arXiv subjects

F. Terranova

Publications and source records attributed to F. Terranova.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Decoherence in Neutrino Oscillation at the ESSnuSB Experiment

Neutrino oscillation experiments provide a unique window in exploring several new physics scenarios beyond the standard three flavour. One such scenario is quantum decoherence in neutrino oscillation which tends to destroy the interference pattern of neutrinos reaching the far detector from the source. In this work, we study the decoherence in neutrino oscillation in the context of the ESSnuSB experiment. We consider the energy-independent decoherence parameter and derive the analytical expressions for P$_{μe}$ and P$_{μμ}$ probabilities in vacuum. We have computed the capability of ESSnuSB to put bounds on the decoherence parameters namely, $Γ_{21}$ and $Γ_{32}$ and found that the constraints on $Γ_{21}$ are competitive compared to the DUNE bounds and better than the most stringent LBL ones from MINOS/MINOS+. We have also investigated the impact of decoherence on the ESSnuSB measurement of the Dirac CP phase $δ_{\rm CP}$ and concluded that it remains robust in the presence of new physics.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

The science and technology of liquid argon detectors

Liquid argon detectors are ubiquitous in particle, astroparticle, and applied physics. They reached an unprecedented level of maturity thanks to more than 20 years of R&D and the operation of large-scale facilities at CERN, Fermilab, and the Gran Sasso laboratories. This article reviews such an impressive advance - from the grounding of the experimental technique up to cutting-edge applications. We commence the review by describing the physical and chemical properties of liquid argon as an active and target medium for particle detection, together with advantages and limitations compared with other liquefied noble gases. We examine the opportunities and challenges of liquid argon detectors operated as calorimeters, scintillators, and time projection chambers. We then delve into the core applications of liquid argon detectors at colliders (ATLAS), accelerator neutrino beams (SBN, DUNE), and underground laboratories (DarkSide, DEAP, ICARUS) for the observation of rare events. We complete the review by looking at unconventional developments (pixelization, combined light-charge readout, Xe-doped devices, all-optical readout) and applications in medical and applied physics to extend this technology's scope toward novel research fields.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Study of non-standard interaction mediated by a scalar field at ESSnuSB experiment

In this paper we study non-standard interactions mediated by a scalar field (SNSI) in the context of ESSnuSB experiment. In particular we study the capability of ESSnuSB to put bounds on the SNSI parameters and also study the impact of SNSI in the measurement of the leptonic CP phase $δ_{\rm CP}$. Existence of SNSI modifies the neutrino mass matrix and this modification can be expressed in terms of three diagonal real parameters ($η_{ee}$, $η_{μμ}$ and $η_{ττ}$) and three off-diagonal complex parameters ($η_{e μ}$, $η_{eτ}$ and $η_{μτ}$). Our study shows that the upper bounds on the parameters $η_{μμ}$, $η_{ττ}$ and $η_{μτ}$ depend upon how $Δm^2_{31}$ is minimized in the theory. However, this is not the case when one tries to measure the impact of SNSI on $δ_{\rm CP}$. Further, we show that the CP sensitivity of ESSnuSB can be completely lost for certain values of $η_{ee}$ and $η_{μτ}$ for which the appearance channel probability becomes independent of $δ_{\rm CP}$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

Front-end Electronics and Optimal Ganging Schemes for Single Photon Detection with Large Arrays of SiPMs in Liquid Argon

The operation of large arrays of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) in tanks of noble liquids requires low noise, low power front-end amplifiers, able to operate reliably in the cryogenic environment. A suitable amplifier needs to be paired with a proper SiPM ganging scheme, meaning the series/parallel combination of SiPMs at its input. This paper presents a simple model to estimate the ganging scheme that gives the best signal to noise ratio once the basic electrical characteristics of the SiPM and amplifier are known. To prove the validity of the model, we used an amplifier based on discrete components, which achieves a white voltage noise in the 0.25-0.37 nV/$\surd$Hz range at liquid nitrogen temperature, while drawing 2-5 mW of power. Combined with the optimal ganging scheme obtained with the model, the amplifier demonstrated excellent single photon sensitivity up to 96 6x6 mm$^2$ SiPMs (total area 34.6 cm$^2$, S/N $\simeq$ 8-11). The measured results are in a good match with calculated values, predicting the possibility to achieve a clear separation of photoelectron peaks also with larger areas.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2023

