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DOE OSTI2019

Fission fragment angular anisotropy in neutron-induced fission of U 235 measured with a time projection chamber

Fission fragment angular distributions can provide an important constraint on fission theory, improving predictive fission codes, and are a prerequisite for a precise ratio cross section measurement. Available anisotropy data are sparse, especially at neutron energies above 5 MeV. For the first time, a three-dimensional tracking detector is employed to study fragment emission angles and provide a direct measurement of angular anisotropy. The Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) collaboration has deployed the fission time projection chamber to measure nuclear data with unprecedented precision. The fission fragment anisotropy of 235 U has been measured over a wide range of incident neutron energies from 180 keV to 200 MeV; a careful study of the systematic uncertainties complement the data.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2022

Primary track recovery in high-definition gas time projection chambers

Abstract We develop and validate a new algorithm called primary track recovery () that effectively deconvolves known physics and detector effects from nuclear recoil tracks in gas time projection chambers (TPCs) with high-resolution readout. This gives access to the primary track charge, length, and vector direction (helping to resolve the “head-tail” ambiguity). Additionally, provides a measurement of the transverse and longitudinal diffusion widths, which can be used to determine the absolute position of tracks in the drift direction for detector fiducialization. Using simulated helium recoils in an atmospheric pressure TPC with a 70:30 mixture of $$\hbox {He:CO}_2$$ He:CO 2 we compare the performance of to traditional methods for all key track variables. We find that the algorithm reduces reconstruction errors, including those caused by charge integration, for tracks with mean length-to-width ratios 1.4 and above, corresponding to recoil energies of 20 keV and above in the studied TPCs. We show that improves on existing methods for head-tail disambiguation, particularly for highly inclined tracks, and improves the determination of the absolute position of recoils on the drift axis via transverse diffusion. We find that can partially recover charge structure integrated out by the detector in the z direction, but that its determination of energy and length have worse resolution compared to existing methods. We use experimental data to qualitatively verify these findings and discuss implications for future directional detectors at the low-energy frontier.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2018

LArPix: demonstration of low-power 3D pixelated charge readout for liquid argon time projection chambers

In this work, we report the demonstration of a low-power pixelated readout system designed for three-dimensional ionization charge detection and digital readout of liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) . Unambiguous 3D charge readout was achieved using a custom-designed system-on-a-chip ASIC (LArPix) to uniquely instrument each pad in a pixelated array of charge-collection pads. The LArPix ASIC, manufactured in 180 nm bulk CMOS, provides 32 channels of charge-sensitive amplification with self-triggered digitization and multiplexed readout at temperatures from 80 K to 300 K . Using an 832-channel LArPix-based readout system with 3 mm spacing between pads, we demonstrated low-noise (0<50 e - RMS equivalent noise charge) and very low-power (<100 μW/channel) ionization signal detection and readout . The readout was used to successfully measure the three-dimensional ionization distributions of cosmic rays passing through a LArTPC, free from the ambiguities of existing projective techniques. The system design relies on standard printed circuit board manufacturing techniques, enabling scalable and low-cost production of large-area readout systems using common commercial facilities. This demonstration overcomes a critical technical obstacle for operation of LArTPCs in high-occupancy environments, such as the near detector site of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) .

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS2020

Event Selection and Background Rejection in Time Projection Chambers Using Convolutional Neural Networks and a Specific Application to the AdEPT Gamma-ray Polarimeter Mission

The Advanced Energetic Pair Telescope gamma-ray polarimeter uses a time projection chamber for measuring pair production events and is expected to generate a raw instrument data rate four orders of magnitude greater than is transmittable with typical satellite data communications. GammaNet, a convolutional neural network, proposes to solve this problem by performing event classification on-board for pair production and background events, reducing the data rate to a level that can be accommodated by typical satellite communication systems. In order to train GammaNet, a set of 1.1 × 10(exp 6) pair production events and 10(exp 6) background events were simulated for the Advanced Energetic Pair Telescope using the Geant4 Monte Carlo code. An additional set of 10(exp 6) pair production and 10 background events were simulated to test GammaNet’s capability for background discrimination. With optimization, GammaNet has achieved the proposed background rejection requirements for Galactic Cosmic Ray proton events. Given the best case assumption for downlink speeds, signal sensitivity for pair production ranged between 1.1 ± 0.5% to 69 ± 2% for 5 and 250 MeV incident gamma rays. This range became 0.1 ± 0.1% to 17 ± 2% for the worst case scenario of downlink speeds. The application of a feature visualization algorithm to GammaNet demonstrated decreased response to electronic noise and events exiting or entering the frame and increased response to parallel tracks that are close in proximity. GammaNet has been successfully implemented and shows promising results.

