time is often a large component of this lag. We present two designs for a modified Shack Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS), named Focal plane Actualized Shifted Technique Realized for a SHWFS (fastrSHWFS), to reduce the time lag component. This design steers the spot pattern at the focal plane into a rectangular or linear array with a custom aspect ratio, reducing readout time. The mask with focus yields aberrated results while the mask with tip/tilt only yields some defined spots. This essay outlines the current SHWFS concept, our fastrSHWFS theoretical solution to addressing time lag, reflection and quality analysis of printed mask designs, and results from testing both masks on the High Contrast Testbed at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. This work follows the test of a previous fastrSHWFS design.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Trigger System of ICARUS-T600 Detector at Fermilab

The ICARUS-T600 liquid argon (LAr) time projection chamber (TPC) detector is currently deployed as a far detector of the Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at Fermilab (USA) to search for a possible LSND-like sterile neutrino signal at $\Deltam^2 \approx 1eV^2$ with the Booster (BNB) and Main Injector (NuMI) Neutrino Beams. A global physical event rate of $\approx 0.6$ Hz, including the genuine neutrino interactions in LAr, beam halos and cosmic interactions inside the proton pulse time windows, is expected, roughly corresponding to $\approx 4$ PB of data for the total 6.6 $10^{20}$ pot exposure if the full ICARUS-T600 detector is readout ($\approx 200$ MB event size). The designed trigger system described here will collect the genuine neutrino interactions with a $\approx 95$\% expected efficiency.

Copello, S. [INFN, Pavia]↗

DOE OSTI2025

28nm front end ASIC and 12” LGADs for 3D integration

The 3DIntSenS Collaboration—a joint effort between SLAC, Fermilab, and LLNL—is developing enabling technologies for next-generation radiation imaging detectors that combine ultra-fine spatial resolution (≈10 μm) with precision timing (<20 ps), while maintaining low power <1 W/cm2 and high data throughput. The approach leverages 3D integration between advanced CMOS readout ASICs and finely pixelated LGAD sensors to achieve the performance and scalability required for large-area, high-rate applications. High-granularity, precision-timing detectors are essential for scientific advances in HEP, NP, BES, and FES, but widespread adoption is limited by the cost and complexity of 3D integration. To close this gap, the collaboration is developing LGAD sensors compatible with 12-inch commercial CMOS processes, enabling cost-effective integration with high-performance ASICs under development. We present the design and results from a 28 nm CMOS ASIC prototype, including a low-jitter front end, and in-pixel TDC demonstrating sub-10 ps timing resolution. We also report on the co-design and characterization of reticle-scale LGAD sensors with 50 μm and 100 μm pixels and introduce the next 10k-pixel ASIC designed for full 3D integration. These advances represent a critical step toward scalable, high-resolution radiation imaging systems for future scientific instrumentation.

England, Troy [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000154405255)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Precision Timing in CMS at the HL-LHC: Current Progress on Validation and Production

During the High Luminosity phase of LHC, up to 200 proton-proton collisions per bunch crossing will bring severe challenges for event reconstruction. To mitigate pileup effects, an extended upgrade program of the CMS experiment is expected. Among which, a new timing layer, the MIP Timing Detector (MTD), will be integrated between the tracker and the calorimeters. With a time resolution of 30-60 ps, the MTD will enable 4D vertexing, bringing significant improvements in track-to-vertex association and object identification. The MTD is composed of two subsystems based on different technologies: the Barrel Timing Layer (BTL) consists of LYSO:Ce scintillating crystals readout by SiPMs, and the Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) is made of Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes. The BTL is currently under production, while ETL sensor prototyping and validation are ongoing. Recent system tests have confirmed the performance of the full acquisition chain. This talk will provide an overview of the MTD design, along with the physics motivation, and the current status of BTL construction and ETL development.

Safdari, Murtaza [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000018323731↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Light Detectors for Directional MeV scale DM Detectors

The search for sub-GeV dark matter requires novel detector development due to the small expected ionization signal and large backgrounds, many of which still need to be well-modeled. For this reason, to unambiguously detect dark matter, a detector must be able to determine the directionality of the incoming particles so that the daily modulation of the rate can be used to confirm a dark matter signal. This can be accomplished by combining anisotropic scintillating crystals, such as trans-Stilbene, as a detector target, with an optically-sensitive Skipper CCD as a readout. I will present on my work over the past six months developing the first prototype of this detector, including optical testing of the trans-Stilbene and design of the detector. This work will lead to characterization of the CCDs and deployment of the first prototype later this year.