Design and performance of the ENUBET monitored neutrino beam

The ENUBET project is aimed at designing and experimentally demonstrating the concept of monitored neutrino beams. These novel beams are enhanced by an instrumented decay tunnel, whose detectors reconstruct large-angle charged leptons produced in the tunnel and give a direct estimate of the neutrino flux at the source. These facilities are thus the ideal tool for high-precision neutrino cross-section measurements at the GeV scale because they offer superior control of beam systematics with respect to existing facilities. In this paper, we present the first end-to-end design of a monitored neutrino beam capable of monitoring lepton production at the single particle level. This goal is achieved by a new focusing system without magnetic horns, a 20 m normal-conducting transfer line for charge and momentum selection, and a 40 m tunnel instrumented with cost-effective particle detectors. Employing such a design, we show that percent precision in cross-section measurements can be achieved at the CERN SPS complex with existing neutrino detectors.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

The ESSnuSB design study: overview and future prospects

ESSnuSB is a design study for an experiment to measure the CP violation in the leptonic sector at the second neutrino oscillation maximum using a neutrino beam driven by the uniquely powerful ESS linear accelerator. The reduced impact of systematic errors on sensitivity at the second maximum allows for a very precise measurement of the CP violating parameter. This review describes the fundamental advantages of measurement at the 2nd maximum, the necessary upgrades to the ESS linac in order to produce a neutrino beam, the near and far detector complexes, the expected physics reach of the proposed ESSnuSB experiment, concluding with the near future developments aimed at the project realization.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Cryogenic front-end amplifier design for large SiPM arrays in the DUNE FD1-HD photon detection system

The photon detection system of the first far detector (FD1-HD) of the DUNE experiment will detect scintillation photons produced by particle interactions in a kiloton-scale liquid Argon time projection chamber. The photon detectors of choice are silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), 6$\times$6 mm$^2$ each, arranged in groups of 48, which present a significantly low impedance to the front-end electronics. This paper details the design of a cryogenic amplifier with exceptionally low white voltage noise of 0.37 nV$\sqrt{Hz}$, based on a silicon-germanium input transistor and a BiCMOS fully differential operational amplifier. It yields excellent single photoelectron resolution even at low overvoltage values. The signal rise time is below 100 ns, and the dynamic range is about 2000 photoelectrons at the typical operating overvoltage. It draws 0.7 mA from a single 3.3 V supply, for a power consumption of 2.4 mW per channel. Simplified models were developed to predict the single photolectron signal shape and the signal to noise ratio, with a good match to measured performance.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

The European Spallation Source neutrino Super Beam Conceptual Design Report

This conceptual design report provides a detailed account of the European Spallation Source neutrino Super Beam (ESS$ν$SB) feasibility study. This facility has been proposed after the measurements reported in 2012 of a relatively large value of the neutrino mixing angle $θ_{13}$, which raised the possibility of observing potential CP violation in the leptonic sector with conventional neutrino beams. The measured value of $θ_{13}$ also privileges the $2^{nd}$ oscillation maximum for the discovery of CP violation instead of the more typically studied $1^{st}$ maximum. The sensitivity at this $2^{nd}$ oscillation maximum is about three times higher than at the $1^{st}$ one, which implies a reduced influence of systematic errors. Working at the $2^{nd}$ oscillation maximum requires a very intense neutrino beam with an appropriate energy. The world's most intense pulsed spallation neutron source, the European Spallation Source (ESS), will have a proton linac operating at 5\,MW power, 2\,GeV kinetic energy and 14~Hz repetition rate (3~ms pulse duration, 4\% duty cycle) for neutron production. In this design study it is proposed to double the repetition rate and compress the beam pulses to the level of microseconds in order to provide an additional 5~MW proton beam for neutrino production. The physics performance has been evaluated for such a neutrino super beam, in conjunction with a megaton-scale underground water Cherenkov neutrino detector installed at a distance of 360--550\,km from ESS. The ESS proton linac upgrades, the accumulator ring required for proton-pulse compression, the target station design and optimisation, the near and far detector complexes, and the physics potential of the facility are all described in this report. The ESS linac will be operational by 2025, at which point the implementation of upgrades for the neutrino facility could begin.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Enhanced NeUtrino BEams from kaon Tagging (ENUBET)