Richard L. Garnett↗

DOE OSTI2020

Time Projection Chamber (TPC) detectors for nuclear astrophysics studies with gamma beams

Gamma-Beams at the HIS facility in the USA and anticipated at the ELI-NP facility, now constructed in Romania, present unique new opportunities to advance research in nuclear astrophysics; not the least of which is resolving open questions in oxygen formation during stellar helium burning via a precise measurement of the 12C() reaction. Time projection chamber (TPC) detectors operating with low pressure gas (as an active target) are ideally suited for such studies. We look over the progress of the current research program and plans for the future at the HIS facility with the optical readout TPC (O-TPC) and the development of an electronic readout TPC for the ELI-NP facility (ELITPC).

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

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 OSTI2023

Development of Nanocomposite Coatings for Future Large-Scale Time Projection Chambers

In the context of this award we tested the performance of thin high-resistivity coatings for their potential usage as field shaping systems in future large scale xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC). A successful implementation of such thin coatings would likely simplify the design of potential future detectors, allowing to overcome some of the challenges observed with traditional systems constituted by massive discrete electrodes. We studied a wide range of materials and characterized their optical and electrical performances as functions of temperature and wavelength. The measurement campaign indicated that uniform coatings covering the full PTFE substrate (usually used as reflector in LXe TPCs) impact too severely on the light collection performance of such detectors when used with deep UV light. Despite tuning the composition and thicknesses of nanocomposite coatings, we were not able to identify a single coating, properly working at LXe temperature, that would simultaneously fulfill the resistance and optical requirements. Following the risk mitigation strategy identified in the proposal we moved the focus of the R&D to identify proper materials that, when coated with grid-like patterns on PTFE, would not alter meaningfully its optical properties (with respect to bare PTFE panels) but would still serve as effective field shaping systems, properly containing the drift field in TPC detectors. Among the various materials we identified germanium as the most promising one, providing a good adhesion to PTFE and the proper range of sheet resistivity. The Ge-patterned coating tested within a small scale LXe TPC showed good performance as a field shape system and, as desired, did not reduce the detector light yield. These results are encouraging and such technology should further be investigated as a potential alternative to more traditional field shaping electrodes. Incidentally, in the context of this R&D, we stumbled upon an unexpected behavior suggesting that some of the treatments performed on the PTFE panels, in preparation of the coatings, meaningfully boosted the PTFE reflectivity. The most probable candidate is the O2 plasma cleaning procedure. This hypothesis will be tested in the near future by operating the small scale TPC at UChicago first with regular PTFE panels and then with panels bombarded with O2 plasma (but no coatings). This finding, if confirmed, might open up the possibility of further boosting UV light collection in future large detectors by performing such a treatment on the PTFE surfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Fragment Angular Distributions in Neutron-Induced Fission of {sup 235}U and {sup 239}Pu using a Time Projection Chamber

Fission fragment angular distributions can lend insights into fission barrier shapes and level densities at the scission point, both important for fission theory development. Fragment emission anisotropies are also valuable for precision cross section ratio measurements, if the distributions are different for the two isotopes used in the ratio. Available angular data is sparse for {sup 235}U and even more so for {sup 239}Pu, especially at neutron energies above 5 MeV. The Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) time projection chamber, which enables precise tracking of charged particles, can be used to study angular distributions and emission anisotropies of fission fragments in neutron-induced fission. In-beam data collected at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center with a {sup 235}U/{sup 239}Pu target during the 2014 run-cycle will provide angular distributions as a function of incident neutron energy for these isotopes. (LA-UR-1426972). (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2016

Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: results from the T-REX project. II. Dark matter

