arXiv subjects

A. Lai

Publications and source records attributed to A. Lai.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Performance of the LHCb muon detector in Run 3

In Run 3 of the LHC, the instantaneous luminosity at the LHCb interaction point has been increased by a factor of five, from $4\times 10^{32}\rm{cm}^{-2}\rm{s}^{-1}$ to $2\times 10^{33}\rm{cm}^{-2}\rm{s}^{-1}$. Several hardware interventions, including a complete overhaul of the readout electronics, have been carried out on the muon detector. The muon identification algorithms in the software trigger were improved with the aim of ensuring Run 2 performance under a higher particle rate. The operation and calibration of the upgraded muon detector are presented. The muon detection efficiency and muon identification performance are evaluated on data calibration samples collected during the year 2024. A muon identification efficiency above 90\% with sub-percent hadron misidentification probability is achieved by exploiting the pattern of hits in the muon detector.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

nuSCOPE: A short-baseline neutrino beam at CERN for high-precision cross-section measurements

A new generation of neutrino cross-section experiments at the GeV scale is crucial in the precision era of oscillation physics and lepton flavor studies. In this document, we present a novel neutrino beam design that leverages the experience and R&D achievements of the NP06/ENUBET and NuTag Collaborations and explore its potential implementation at CERN. This beam enables flux monitoring at the percent level and provides a neutrino energy measurement independent of final state particle reconstruction at the neutrino detector. As a result, it eliminates the two primary sources of systematic uncertainty in cross-section measurements: flux normalization and energy bias caused by nuclear effects. We provide a detailed description of the beam technology and instrumentation, along with an overview of its physics potential, with particular emphasis on cross-sections relevant to DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

HIKE, High Intensity Kaon Experiments at the CERN SPS

A timely and long-term programme of kaon decay measurements at a new level of precision is presented, leveraging the capabilities of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). The proposed programme is firmly anchored on the experience built up studying kaon decays at the SPS over the past four decades, and includes rare processes, CP violation, dark sectors, symmetry tests and other tests of the Standard Model. The experimental programme is based on a staged approach involving experiments with charged and neutral kaon beams, as well as operation in beam-dump mode. The various phases will rely on a common infrastructure and set of detectors.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

10 ps timing with highly irradiated 3D trench silicon pixel sensors

In this paper the results of a beam test characterization campaign of 3D trench silicon pixel sensors are presented. A time resolution in the order of 10 ps was measured both for non-irradiated and irradiated sensors up to a fluence of $2.5 \cdot 10^{16}\,1\,MeV\, n_{eq}\,cm^{-2}$. This feature and a detection efficiency close to $99\%$ make this sensors one of the best candidates for 4D tracking detectors in High-Energy-Physics experiments.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Solid State Detectors and Tracking for Snowmass

Tracking detectors are of vital importance for collider-based high energy physics (HEP) experiments. The primary purpose of tracking detectors is the precise reconstruction of charged particle trajectories and the reconstruction of secondary vertices. The performance requirements from the community posed by the future collider experiments require an evolution of tracking systems, necessitating the development of new techniques, materials and technologies in order to fully exploit their physics potential. In this article we summarize the discussions and conclusions of the 2022 Snowmass Instrumentation Frontier subgroup on Solid State and Tracking Detectors (Snowmass IF03).

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Long-term Operation of the Multi-Wire-Proportional-Chambers of the LHCb Muon System

The muon detector of LHCb, which comprises 1368 multi-wire-proportional-chambers (MWPC) for a total area of 435 m2, is the largest instrument of its kind exposed to such a high-radiation environment. In nine years of operation, from 2010 until 2018, we did not observe appreciable signs of ageing of the detector in terms of reduced performance. However, during such a long period, many chamber gas gaps suffered from HV trips. Most of the trips were due to Malter-like effects, characterised by the appearance of local self-sustained high currents, presumably originating from impurities induced during chamber production. Very effective, though long, recovery procedures were implemented with a HV training of the gaps in situ while taking data. The training allowed most of the affected chambers to be returned to their full functionality and the muon detector efficiency to be kept close to 100%. The possibility of making the recovery faster and even more effective by adding a small percentage of oxygen in the gas mixture has been studied and successfully tested.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Massive viral replication and cytopathic effects in early COVID-19 pneumonia

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of COVID-19 acute respiratory illness that like its predecessors, MERS and SARS, can be severe and fatal 1-4. By April of 2020, COVID-19 infections had become a worldwide pandemic with nearly 3 million infections and over 200,000 deaths. The relative contributions of virus replication and cytopathic effects or immunopathological host responses to the severe and fatal outcomes of COVID-19 lung infections have as yet to be determined. Here we show that SARS-CoV-2 replication and cytopathic effects in type II alveolar pneumocytes causes focal lung injury in an individual with no history of pulmonary symptoms. These findings point to the potential benefit of early effective antiviral treatment to prevent progression to severe and fatal COVID-19 pneumonia.

q-bio.TO↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the front-end dead-time of the LHCb muon detector and evaluation of its contribution to the muon detection inefficiency