ENUBET aims at demonstrating the feasibility of a "monitored" neutrino beam, in which the absolute normalization of the neutrino flux can be constrained at the 1% level. The $ν_e$ flux is determined by monitoring large-angle $e^+$ from $K_{e3}$ decays in a 40 m long instrumented decay tunnel. The $ν_μ$ flux is provided by muons produced by decays of $K$ and $π$. Being a narrow band beam ($p=8.5$ GeV/$c$ $\pm$ 10%), the transverse position of the interaction at the detector can be exploited to determine a priori the neutrino energy spectrum without relying on the final state reconstruction ("narrow band off-axis technique"). Lepton monitoring and narrow band off-axis energy reconstruction can be implemented in a single facility based on standard accelerator technologies for a new generation of high precision $ν_e$ and $ν_μ$ cross section measurements at the GeV scale and for precision searches of physics beyond the standard 3$ν$ paradigm. In 2019-2022 ENUBET has devised the first end-to-end simulation of the facility and demonstrated that the precision goals can be achieved in $\sim$ 3 years of data taking employing neutrino detectors of moderate mass (ICARUS at FNAL, ProtoDUNE at CERN). The technology of a monitored beam has been proven to be feasible and cost-effective, and the complexity does not exceed significantly the one of a conventional short-baseline beam. The Snowmass 2021 DPF Community Planning Exercise is thus timely for the consideration of monitored neutrino beams hosting the next generation of cross section experiments. The ENUBET results will play an important role in the systematic reduction programme of future long baseline experiments, thus enhancing the physics reach of DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande. In this document, we summarize the ENUBET design, physics performance and opportunities for its implementation in a timescale comparable with DUNE.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

The European Spallation Source neutrino Super Beam

In this Snowmass 2021 white paper, we summarise the Conceptual Design of the European Spallation Source neutrino Super Beam (ESSvSB) experiment and its synergies with the possible future muon based facilities, e.g. a Low Energy nuSTORM and the Muon Collider. The ESSvSB will benefit from the high power, 5 MW, of the European Spallation Source (ESS) LINAC in Lund-Sweden to produce the world most intense neutrino beam, enabling measurements to be made at the second oscillation maximum. Assuming a ten-year exposure, physics simulations show that the CP-invariance violation can be established with a significance of 5 sigma over more than 70% of all values of delta CP and with an error in the measurement of the delta CP angle of less than 8 degree for all values of delta CP. However, several technological and physics challenges must be further studied before achieving a final Technical Design. Measuring at the 2nd oscillation maximum necessitates a very intense neutrino beam with the appropriate energy. For this, the ESS proton beam LINAC, which is designed to produce the world's most intense neutron beam, will need to be upgraded to 10 MW power, 2.5 GeV energy and 28 Hz beam pulse repetition rate. An accumulator ring will be required for the compression of the ESS LINAC beam pulse from 2.86 ms to 1.3 mus. A high power target station facility will be needed to produce a well-focused intense (super) mu-neutrino beam. The physics performance of that neutrino Super Beam in conjunction with a megaton underground Water Cherenkov neutrino far detector installed at a distance of either 360 km or 540 km from the ESS, the baseline, has been evaluated.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2021