Hoch, Nora [MIT]↗

DOE OSTI2026

Harnessing Heterologous Bacterial Two-Component Systems as Biosensors to Address Challenges in Fermentation Scale-Up

Scaling up bacterial fermentation from bench to industrial scale often results in unpredictable performance losses, possibly in part due to changes in microenvironmental conditions such as pH. To investigate this, we developed a suite of pH-sensitive biosensors from bacterial two-component systems (TCSs) that provide a dynamic, fluorescent readout in response to extracellular pH changes. TCSs consist of a periplasmic sensor histidine kinase (HK) that, in response to an extracellular stimulus, autophosphorylates intracellularly and subsequently transfers the phosphate to a cognate response regulator (RR) that modulates transcription of target genes. We utilized three pH-responsive TCSs (referred to here as CVJ1, CVJ30, and CVJ79) and linked their output to GFP. This was achieved by placing the RR promoter upstream of GFP or by constructing a chimeric RR composed of the native receiver domain and the DNA-binding domain of another well-characterized RR with a defined promoter. All components - HK, RR (native or chimeric), and GFP under its corresponding promoter - were cloned into a broad-host-range plasmid. Sensors were validated in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida, including the muconic acid-producing strain P. putida TL207. All three biosensors successfully reported pH, with fluorescence (normalized to optical density) correlating strongly with media pH. Among the native sensors, CVJ79 showed the most robust performance while CVJ1 also performed best in its native form; CVJ30 exhibited improved functionality as a chimera, suggesting that modular RR design can enhance compatibility in some heterologous hosts. Further, CVJ79 was activated by alkaline conditions, while CVJ30 responded to acidic environments. Notably, CVJ1 was induced by high pH in wild-type E. coli and P. putida, but low pH in TL207. The observed differences in sensor activation between strains - particularly the divergent response of CVJ1 - suggest that host-specific regulatory pathways may influence how cells perceive and adapt to pH stress. Moving forward, these biosensors can be used to guide the rational design of more robust strains, optimize process conditions in real time, and inform strategies to minimize physiological heterogeneity during scale-up. Integrating these tools into high-throughput screening and bioreactors will be a key step toward improving predictability and performance in industrial bioprocesses.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Precision spectroscopy of nuclear decays using quantum optomechanical sensors

This project developed and demonstrated a fundamentally new way to detect individual nuclear decays: rather than capturing the energy that decay products deposit in a detector, we measure the tiny mechanical recoil of the entire micron- or nanometer-sized particle in which the decaying nucleus is embedded. Because momentum is conserved, this approach is sensitive even to neutral, weakly interacting particles, including neutrinos, that escape conventional detectors. During the award, the Yale group reported the first-ever mechanical detection of single nuclear decays, a result featured widely in the scientific press, and pushed the sensitivity of smaller levitated nanoparticles into the quantum measurement regime, reaching an impulse resolution within a factor of five of the fundamental Standard Quantum Limit (SQL), good enough in principle to detect the momentum kicked to the particle by a single emitted neutrino. In parallel, the LBNL group developed the theory of quantum-enhanced (sub-SQL) readout tailored to this experiment, showing how squeezed light can push the sensitivity below the SQL. Together these results establish levitated optomechanical sensors as a new tool for precision nuclear decay spectroscopy, with further applications in neutrino physics, quantum metrology, and nuclear forensics and safeguards.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Results from the DUNE ND-LAr 2x2 Demonstrator Run 2

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a cutting-edge, long-baseline experiment under construction in the United States, based on large liquid-argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). The DUNE Near Detector LArTPC (ND-LAr) will employ a novel modular architecture using a pixelated LArPix charge readout. To validate this design and characterize detector response, the 2×2 demonstrator—an array of eight optically isolated LArTPC modules—was deployed at Fermilab in 2024. During winter 2025, the 2x2 demonstrator was operated for a second data-taking campaign (Run 2) with the aim of studying the low-energy response of the detector. Run 2 focused on calibration and response studies using a suite of deployed radioactive sources. Gamma sources (²²Na, ⁶⁰Co, and ⁸⁸Y) were used to probe module-to-module performance variations, energy resolution, and calibrations. Neutron sources (AmBe and a pulsed neutron generator) enabled studies of neutron interactions in liquid argon, including inelastic scatters and neutron capture signals, relevant for low-energy backgrounds and detector modeling. In addition, the detector was doped with ²²⁰Rn, providing Bi–Po coincidence signals that allow precise calibration of the charge and scintillation response. This poster will present results from these calibration campaigns. These studies provide critical validation of the ND-LAr modular LArTPC concept and inform calibration and reconstruction strategies for the full DUNE near detector.

Mora-Lepin, Luis [Florida State U.] (ORCID:0000000↗

DOE OSTI2026

Studying MeV Scale Neutron Interactions in DUNE ND-LAr 2x2 Demonstrator

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment designed to make high-precision measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters and probe for new physics using a neutrino beam produced at Fermilab and measured at a near detector complex and a far detector located 1,300 km away at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Precise neutrino energy reconstruction is essential for these measurements, with neutron production in neutrino–argon interactions representing a significant source of systematic uncertainty, as neutrons can carry away significant energy, making their detection and characterization crucial. DUNE’s near detector complex includes ND-LAr, a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) detector designed to mirror the far detector technology and constrain neutrino–argon interaction systematics. The DUNE 2x2 Demonstrator, a pixelated LArTPC based on the ArgonCube design, serves as a prototype for ND-LAr. During 2x2 operations from October to November 2026, an Americium–Beryllium (AmBe) neutron source was deployed near the detector cryostat to obtain a high-statistics sample of neutron interactions. This poster presents progress in studying MeV-scale neutron interactions in this dataset by identifying de-excitation gammas from neutron capture on argon, providing a method for neutron identification and charge readout system calibration in future DUNE detectors.

Mao, Edgar [Syracuse U.] (ORCID:0009000600893306)↗