arXiv subjects

Leonardo Perna

Publications and source records attributed to Leonardo Perna.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

High-Precision Alignment Techniques for Realizing an Ultracompact Electromagnetic Calorimeters Using Oriented high-Z Scintillator Crystals

Electromagnetic calorimeters used in high-energy physics and astrophysics rely heavily on high-Z inorganic scintillators, such as lead tungstate (PbWO4 or PWO). The crystalline structure and lattice orientation of inorganic scintillators are frequently underestimated in detector design, even though it is known that the crystalline lattice strongly modifies the features of the electromagnetic processes inside the crystal. A novel method has been developed for precisely bonding PWO crystals with aligned atomic planes within 100 {\mu}rad, exploiting X-ray diffraction (XRD) to accurately measure miscut angles. This method demonstrates the possibility to align a layer of crystals along the same crystallographic direction, opening a new technological path towards the development of next-generation electromagnetic calorimeters.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Particle identification capability of a homogeneous calorimeter composed of oriented crystals

Recent studies have shown that the electromagnetic shower induced by a high-energy electron, positron or photon incident along the axis of an oriented crystal develops in a space more compact than the ordinary. On the other hand, the properties of the hadronic interactions are not affected by the lattice structure. This means that, inside an oriented crystal, the natural difference between the hadronic and the electromagnetic shower profile is strongly accentuated. Thus, a calorimeter composed of oriented crystals could be intrinsically capable of identifying more accurately the nature of the incident particles, with respect to a detector composed only of non-aligned crystals. Since no oriented calorimeter has ever been developed, this possibility remains largely unexplored and can be investigated only by mean of numerical simulations. In this work, we report the first quantitative evaluation of the particle identification capability of such a calorimeter, focusing on the case of neutron-gamma discrimination. We demonstrate through Geant4 simulations that the use of oriented crystals significantly improves the performance of a Random Forest classifier trained on the detector data. This work is a proof that oriented calorimeters could be a viable option for all the environments where particle identification must be performed with a very high accuracy, such as future high-intensity particle physics experiments and satellite-based gamma-ray telescopes.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Strong Enhancement of Electromagnetic Shower Development in Oriented Scintillating Crystals and Implications for Particle Detectors

A particle traversing a crystal aligned with one of its crystallographic axes experiences a strong electromagnetic field that is constant along the direction of motion over macroscopic distances. For $e^\pm$ and $\gamma$-rays with energies above a few $\mathrm{GeV}$, this field is amplified by the Lorentz boost, to the point of exceeding the Schwinger critical field $\mathcal{E}_0 \sim 1.32 \times 10^{16}~\mathrm{V/cm}$. In this regime, nonlinear quantum-electrodynamical effects occur, such as the enhancement of intense electromagnetic radiation emission and pair production, so that the electromagnetic shower development is accelerated and the effective shower length is reduced compared to amorphous materials. We have investigated this phenomenon in lead tungstate (PbWO$_4$), a high-$Z$ scintillator widely used in particle detection. We have observed a substantial increase in scintillation light at small incidence angles with respect to the main lattice axes. Measurements with $120$-$\mathrm{GeV}$ electrons and $\gamma$-rays between $5$ and $100~\mathrm{GeV}$ demonstrate up to a threefold increase in energy deposition in oriented samples. These findings challenge the current models of shower development in crystal scintillators and could guide the development of next-generation accelerator- and space-borne detectors.

hep-ex↗