arXiv subjects

B. N. Ratcliff

Publications and source records attributed to B. N. Ratcliff.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Design and production of the high voltage electrode grids and electron extraction region for the LZ dual-phase xenon time projection chamber

The dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC) is a powerful tool for direct-detection experiments searching for WIMP dark matter, other dark matter models, and neutrinoless double-beta decay. Successful operation of such a TPC is critically dependent on the ability to hold high electric fields in the bulk liquid, across the liquid surface, and in the gas. Careful design and construction of the electrodes used to establish these fields is therefore required. We present the design and production of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment's high-voltage electrodes, a set of four woven mesh wire grids. Grid design drivers are discussed, with emphasis placed on design of the electron extraction region. We follow this with a description of the grid production process and a discussion of steps taken to validate the LZ grids prior to integration into the TPC.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2014

Design and performance of the Focusing DIRC detector

We present the final results from a novel Cherenkov imaging detector called the Focusing DIRC (FDIRC). This detector was designed as a full-scale prototype of the particle identification system for the SuperB experiment [1], and comprises 1/12 of the SuperB barrel azimuthal coverage, with partial photodetector and electronics implementation. The prototype was tested in the SLAC Cosmic Ray Telescope which provided 3-D tracking of cosmic muons with an angular resolution of ~1.5 mrad, a position resolution of 4-5 mm, a start time resolution of 70 ps, and muon tracks above ~2 GeV tagged using an iron range stack. The fused silica focusing photon camera was coupled to a full-size BaBar DIRC bar box and was read out, over part of the full coverage, by 12 Hamamatsu H8500 multi-anode photomultipliers (MaPMTs) providing 768 pixels. We used waveform digitizing electronics to read out the MaPMTs. We give a detailed description of our data analysis methods and point out limitations on the present performance. We present results that demonstrate some basic performance characteristics of this design, including: (a) single photon Cherenkov angle resolutions with and without chromatic corrections, (b) signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio between the Cherenkov peak and background, which primarily consists of ambiguities of the possible photon paths from emission along the track to a given pixel, (c) dTOP = TOP_measured - TOP_expected resolutions (with TOP being the photon Time-of-Propagation in fused silica), and (d) performance of the detector in the presence of high-rate backgrounds.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

Report of the Quark Flavor Physics Working Group

This report represents the response of the Intensity Frontier Quark Flavor Physics Working Group to the Snowmass charge. We summarize the current status of quark flavor physics and identify many exciting future opportunities for studying the properties of strange, charm, and bottom quarks. The ability of these studies to reveal the effects of new physics at high mass scales make them an essential ingredient in a well-balanced experimental particle physics program.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2005

SuperB: a linear high-luminosity B Factory

This paper is based on the outcome of the activity that has taken place during the recent workshop on "SuperB in Italy" held in Frascati on November 11-12, 2005. The workshop was opened by a theoretical introduction of Marco Ciuchini and was structured in two working groups. One focused on the machine and the other on the detector and experimental issues. The present status on CP is mainly based on the results achieved by BaBar and Belle. Estabilishment of the indirect CP violation in B sector in 2001 and of the direct CP violation in 2004 thanks to the success of PEP-II and KEKB e+e- asymmetric B Factories operating at the center of mass energy corresponding to the mass of the Y(4s). With the two B Factories taking data, the Unitarity Triangle is now beginning to be overconstrained by improving the measurements of the sides and now also of the angles alpha, and gamma. We are also in presence of the very intriguing results about the measurements of sin(2 beta) in the time dependent analysis of decay channels via penguin loops, where b --> s sbar s and b --> s dbar d. Tau physics, in particular LFV search, as well as charm and ISR physics are important parts of the scientific program of a SuperB Factory. The physics case together with possible scenarios for the high luminosity SuperB Factory based on the concepts of the Linear Collider and the related experimental issues are discussed.

physics.ins-det↗