A method is described which allows to deduce the dead-time of the front-end electronics of the LHCb muon detector from a series of measurements performed at different luminosities at a bunch-crossing rate of 20 MHz. The measured values of the dead-time range from 70 ns to 100 ns. These results allow to estimate the performance of the muon detector at the future bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz and at higher luminosity.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

Performance of the Muon Identification at LHCb

The performance of the muon identification in LHCb is extracted from data using muons and hadrons produced in J/ψ->μμ, Λ->pπand D^{\star}->πD0(Kπ) decays. The muon identification procedure is based on the pattern of hits in the muon chambers. A momentum dependent binary requirement is used to reduce the probability of hadrons to be misidentified as muons to the level of 1%, keeping the muon efficiency in the range of 95-98%. As further refinement, a likelihood is built for the muon and non-muon hypotheses. Adding a requirement on this likelihood that provides a total muon efficiency at the level of 93%, the hadron misidentification rates are below 0.6%.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

Performance of the LHCb muon system

The performance of the LHCb Muon system and its stability across the full 2010 data taking with LHC running at ps = 7 TeV energy is studied. The optimization of the detector setting and the time calibration performed with the first collisions delivered by LHC is described. Particle rates, measured for the wide range of luminosities and beam operation conditions experienced during the run, are compared with the values expected from simulation. The space and time alignment of the detectors, chamber efficiency, time resolution and cluster size are evaluated. The detector performance is found to be as expected from specifications or better. Notably the overall efficiency is well above the design requirements

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2010

Performance of the LHCb muon system with cosmic rays

The LHCb Muon system performance is presented using cosmic ray events collected in 2009. These events allowed to test and optimize the detector configuration before the LHC start. The space and time alignment and the measurement of chamber efficiency, time resolution and cluster size are described in detail. The results are in agreement with the expected detector performance.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2004

Measurement of the Xi0 -> Lambda gamma Decay Asymmetry and Branching Fraction

In data taken with the NA48 experiment at the CERN SPS in 1999, 730 candidates of the weak radiative hyperon decay Xi0 -> Lambda gamma have been found with an estimated background of 58+-8 events. From these events the Xi0 -> Lambda gamma decay asymmetry has been determined to alpha(Xi0 -> Lambda gamma) = -0.78 +- 0.18_stat +- 0.06_syst, which is the first evidence of a decay asymmetry in Xi0 -> Lambda gamma. The branching fraction of the decay has been measured to be Br(Xi0 -> Lambda gamma) = (1.16 +- 0.05_stat +- 0.06_syst) x 10^-3.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Search for the decay $K_S \to π^0γγ$

A search for the decay $K_S\toπ^0γγ$ has been made using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. Using data collected in 1999 during a 40-hour run with a high-intensity $K_S$ beam, an upper limit for the branching ratio $BR(K_S\toπ^0γγ, z\ge 0.2)<3.3\times\nolinebreak 10^{-7}$ has been obtained at 90% confidence level, where $z=m_{γγ}^2/m_{K_0}^2$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Precise measurements of the KS->gamma gamma and KL->gamma gamma decay rates

The KS->gamma gamma decay rate has been measured with the NA48 detector using a high intensity short neutral beam from the CERN SPS. The measured branching ratio BR(KS->gamma gamma)=(2.78+-0.06(stat)+-0.04(syst))x10-6, obtained from 7461+-172 KS->gamma gamma events, is significantly higher than the O(p^4) prediction of Chiral Perturbation Theory. Using a KL beam the ratio BR(KL->gamma gamma)/BR(KL->3pi0)=(2.81+-0.01(stat)+-0.02(syst))x10-3 has been measured.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

Precise measurement of the decay ${K_{L}\toπ^0γγ}$

The decay rate of $\klpgg$ has been measured with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. A total of 2558 $\klpgg$ candidates have been observed with a residual background of 3.2%. The branching ratio is determined to be $(1.36 \pm0.03_{(stat)} \pm0.03_{(syst)}\pm 0.03_{(norm)})\times10^{-6}$ and the vector coupling constant $a_v = -0.46 \pm0.03_{(stat)} \pm0.04_{(syst)}$. This result suggests that the CP-violation effects are dominating in the $\klpee$ decay. An upper limit for the $\klpgg$ decay rate in the two photon mass region $m_{γγ}<m_{π^0}$ is also given.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

New measurements of the $η$ and $K^0$ masses

New measurements of the $η$ and $K^0$ masses have been performed using decays to 3$π^0$ with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. Using symmetric decays to reduce systematic effects, the results $M(η) = 547.843\pm0.051$ MeV/c$^2$ and $M(K^0) = 497.625\pm0.031$ MeV/c$^2$ were obtained.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2000

Measurement of the K_L -> e+ e- e+ e- Decay Rate

The decay rate of the neutral long-lived K meson into the e+ e- e+ e- final state has been measured with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. Using data collected in 1999, a total of 132 events has been observed with negligible background. The total number of kaons was determined to be 5.1 x 10^10. This observation corresponds to a preliminary branching ratio of Gamma(K_L -> e+ e- e+ e-)/Gamma(K_L -> all) = (3.67 +- 0.32(stat) +- 0.23(sys) +- 0.08(norm)) x 10^-8, where the first error is statistical, the second systematic, and the third error is due to the uncertainty in the normalization.

hep-ex↗