Updated physics performance of the ESSnuSB experiment

In this paper, we present the physics performance of the ESSnuSB experiment in the standard three flavor scenario using the updated neutrino flux calculated specifically for the ESSnuSB configuration and updated migration matrices for the far detector. Taking conservative systematic uncertainties corresponding to a normalization error of $5\%$ for signal and $10\%$ for background, we find that there is $10σ$ $(13σ)$ CP violation discovery sensitivity for the baseline option of 540 km (360 km) at $δ_{\rm CP} = \pm 90^\circ$. The corresponding fraction of $δ_{\rm CP}$ for which CP violation can be discovered at more than $5 σ$ is $70\%$. Regarding CP precision measurements, the $1σ$ error associated with $δ_{\rm CP} = 0^\circ$ is around $5^\circ$ and with $δ_{\rm CP} = -90^\circ$ is around $14^\circ$ $(7^\circ)$ for the baseline option of 540 km (360 km). For hierarchy sensitivity, one can have $3σ$ sensitivity for 540 km baseline except $δ_{\rm CP} = \pm 90^\circ$ and $5σ$ sensitivity for 360 km baseline for all values of $δ_{\rm CP}$. The octant of $θ_{23}$ can be determined at $3 σ$ for the values of: $θ_{23} > 51^\circ$ ($θ_{23} < 42^\circ$ and $θ_{23} > 49^\circ$) for baseline of 540 km (360 km). Regarding measurement precision of the atmospheric mixing parameters, the allowed values at $3 σ$ are: $40^\circ < θ_{23} < 52^\circ$ ($42^\circ < θ_{23} < 51.5^\circ$) and $2.485 \times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2 < Δm^2_{31} < 2.545 \times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ ($2.49 \times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2 < Δm^2_{31} < 2.54 \times 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$) for the baseline of 540 km (360 km).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Coded masks for imaging of neutrino events

The capture of scintillation light emitted by liquid Argon and Xenon under molecular excitations by charged particles is still a challenging task. Here we present a first attempt to design a device able to grab sufficiently high luminosity in order to reconstruct the path of ionizing particles. This preliminary study is based on the use of masks to encode the light signal combined with single-photon detectors. In this respect, the proposed system is able to detect tracks over focal distances of about tens of centimeters. From numerical simulations it emerges that it is possible to successfully decode and recognize signals, even complex, with a relatively limited number of acquisition channels. Such innovative technique can be very fruitful in a new generation of detectors devoted to neutrino physics and dark matter search. Indeed the introduction of coded masks combined with SiPM detectors is proposed for a liquid-Argon target in the Near Detector of the DUNE experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

A New Generation of Neutrino Cross Section Experiments: Challenges and Opportunities

Our knowledge of neutrino cross sections at the GeV scale, instrumental to test CP symmetry violation in the leptonic sector, has grown substantially in the last two decades. Still, their precision and understanding are far from the standard needed in contemporary neutrino physics. Nowadays, the knowledge of the neutrino cross-section at $O(10\%)$ causes the main systematic uncertainty in oscillation experiments and jeopardizes their physics reach. In this paper, we envision the opportunities for a new generation of cross section experiments to be run in parallel with DUNE and HyperKamiokande. We identify the most prominent physics goals by looking at the theory and experimental limitations of the previous generation of experiments. We highlight the priorities in the theoretical understanding of GeV cross-sections and the experimental challenges of this new generation of facilities.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Search for Double-Beta Decay of $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$ to the $0^+$ States of $\mathrm{^{130}Xe}$ with CUORE

The CUORE experiment is a large bolometric array searching for the lepton number violating neutrino-less double beta decay ($0νββ$) in the isotope $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$. In this work we present the latest results on two searches for the double beta decay (DBD) of $\mathrm{^{130}Te}$ to the first $0^{+}_2$ excited state of $\mathrm{^{130}Xe}$: the $0νββ$ decay and the Standard Model-allowed two-neutrinos double beta decay ($2νββ$). Both searches are based on a 372.5 kg$\times$yr TeO$_2$ exposure. The de-excitation gamma rays emitted by the excited Xe nucleus in the final state yield a unique signature, which can be searched for with low background by studying coincident events in two or more bolometers. The closely packed arrangement of the CUORE crystals constitutes a significant advantage in this regard. The median limit setting sensitivities at 90\% Credible Interval (C.I.) of the given searches were estimated as $\mathrm{S^{0ν}_{1/2} = 5.6 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the ${0νββ}$ decay and $\mathrm{S^{2ν}_{1/2} = 2.1 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the ${2νββ}$ decay. No significant evidence for either of the decay modes was observed and a Bayesian lower bound at $90\%$ C.I. on the decay half lives is obtained as: $\mathrm{(T_{1/2})^{0ν}_{0^+_2} > 5.9 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the $0νββ$ mode and $\mathrm{(T_{1/2})^{2ν}_{0^+_2} > 1.3 \times 10^{24} \: \mathrm{yr}}$ for the $2νββ$ mode. These represent the most stringent limits on the DBD of $^{130}$Te to excited states and improve by a factor $\sim5$ the previous results on this process.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

