arXiv subjects

A. Hofer

Publications and source records attributed to A. Hofer.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The MUSE Target Chamber Post Veto

The Muon Scattering Experiment (MUSE) was developed to address the proton radius puzzle through simultaneous electron-proton and muon-proton scattering using the Paul Scherrer Institute's PiM1 secondary beamline. MUSE uses a large-solid-angle, non-magnetic spectrometer to detect beam particles scattering from a liquid hydrogen cell contained within a vacuum chamber. Due to the large scattering windows, the structural integrity of the chamber is supported by posts located at small scattering angles. While out of the acceptance, particles in the tails of the beam distribution can strike these posts, causing a significant trigger background. We describe the design and performance of the Target Chamber Post Veto (TCPV) detector installed inside the vacuum chamber to remove these background events at the trigger level.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

A photogrammetric method for target monitoring inside the MEG II detector

An automatic target monitoring method based on photographs taken by a CMOS photo-camera has been developed for the MEG II detector. The technique could be adapted for other fixed-target experiments requiring good knowledge of their target position to avoid biases and systematic errors in measuring the trajectories of the outcoming particles. A CMOS-based, high resolution, high radiation tolerant and high magnetic field resistant photo-camera was mounted inside the MEG II detector at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland). MEG II is used to search for lepton flavour violation in muon decays. The photogrammetric method's challenges, affecting measurements of low momentum particles' tracks, are high magnetic field of the spectrometer, high radiation levels, tight space constraints, and the need to limit the material budget in the tracking volume. The camera is focused on dot pattern drawn on the thin MEG II target, about 1 m away from the detector endcaps where the photo-camera is placed. Target movements and deformations are monitored by comparing images of the dots taken at various times during the measurement. The images are acquired with a Raspberry board and analyzed using a custom software. Global alignment to the spectrometer is guaranteed by corner cubes placed on the target support. As a result, the target monitoring fulfils the needs of the experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Technical design of the phase I Mu3e experiment

The Mu3e experiment aims to find or exclude the lepton flavour violating decay $\mu \rightarrow eee$ at branching fractions above $10^{-16}$. A first phase of the experiment using an existing beamline at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is designed to reach a single event sensitivity of $2\cdot 10^{-15}$. We present an overview of all aspects of the technical design and expected performance of the phase~I Mu3e detector. The high rate of up to $10^{8}$ muon decays per second and the low momenta of the decay electrons and positrons pose a unique set of challenges, which we tackle using an ultra thin tracking detector based on high-voltage monolithic active pixel sensors combined with scintillating fibres and tiles for precise timing measurements.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

Precise Photographic Monitoring of MEG II Thin-film Muon Stopping Target Position and Shape

We describe and show results of a photographic technique for continuously monitoring the position, orientation, and shape of a thin-film muon stopping target for the MEG II experiment. The measurement is complicated by the target being located in a region with 1.3 T magnetic field, significant radiation and having limited access. The technique achieves a measurement precision of 0.010 mm normal to and 0.030 mm parallel to the film surface, significantly better than required for the MEG II experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2014

A high-pressure hydrogen time projection chamber for the MuCap experiment

The MuCap experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute performed a high-precision measurement of the rate of the basic electroweak process of nuclear muon capture by the proton, $μ^- + p \rightarrow n + ν_μ$. The experimental approach was based on the use of a time projection chamber (TPC) that operated in pure hydrogen gas at a pressure of 10 bar and functioned as an active muon stopping target. The TPC detected the tracks of individual muon arrivals in three dimensions, while the trajectories of outgoing decay (Michel) electrons were measured by two surrounding wire chambers and a plastic scintillation hodoscope. The muon and electron detectors together enabled a precise measurement of the $μp$ atom's lifetime, from which the nuclear muon capture rate was deduced. The TPC was also used to monitor the purity of the hydrogen gas by detecting the nuclear recoils that follow muon capture by elemental impurities. This paper describes the TPC design and performance in detail.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

A room temperature 19-channel magnetic field mapping device for cardiac signals

We present a multichannel cardiac magnetic field imaging system built in Fribourg from optical double-resonance Cs vapor magnetometers. It consists of 25 individual sensors designed to record magnetic field maps of the beating human heart by simultaneous measurements on a grid of 19 points over the chest. The system is operated as an array of second order gradiometers using sophisticated digitally controlled feedback loops.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

A large sample study of spin relaxation and magnetometric sensitivity of paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells

We have manufactured more than 250 nominally identical paraffin-coated Cs vapor cells (30 mm diameter bulbs) for multi-channel atomic magnetometer applications. We describe our dedicated cell characterization apparatus. For each cell we have determined the intrinsic longitudinal, $\sGamma{01}$, and transverse, $\sGamma{02}$, relaxation rates. Our best cell shows $\sGamma{01}/2π\approx 0.5 Hz, and $\sGamma{02}/2π\approx 2 Hz. We find a strong correlation of both relaxation rates which we explain in terms of reservoir and spin exchange relaxation. For each cell we have determined the optimal combination of rf and laser powers which yield the highest sensitivity to magnetic field changes. Out of all produced cells, 90% are found to have magnetometric sensitivities in the range of 9 to 30 fTHz. Noise analysis shows that the magnetometers operated with such cells have a sensitivity close to the fundamental photon shot noise limit.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Reconciliation of experimental and theoretical electric tensor polarizabilities of the cesium ground state

We present a new theoretical analysis of the strongly suppressed F- and M-dependent Stark shifts of the Cs ground state hyperfine structure. Our treatment uses third order perturbation theory including off-diagonal hyperfine interactions not considered in earlier treatments. A numerical evaluation of the perturbation sum using bound states up to n=200 yields ground state tensor polarizabilities which are in good agreement with experimental values, thereby bridging the 40-year-old gap between experiments and theory. We have further found that the tensor polarizabilities of the two ground state hyperfine manifolds have opposite signs, in disagreement with an earlier derivation. This sign error has a direct implication for the precise evaluation of the blackbody radiation shift in primary frequency standards.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Spectroscopy of Rb$_{2}$ dimers in solid $^{4}$He

We present experimental and theoretical studies of the absorption, emission and photodissociation spectra of Rb$_{2}$ molecules in solid helium. We have identified 11 absorption bands of Rb$_{2}$. All laser-excited molecular states are quenched by the interaction with the He matrix. The quenching results in efficient population of a metastable (1)$^{3}Π_{u}$ state, which emits fluorescence at 1042 nm. In order to explain the fluorescence at the forbidden transition and its time dependence we propose a new molecular exciplex Rb$_{2}(^{3}Π_{u})$He$_{2}$. We have also found evidence for the formation of diatomic bubble states following photodissociation of Rb$_{2}$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Stark effect of the cesium ground state: electric tensor polarizability and shift of the clock transition frequency

We present a theoretical analysis of the Stark effect in the hyperfine structure of the cesium ground-state. We have used third order perturbation theory, including diagonal and off-diagonal hyperfine interactions, and have identified terms which were not considered in earlier treatments. A numerical evaluation using perturbing levels up to n=18 yields new values for the tensor polarizability $α_2(6S_{1/2})$ and for the Stark shift of the clock transition frequency in cesium. The polarizabilities are in good agreement with experimental values, thereby removing a 40-year-old discrepancy. The clock shift value is in excellent agreement with a recent measurement, but in contradiction with the commonly accepted value used to correct the black-body shift of primary frequency standards.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Rb*He_n exciplexes in solid 4_He

We report the observation of emission spectra from Rb*He_n exciplexes in solid 4He. Two different excitation channels were experimentally identified, viz., exciplex formation via laser excitation to the atomic 5P3/2 and to the 5P1/2 levels. While the former channel was observed before in liquid helium, on helium nanodroplets and in helium gas by different groups, the latter creation mechanism occurs only in solid helium or in gaseous helium above 10 Kelvin. The experimental results are compared to theoretical predictions based on the extension of a model, used earlier by us for the description of Cs*He_n exciplexes. We also report the first observation of fluorescence from atomic rubidium in solid helium, and discuss striking differences between the spectroscopic feature of Rb-He and Cs-He systems.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2004

Discovery of dumbbell-shaped Cs*He_n exciplexes in solid He 4

We have observed several new spectral features in the fluorescence of cesium atoms implanted in the hcp phase of solid helium following laser excitation to the 6$^{2}$P states. Based on calculations of the emission spectra using semiempirical Cs-He pair potentials the newly discovered lines can be assigned to the decay of specific Cs*He$_{n}$ exciplexes: an apple-shaped Cs$(AΠ_{3/2})$He$_{2}$ and a dumbbell-shaped Cs$(AΠ_{1/2}) $He$_{n}$ exciplex with a well defined number $n$ of bound helium atoms. While the former has been observed in other enviroments, it was commonly believed that exciplexes with $n>2$ might not exist. The calculations suggest Cs$(AΠ_{1/2}) $He$_{6}$ to be the most probable candidate for that exciplex, in which the helium atoms are arranged on a ring around the waist of the dumbbell shaped electronic density distribution of the cesium atom.

physics.atm-clus↗