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The CLAS12 High Threshold Cherenkov Counter

The High Threshold Cherenkov Counter (HTCC) is one of the detector systems of the CLAS12 spectrometer, and is used to generate a fast trigger signal in electron scattering experiments in the polar angle range from 5°to 35°. The HTCC is installed in front of the drift chambers and introduces a minimal amount of additional material within the acceptance. The HTCC is one unit whose core component is a multifocal mirror that consists of 60 lightweight ellipsoidal mirrors. It is important that the HTCC provides efficient coverage of the CLAS12 forward acceptance with no gaps. In order to achieve this, each sector of the CLAS12 Forward Detector is covered by 2 identical half-sector mirrors that focus Cherenkov light on 8 phototubes. The HTCC has a total of 48 channels with Electron Tubes 9823QKB photomultipliers that have a 5-in quartz face plate to detect Cherenkov light. The system provides rejection of charged -mesons with momenta below 4.8 GeV for the reliable identification of scattered electrons. In this paper the details of the design, construction, calibration, and performance results of the HTCC are presented

Sharabian, Y. G.↗

Cherenkov Counters

When a charged particle passes through an optically transparent medium with a velocity greater than the phase velocity of light in that medium, it emits prompt photons, called Cherenkov radiation, at a characteristic polar angle that depends on the particle velocity. Cherenkov counters are particle detectors that make use of this radiation. Uses include prompt particle counting, the detection of fast particles, the measurement of particle masses, and the tracking or localization of events in very large, natural radiators such as the atmosphere, or natural ice fields, like those at the South Pole in Antarctica. Cherenkov counters are used in a number of different fields, including high energy and nuclear physics detectors at particle accelerators, in nuclear reactors, cosmic ray detectors, particle astrophysics detectors and neutrino astronomy, and in biomedicine for labeling certain biological molecules.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Hadron blind Cherenkov counters

A Hadron Blind Detector, or HBD, is a novel form of Cherenkov counter that is designed to provide high efficiency for detecting highly relativistic electrons while being essentially blind to most hadrons. Herein, we present some of the most prominent realizations of the HBD concept in real experiments. We describe the first implementation of an HBD that was made in the CERES experiment at CERN using a spectrometer based on a doublet of hadron blind RICH detectors for the measurement of low-mass electron pairs in pA and AA collisions at the SPS. We next present a detailed account of a more extensive realization of the HBD that was made in the PHENIX experiment for the measurement of low-mass electron pairs in central heavy-ion collisions at RHIC, followed by a description of a very similar detector that is currently under construction at J-PARC for the measurement of vector mesons through their e + e – decay in pA collisions. We conclude with a brief discussion of possible evolutions of the HBD concept as well as possible developments and uses of HBDs in experiments at the future Electron Ion Collider.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Design and Fabrication of Cherenkov Counters for the Detection of SNM

The need for large-size detectors for long-range active interrogation (AI) detection of SNM has generated interest in water-based detector technologies. Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCD) were selected for this research because of their transportability, scalability, and an inherent energy threshold. The detector design and analysis was completed using the Geant4 toolkit. It was demonstrated both computationally and experimentally that it is possible to use WCD to detect and characterize gamma rays. Absolute efficiency of the detector (with no energy cuts applied) was determined to be around 30% for a {sup 60}Co source.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Development of a Clear Fiber Cherenkov Counter

We have developed a new PID detector consists of clear fibers. PID efficiency was measured with 470 MeV e{sup +} beam. As a result, this detector with thickness of 5 cm has the PID efficiency of 95 %. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Liquid argon scintillation light studies in LArIAT

The LArIAT experiment is using its Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) in the second run of data-taking at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. The goal of the experiment is to study the response of LArTPCs to charged particles of energies relevant for planned neutrino experiments. In addition, it will help to develop and evaluate the performance of the simulation, analysis, and reconstruction software used in other LAr neutrino experiments. Particles from a tertiary beam detected by LArIAT (mainly protons, pions and muons) are identified using a set of beamline detectors, including Wire Chambers, Time of Flight counters and Cherenkov counters, as well as a simplified sampling detector used to detect muons. In its effort towards augmenting LArTPC technology for other neutrino experiments, LArIAT also takes advantage of the scintillating capabilities of LAr and is testing the possibility of using the light signal to help reconstruct calorimetric information and particle ID. In this study, we present results from these studies of the scintillation light signal to evaluate detector performance and calorimetry.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Performance of a coarsely pixelated LAPPD photosensor for the SoLID gas Cherenkov detectors