Enhancement of the X-Arapuca photon detection device for the DUNE experiment

In the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), the VUV LAr luminescence is collected by light trap devices named X-Arapuca, sizing (480x93) mm2. Six thousand of these units will be deployed in the first DUNE ten kiloton far detector module. In this work we present the first characterization of the photon detection efficiency of an X-Arapuca device sizing (200x75) mm2 via a complete and accurate set of measurements along the cell longitudinal axis with a movable 241-Am source. The MPPCs photosensors are readout by a cryogenic transimpedance amplifier to enhance the single photoelectron sensitivity and improve the signal-to-noise while ganging 8 MPPC for a total surface of 288 mm2. Moreover we developed a new photon downshifting polymeric material, by which the X-Arapuca photon detection efficiency was enhanced of about +50% with respect to the baseline off-shell product deployed in the standard device configuration. The achieved results are compared to previous measurements on a half size X-Arapuca device, with a fixed source facing the center, with no cold amplification stage, and discussed in view of the DUNE full size optical cell construction for both the horizontal and the vertical drift configurations of the DUNE TPC design and in view of liquid Argon doping by ppms of Xe. Other particle physics projects adopting Liquid Argon as target or active veto, as Dark Side and LEGEND or the DUNE Near Detector will take advantage of this novel wavelength shifting material.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Design and diagnostics of high-precision accelerator neutrino beams

Neutrino oscillation physics has entered a new precision era, which poses major challenges to the level of control and diagnostics of the neutrino beams. In this paper, we review the design of high-precision beams, their current limitations, and the latest techniques envisaged to overcome such limits. We put emphasis on "monitored neutrino beams" and advanced diagnostics to determine the flux and flavor of the neutrinos produced at the source at the per-cent level. We also discuss ab-initio measurements of the neutrino energy -- i.e. measurements performed without relying on the event reconstruction at the neutrino detector -- to remove any flux-induced bias in the determination of the cross sections.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2020

The ENUBET Beamline

The ENUBET ERC project (2016-2021) is studying a narrow band neutrino beam where lepton production can be monitored at single particle level in an instrumented decay tunnel. This would allow to measure $ν_μ$ and $ν_{e}$ cross sections with a precision improved by about one order of magnitude compared to present results. In this proceeding we describe a first realistic design of the hadron beamline based on a dipole coupled to a pair of quadrupole triplets along with the optimisation guidelines and the results of a simulation based on G4beamline. A static focusing design, though less efficient than a horn-based solution, results several times more efficient than originally expected. It works with slow proton extractions reducing drastically pile-up effects in the decay tunnel and it paves the way towards a time-tagged neutrino beam. On the other hand a horn-based transferline would ensure higher yields at the tunnel entrance. The first studies conducted at CERN to implement the synchronization between a few ms proton extraction and a horn pulse of 2-10 ms are also described.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2020

The hadronic beamline of the ENUBET neutrino beam

The ENUBET ERC project (2016-2021) is studying a facility based on a narrow band beam capable of constraining the neutrino fluxes normalization through the monitoring of the associated charged leptons in an instrumented decay tunnel. A key element of the project is the design and optimization of the hadronic beamline. In this proceeding we present progress on the studies of the proton extraction schemes. We also show a realistic implementation and simulation of the beamline.

physics.acc-ph↗