arXiv subjects

F. Tenchini

Publications and source records attributed to F. Tenchini.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Silicon Vertex Detector of the Belle II Experiment

The silicon vertex detector (SVD) is installed at the heart of the Belle II experiment, taking data at the high-luminosity $B$-Factory SuperKEKB since 2019. The detector has shown a stable and above-99\% hit efficiency, with a large signal-to-noise in all sensors since the beginning of data taking. Cluster position and time resolution have been measured with 2020 and 2022 data and show excellent performance and stability. The effect of radiation damage is visible, but not affecting the performance. As the luminosity increases, higher machine backgrounds are expected and the excellent hit-time information in SVD can be exploited for background rejection. In particular, we have recently developed a novel procedure to select hits by grouping them event-by-event based on their time. This new procedure allows a significant reduction of the fake rate, while preserving the tracking efficiency, and it has therefore replaced the previous cut-based procedure. We have developed a method that uses the SVD hits to estimate the track time (previously unavailable) and the collision time. It has a similar precision to the estimate based on the drift chamber but its execution time is three orders of magnitude smaller, allowing a faster online reconstruction that is crucial in a high luminosity regime. The track time is a powerful information provided to analysis that allows, together with the above-mention grouping selection, to raise the occupancy limit above that expected at nominal luminosity, leaving room for a safety factor. Finally, in June 2022 the data taking of the Belle II experiment was stopped to install a new two-layer DEPFET detector (PXD) and upgrade components of the accelerator. The whole silicon tracker (PXD+SVD) has been extracted from Belle II, the new PXD installed, the detector closed and commissioned. We briefly describe the SVD results of this upgrade.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Punzi-loss: A non-differentiable metric approximation for sensitivity optimisation in the search for new particles

We present the novel implementation of a non-differentiable metric approximation and a corresponding loss-scheduling aimed at the search for new particles of unknown mass in high energy physics experiments. We call the loss-scheduling, based on the minimisation of a figure-of-merit related function typical of particle physics, a Punzi-loss function, and the neural network that utilises this loss function a Punzi-net. We show that the Punzi-net outperforms standard multivariate analysis techniques and generalises well to mass hypotheses for which it was not trained. This is achieved by training a single classifier that provides a coherent and optimal classification of all signal hypotheses over the whole search space. Our result constitutes a complementary approach to fully differentiable analyses in particle physics. We implemented this work using PyTorch and provide users full access to a public repository containing all the codes and a training example.

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arXiv2019

Global Decay Chain Vertex Fitting at B-Factories

We present a particle vertex fitting method designed for B factories. The presented method uses a Kalman Filter to solve a least squares estimate to globally fit decay chains, as opposed to traditional methods that fit each vertex at a time. It allows for the extraction of particle momenta, energies, vertex positions and flight lengths, as well as the uncertainty estimates of these quantities. Furthermore, it allows for the precise extraction of vertex parameters in complex decay chains containing neutral final state particles, such as ${\gamma}$ or $K^0_L$ , which cannot properly be tracked due to limited spatial resolution of longitudinally segmented single-layer crystal calorimeters like the Belle II ECL. The presented technique can be used to suppress combinatorial background and improve resolutions on measured parameters. We present studies using Monte Carlo simulations of collisions in the Belle II experiment, where modes with neutrals are crucial to the physics analysis program.

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arXiv2016

Single-hit resolution measurement with MEG II drift chamber prototypes

Drift chambers operated with helium-based gas mixtures represent a common solution for tracking charged particles keeping the material budget in the sensitive volume to a minimum. The drawback of this solution is the worsening of the spatial resolution due to primary ionisation fluctuations, which is a limiting factor for high granularity drift chambers like the MEG II tracker. We report on the measurements performed on three different prototypes of the MEG II drift chamber aimed at determining the achievable single-hit resolution. The prototypes were operated with helium/isobutane gas mixtures and exposed to cosmic rays, electron beams and radioactive sources. Direct measurements of the single hit resolution performed with an external tracker returned a value of 110 $μ$m, consistent with the values obtained with indirect measurements performed with the other prototypes.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2016