The SoLID spectrometer's gas Cherenkov counters require photosensors that operate in a high luminosity and high background environment. The reference design features arrays of 9 or 16 tiled multi-anode photomultipliers (MaPMTs), distributed across 32 sectors, to serve the light-gas and heavy-gas Cherenkov counters, respectively. To assess the viability of a pixelated INCOM Large Area Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD TM ) as an alternative photosensor to replace MaPMT arrays in either detector, we evaluated its performance under realistic SoLID running conditions in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The results of this test confirmed that the coarse-pixelated (2.5 × 2.5 cm 2 pixel size) LAPPD is capable of handling the total projected signal and background rates of the three pillar SoLID experiments. The tested photosensor detected Cherenkov signals with the capability of separating single-electron events from pair production events while rejecting background. Although the design was not aimed at ring-imaging Cherenkov detectors, Cherenkov disk images were captured in two different gas radiators. Through a direct comparison with a GEANT4 simulation, we confirmed the experimental performance of the LAPPD.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Performance of photosensors in a high-rate environment for gas Cherenkov detectors

We report the solenoidal large intensity device (SoLID) at Jefferson Lab will push the boundaries of luminosity for a large-acceptance detector, which necessitates the use of a light-gas threshold Cherenkov counter for online event selection. Due to the high luminosity, the single-photon background rate in this counter can exceed 160 kHz/cm 2 at the photosensors. Therefore, it is essential to validate the high-rate limits of the planned photosensors and readout electronics in order to mitigate the risk of failure. We report on the design and an early set of studies carried out using a small Cherenkov counter in a high-rate environment up to 60 kHz/cm 2 , in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. Commercially available multi-anode photomultipliers (MaPMT) and low-cost large-area picosecond photodetectors (LAPPD) were tested using the JLab FADC250 modules for readout. The test beam results show that the MaPMT array and the internal stripline LAPPD can detect and identify single-electron and pair-production events in high-rate environments. Due to its higher quantum efficiency, the MaPMT array provided a better separation between the single-electron and the pair-production events compared to the internal stripline LAPPD. A GEANT4 simulation confirms the beam test performance of our counter device.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Enhanced UV light detection using a p-terphenyl wavelength shifter

Here, UV-glass photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have poor photon detection efficiency for wavelengths below $300\,\text{nm}$ due to the opaqueness of the window material. Costly quartz PMTs could be used to enhance the efficiency below $300\,\text{nm}$. A less expensive solution that dramatically improves this efficiency is the application of a thin film of a p-terphenyl (PT) wavelength shifter on UV-glass PMTs. This improvement was quantified for Photonis XP4500B PMTs for wavelengths between $200\,\text{nm}$ and $400\,\text{nm}$. The gain factor ranges up to 5.4 $\pm$ 0.5 at a wavelength of $215\,\text{nm}$, with a material load of $110\pm10\,\mu\text{g}/\text{cm}^2$ ($894\,\text{nm}$). The wavelength shifter was found to be fully transparent for wavelengths greater than $300\,\text{nm}$. The resulting gain in detection efficiency, when used in a typical Cherenkov counter, was estimated to be of the order of 40%. Consistent coating quality was assured by a rapid gain testing procedure using narrow-band UV LEDs. Based on these results, 200 Photonis XP4500B PMTs were treated with PT for the upgraded low-threshold Cherenkov counter (LTCC) to be used in the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer upgraded detector (CLAS12) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Modern trends in methods of charged particle identification at high energies

The survey is devoted to methods of charged particle identification at high energies that are based on measurements of the angle of Cherenkov radiation (ring imaging Cherenkov counters — RICH), of time of flight (TOF) and propagation (TOP), and of ionization energy loss (dE / dx ). As an example, some operating spectrometers are considered (LHCb, ALICE, COMPASS, Belle, and BaBar) together with proposed ones (Belle-2 and PANDA) in which new achievements of recent years are introduced.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Photoproduction of Multiply-Strange Hyperons at CLAS

The activities of the California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Hadronic Structure Laboratory, undertaken with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science under grant DE-FG02-07ER41525, are described. This grant was originally awarded in 2007, and then renewed in 2009 and 2012, before it expired in 2015. The work was performed primarily at the home institution on the CSUDH campus in Carson, CA. A significant portion of the work was carried out at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) in Newport News, VA. The work covered in this award involves the study of the structure of the proton, which is done indirectly by looking at the Ξ particle. This is a particle with a spin and spatial structure similar to that of the proton, but with a different quark structure. Their properties are expected to be related due to SU(3) F symmetry. Additional work performed under this grant involved the construction of the High Threshold Cherenkov Counter, which was done by CSUDH undergraduate students in collaboration with JLab staff scientists.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Precise Measurement of the Absolute Fluorescence Yield