As part of the T-REX project, a number of R and D and prototyping activities have been carried out during the last years to explore the applicability of gaseous Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) with Micromesh Gas Structures (Micromegas) in rare event searches like double beta decay, axion research and low-mass WIMP searches. While in the companion paper we focus on double beta decay, in this paper we focus on the results regarding the search for dark matter candidates, both axions and WIMPs. Small (few cm wide) ultra-low background Micromegas detectors are used to image the axion-induced x-ray signal expected in axion helioscopes like the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) experiment. Background levels as low as 0.8 × 10{sup −6} counts keV{sup −1} cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} have already been achieved in CAST while values down to ∼10{sup −7} counts keV{sup −1} cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} have been obtained in a test bench placed underground in the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC). Prospects to consolidate and further reduce these values down to ∼10{sup −8} counts keV{sup −1} cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} will be described. Such detectors, placed at the focal point of x-ray telescopes in the future International Axion Observatory (IAXO), would allow for 10{sup 5} better signal-to-noise ratio than CAST, and search for solar axions with g{sub a}γ down to few 10{sup 12} GeV{sup −1}, well into unexplored axion parameter space. In addition, a scaled-up version of these TPCs, properly shielded and placed underground, can be competitive in the search for low-mass WIMPs. The TREX-DM prototype, with ∼ 0.300 kg of Ar at 10 bar, or alternatively ∼ 0.160 kg of Ne at 10 bar, and energy threshold well below 1 keV, has been built to test this concept. We will describe the main technical solutions developed, as well as the results from the commissioning phase on surface. The anticipated sensitivity of this technique might reach ∼10{sup −44} cm{sup 2} for low mass (<10 GeV) WIMPs, well beyond current experimental limits in this mass range.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: results from the T-REX project. I. Double beta decay

As part of the T-REX project, a number of R and D and prototyping activities have been carried out during the last years to explore the applicability of gaseous Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) with Micromesh Gas Structures (Micromegas) in rare event searches like double beta decay, axion research and low-mass WIMP searches. In both this and its companion paper, we compile the main results of the project and give an outlook of application prospects for this detection technique. While in the companion paper we focus on axions and WIMPs, in this paper we focus on the results regarding the measurement of the double beta decay (DBD) of {sup 136}Xe in a high pressure Xe (HPXe) TPC. Micromegas of the microbulk type have been extensively studied in high pressure Xe and Xe mixtures. Particularly relevant are the results obtained in Xe + trimethylamine (TMA) mixtures, showing very promising results in terms of gain, stability of operation, and energy resolution at high pressures up to 10 bar. The addition of TMA at levels of ∼ 1% reduces electron diffusion by up to a factor of 10 with respect to pure Xe, improving the quality of the topological pattern, with a positive impact on the discrimination capability. Operation with a medium size prototype of 30 cm diameter and 38 cm of drift (holding about 1 kg of Xe at 10 bar in the fiducial volume, enough to contain high energy electron tracks in the detector volume) has allowed to test the detection concept in realistic experimental conditions. Microbulk Micromegas are able to image the DBD ionization signature with high quality while, at the same time, measuring its energy deposition with a resolution of at least a ∼ 3% FWHM @ Q{sub ββ}. This value was experimentally demonstrated for high-energy extended tracks at 10 bar, and is probably improvable down to the ∼ 1% FWHM levels as extrapolated from low energy events. In addition, first results on the topological signature information (one straggling track ending in two blobs) show promising background discrimination capabilities out of reach of other experimental implementations. Moreover, microbulk Micromegas have very low levels of intrinsic radioactivity, and offer cost-effective scaling-up options. All these results demonstrate that Micromegas-read HPXe TPC remains a very competitive technique for the next generation DBD experiments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2020

Reconstructing 3D Charge Depositions in the MicroBooNE Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber using Convolutional Neural Networks

We have developed a convolutional neural network (CNN) that reconstructs the three dimensional location of ionization produced by charge particles traversing a wire-readout liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) at MicroBooNE. This method is the first CNN application to reconstruct 3D space points directly from two dimensional images of the different wire plane views. I.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Cosmic ray muon clustering for the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber using sMask-RCNN