Muon polarization in the MEG experiment: predictions and measurements

The MEG experiment makes use of one of the world's most intense low energy muon beams, in order to search for the lepton flavour violating process $μ^{+} \rightarrow {\rm e}^{+} γ$. We determined the residual beam polarization at the thin stopping target, by measuring the asymmetry of the angular distribution of Michel decay positrons as a function of energy. The initial muon beam polarization at the production is predicted to be $P_μ = -1$ by the Standard Model (SM) with massless neutrinos. We estimated our residual muon polarization to be $P_μ = -0.85 \pm 0.03 ~ {\rm (stat)} ~ { }^{+ 0.04}_{-0.05} ~ {\rm (syst)}$ at the stopping target, which is consistent with the SM predictions when the depolarizing effects occurring during the muon production, propagation and moderation in the target are taken into account. The knowledge of beam polarization is of fundamental importance in order to model the background of our ${\megsign}$ search induced by the muon radiative decay: $μ^{+} \rightarrow {\rm e}^{+} \barν_μ ν_{\rm e} γ$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the radiative decay of polarized muons in the MEG experiment

We studied the radiative muon decay $μ^+ \to e^+ν\barνγ$ by using for the first time an almost fully polarized muon source. We identified a large sample (~13000) of these decays in a total sample of 1.8x10^14 positive muon decays collected in the MEG experiment in the years 2009--2010 and measured the branching ratio B($μ^+ \to e^+ν\barνγ$) = (6.03+-0.14(stat.)+-0.53(sys.))x10^-8 for E_e > 45 MeV and E_γ > 40 MeV, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. The precise measurement of this decay mode provides a basic tool for the timing calibration, a normalization channel, and a strong quality check of the complete MEG experiment in the search for $μ^+ \to e^+γ$ process.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

New constraint on the existence of the mu+-> e+ gamma decay

The analysis of a combined data set, totaling 3.6 \times 10^14 stopped muons on target, in the search for the lepton flavour violating decay mu^+ -> e^+ gamma is presented. The data collected by the MEG experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institut show no excess of events compared to background expectations and yield a new upper limit on the branching ratio of this decay of 5.7 \times 10^-13 (90% confidence level). This represents a four times more stringent limit than the previous world best limit set by MEG.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

The MEG detector for $μ+\to e+γ$ decay search

The MEG (Mu to Electron Gamma) experiment has been running at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland since 2008 to search for the decay \meg\ by using one of the most intense continuous $μ^+$ beams in the world. This paper presents the MEG components: the positron spectrometer, including a thin target, a superconducting magnet, a set of drift chambers for measuring the muon decay vertex and the positron momentum, a timing counter for measuring the positron time, and a liquid xenon detector for measuring the photon energy, position and time. The trigger system, the read-out electronics and the data acquisition system are also presented in detail. The paper is completed with a description of the equipment and techniques developed for the calibration in time and energy and the simulation of the whole apparatus.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2013

MEG Upgrade Proposal

We propose the continuation of the MEG experiment to search for the charged lepton flavour violating decay (cLFV) μ\to e γ, based on an upgrade of the experiment, which aims for a sensitivity enhancement of one order of magnitude compared to the final MEG result, down to the $6 \times 10^{-14}$ level. The key features of this new MEG upgrade are an increased rate capability of all detectors to enable running at the intensity frontier and improved energy, angular and timing resolutions, for both the positron and photon arms of the detector. On the positron-side a new low-mass, single volume, high granularity tracker is envisaged, in combination with a new highly segmented, fast timing counter array, to track positron from a thinner stopping target. The photon-arm, with the largest liquid xenon (LXe) detector in the world, totalling 900 l, will also be improved by increasing the granularity at the incident face, by replacing the current photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) with a larger number of smaller photosensors and optimizing the photosensor layout also on the lateral faces. A new DAQ scheme involving the implementation of a new combined readout board capable of integrating the diverse functions of digitization, trigger capability and splitter functionality into one condensed unit, is also under development. We describe here the status of the MEG experiment, the scientific merits of the upgrade and the experimental methods we plan to use.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2011

New limit on the lepton-flavour violating decay mu -> e gamma

We present a new result based on an analysis of the data collected by the MEG detector at the Paul Scherrer Institut in 2009 and 2010, in search of the lepton flavour violating decay mu->e gamma. The likelihood analysis of the combined data sample, which corresponds to a total of 1.8 x 10**14 muon decays, gives a 90% C.L. upper limit of 2.4 x 10**-12 on the branching ratio of the mu->e gamma decay, constituting the most stringent limit on the existence of this decay to date.

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