We present preliminary results of the absolute yield of fluorescence emission in atmospheric gases. Measurements were performed at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility with a variety of beam particles and gases. Absolute calibration of the fluorescence yield to 5% level was achieved by comparison with two known light sources - the Cherenkov light emitted by the beam particles, and a calibrated nitrogen laser. The uncertainty of the energy scale of current Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays experiments will be significantly improved by the AIRFLY measurement.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Development of a new CEDAR for kaon identification at the NA62 experiment at CERN

The NA62 experiment at CERN utilises a differential Cherenkov counter with achromatic ring focus (CEDAR) for tagging kaons within an unseparated monochromatic beam of charged hadrons. The CEDAR-H detector was developed to minimise the amount of material in the path of the beam by using hydrogen gas as the radiator medium. The detector was shown to satisfy the kaon tagging requirements in a test-beam before installation and commissioning at the experiment. The CEDAR-H performance was measured using NA62 data collected in 2023.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Study of nanodiamond photocathodes for MPGD-based detectors of single photons

The proposed new Electron–Ion Collider poses a technical and intellectual challenge for the detector design to accommodate the long-term diverse physics goals envisaged by the program. This requires a 4π detector system capable of reconstructing the energy and momentum of final state particles with high precision. The Electron-Ion Collider also requires identification of particles of different masses over a wide momentum range. A diverse spectrum of Particle IDentification detectors has been proposed. Of the four types of detectors for hadron identification, three are based on Ring Imaging Cherenkov Counter technologies, and one is realized by the Time of Flight method. The quest for a novel photocathode, sensitive in the far vacuum ultraviolet wavelength range and more robust than cesium iodide, motivated an R&D programme to explore nano-diamond (ND) based photocathodes, started by a collaboration between INFN and CNR Bari and INFN Trieste. Systematic measurements of the photoemission in different Ar:CH 4 and Ar:CO 2 gas mixtures with various types of ND powders and Hydrogenated ND (H-ND) powders are reported. A first study of the response of THGEMs coated with different photocathode materials is presented. Additionally, the progress of this R&D programme and the results obtained so far by these exploratory studies are described.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

GEANT4 simulations of Cherenkov reaction history diagnostics

This paper compares the results from a GEANT4 simulation of the gas Cherenkov detector 1 (GCD1) with previous simulations and experimental data from the Omega laser facility. The GCD1 collects gammas emitted during a deuterium-tritium capsule implosion and converts them, through several processes, to Cherenkov light. Photon signals are recorded using subnanosecond photomultiplier tubes, producing burn reaction histories. The GEANT4 GCD1 simulation is first benchmarked against ACCEPT, an integrated tiger series code, with good agreement. The simulation is subsequently compared with data from the Omega laser facility, where experiments have been performed to measure the effects of Hohlraum materials on reaction history signals, in preparation for experiments at the National Ignition Facility.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Development of a diagnostic technique based on Cherenkov effect for measurements of fast electrons in fusion devices

A diagnostic technique based on the Cherenkov effect is proposed for detection and characterization of fast (super-thermal and runaway) electrons in fusion devices. The detectors of Cherenkov radiation have been specially designed for measurements in the ISTTOK tokamak. Properties of several materials have been studied to determine the most appropriate one to be used as a radiator of Cherenkov emission in the detector. This technique has enabled the detection of energetic electrons (70 keV and higher) and the determination of their spatial and temporal variations in the ISTTOK discharges. Measurement of hard x-ray emission has also been carried out in experiments for validation of the measuring capabilities of the Cherenkov-type detector and a high correlation was found between the data of both diagnostics. A reasonable agreement was found between experimental data and the results of numerical modeling of the runaway electron generation in ISTTOK.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Double negative-metamaterial based Terahertz radiation excited by a sheet beam bunch

We describe a new method to generate enhanced terahertz (THz) surface wave (SW) via its coupling with reversed Cherenkov radiation (RCR), excited by a sheet beam bunch which travels in a vacuum above an isotropic double negative metamaterial (DNM). The physical mechanism for the enhancement is that the DNM can support a RCR which can resonantly interact with a sheet electron beam bunch, resulting in an enhanced SW due to its coupling with the enhanced RCR. Numerical results show strong enhancement effect for the SW and RCR in the THz band. This enhanced THz radiation has potential applications to high-power THz radiation sources and Cherenkov detectors which require large signals.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