In this article, we describe a modified implementation of Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (Mask-RCNN) for cosmic ray muon clustering in a liquid argon TPC and applied to MicroBooNE neutrino data. Our implementation of this network, called sMask-RCNN, uses sparse submanifold convolutions to increase processing speed on sparse datasets, and is compared to the original dense version in several metrics. The networks are trained to use wire readout images from the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber as input and produce individually labeled particle interactions within the image. These outputs are identified as either cosmic ray muon or electron neutrino interactions. We find that sMask-RCNN has an average pixel clustering efficiency of 85.9% compared to the dense network's average pixel clustering efficiency of 89.1%. We demonstrate the ability of sMask-RCNN used in conjunction with MicroBooNE's state-of-the-art Wire-Cell cosmic tagger to veto events containing only cosmic ray muons. The addition of sMask-RCNN to the Wire-Cell cosmic tagger removes 70% of the remaining cosmic ray muon background events at the same electron neutrino event signal efficiency. Furthermore, this event veto can provide 99.7% rejection of cosmic ray-only background events while maintaining an electron neutrino event-level signal efficiency of 80.1%. In addition to cosmic ray muon identification, sMask-RCNN could be used to extract features and identify different particle interaction types in other 3D-tracking detectors.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2023

NEXT-CRAB-0: a high pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber with a direct VUV camera based readout

The search for neutrinoless double beta decay(0νββ) remains one of the most compelling experimentalavenues for the discovery in the neutrino sector.Electroluminescent gas-phase time projection chambers are wellsuited to 0νββ searches due to their intrinsicallyprecise energy resolution and topological event identificationcapabilities. Scalability to ton- and multi-ton masses requiresreadout of large-area electroluminescent regions with fine spatialresolution, low radiogenic backgrounds, and a scalable dataacquisition system. This paper presents a detector prototype thatrecords event topology in an electroluminescent xenon gas TPC viaVUV image-intensified cameras. This enables an extendable readoutof large tracking planes with commercial devices that reside almostentirely outside of the active medium. Following furtherdevelopment in intermediate scale demonstrators, this technique mayrepresent a novel and enlargeable method for topological eventimaging in 0νββ.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2011

Neutron Time Projection Chamber for Nuclear Security and Verification Applications

Detection of fast neutrons produced by fission is a powerful method for discovering, verifying the presence, or monitoring significant quantities of special nuclear material (SNM) at up to moderate distances. Fast neutrons are relatively rare in the natural background and can be very penetrating, even in situations when the energetic gamma-rays are well shielded. Fast neutrons point in the direction of their source and can thus be considered for use in imaging, a feature desirable for rapid, high-signal-to-noise detection of concealed SNM and for nuclear verification. We describe the development and performance of a prototype neutron time projection chamber (nTPC) and its use for directional neutron detection and high-resolution neutron imaging. The nTPC is based on {approx}0.025 m{sup 3} of a hydrogen-methane mixture and utilizes a readout system with low channel count and is optimized for low event rates. We experimentally demonstrate robust operation, reliable particle identification, event-by-event directional reconstruction over the entire 4{pi} solid angle, and insensitivity to gamma-rays. High-efficiency and high-resolution modes of operation based on single and double neutron scatters, respectively, have also been demonstrated.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2026

Neutrino beam bunch structure reconstruction with precision timing in the ICARUS liquid argon time projection chamber

The ICARUS detector has been operating smoothly since 2021 as the far detector in the Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at Fermilab, collecting neutrino interactions from both the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) and off-axis from the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam. Analysis of neutrino interactions in ICARUS requires mitigation of substantial cosmogenic backgrounds. This is achieved by using an external Cosmic Ray Tagger (CRT) and a Photomultiplier Tube (PMT) system embedded in the liquid argon. The intrinsic neutrino beam bunch structure, inherited time structure from the Radio Frequency (RF) system used to accelerate the protons, can be resolved at the ICARUS detector using precise timing information. Located at shallow depth, ICARUS is exposed to a high flux of cosmic rays that can be mistaken for neutrino interactions. To mitigate this background, the CRT and a 3-meter-thick concrete overburden were installed. To better model backgrounds, ICARUS makes use of an overlay technique where simulated neutrino events are superimposed on detector beam-off data. PMTs installed within a Time Projection Chamber detect argon scintillation light emitted by high energy charged particles passing through the chamber and provide the event timing of neutrino interactions. The nanosecond-level beam bunch structure is reconstructed with the PMT system and can be used to further understand backgrounds and enhance neutrino physics capabilities. In this thesis, I will discuss background mitigation techniques using precision timing and present a novel technique to select neutrino events from our unbiased data stream using the beam bunch structure.

Heggestuen, Anna [Colorado State U.] (ORCID:000000↗

DOE OSTI2022

Neutrino interaction measurements with the MicroBooNE and ArgoNeuT liquid argon time projection chambers

Abstract Precise modeling of neutrino interactions on argon is crucial for the success of future experiments such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program, which will use liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) technology. Argon is a large nucleus, and nuclear effects—both on the initial and final-state particles in the interaction—are expected to be large in neutrino–argon interactions. Therefore, measurements of neutrino scattering cross sections on argon will be of particular importance to future DUNE and SBN oscillation measurements. This article presents a review of neutrino–argon interaction measurements from the MicroBooNE and ArgoNeuT collaborations, using two LArTPC detectors that have collected data in the NuMI and Booster Neutrino Beams at Fermilab. Measurements are presented of charged-current muon neutrino scattering in the inclusive channel, the ‘0 $$\pi $$ π ’ channel (in which no pions but some number of protons may be produced), and single pion production (including production of both charged and neutral pions). Measurements of electron neutrino scattering are presented in the form of $$\nu _e+\bar{\nu }_e$$ ν e + ν ¯ e inclusive scattering cross sections.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Unpaired image translation to mitigate domain shift in liquid argon time projection chamber detector responses

Deep learning algorithms often are developed and trained on a training dataset and deployed on test datasets. Any systematic difference between the training and a test dataset may severely degrade the final algorithm performance on the test dataset—what is known as the domain shift problem . This issue is prevalent in many scientific domains where algorithms are trained on simulated data but applied to real-world datasets. Typically, the domain shift problem is solved through various domain adaptation (DA) methods. However, these methods are often tailored for a specific downstream task, such as classification or semantic segmentation, and may not easily generalize to different tasks. This work explores the feasibility of using an alternative way to solve the domain shift problem that is not specific to any downstream algorithm. The proposed approach relies on modern Unpaired Image-to-Image (UI2I) translation techniques, designed to find translations between different image domains in a fully unsupervised fashion. In this study, the approach is applied to a domain shift problem commonly encountered in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) detector research when seeking a way to translate samples between two differently distributed LArTPC detector datasets deterministically. This translation allows for mapping real-world data into the simulated data domain where the downstream algorithms can be run with much less domain-shift-related performance degradation. Conversely, using the translation from the simulated data to a real-world domain can increase the realism of the simulated dataset and reduce the magnitude of any systematic uncertainties. To evaluate the quality of the translations, we use both pixel-wise metrics and a downstream task to measure the effectiveness of UI2I methods for mitigating the domain shift problem. We adapted several popular UI2I translation algorithms to work on scientific data and demonstrated the viability of these techniques for solving the domain shift problem with LArTPC detector data. To facilitate further development of DA techniques for scientific datasets, the ‘Simple Liquid-Argon Track Samples’ dataset used in this study is also published.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Benefits of MeV-scale reconstruction capabilities in large liquid argon time projection chambers

Using truth-level Monte Carlo simulations of particle interactions in a large volume of liquid argon, we demonstrate physics capabilities enabled by reconstruction of topologically compact and isolated low-energy features, or “blips,” in large liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) events. These features are mostly produced by electron products of photon interactions depositing ionization energy. The blip identification capability of the LArTPC is enabled by its unique combination of size, position resolution precision, and low energy thresholds. Here, we show that consideration of reconstructed blips in LArTPC physics analyses can result in substantial improvements in calorimetry for neutrino and new physics interactions and for final-state particles ranging in energy from the MeV to the GeV scale. Blip activity analysis is also shown to enable discrimination between interaction channels and final-state particle types. In addition to demonstrating these gains in calorimetry and discrimination, some limitations of blip reconstruction capabilities and physics outcomes are also discussed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