arXiv subjects

Nadia Pastrone

Publications and source records attributed to Nadia Pastrone.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measurement of 80-200 MeV/n $^{16}$O nuclear cross-section on Carbon and Polyethylene targets with the nuclear emulsion detector of the FOOT experiment

Accurate knowledge of nuclear fragmentation cross-sections is essential for optimizing charged particle therapy. In this study, conducted within the framework of the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment, we present the first measurements with a large angular acceptance of total charge-changing cross-section and the cross-section for the production of fragments (production cross-section) for $^{16}$O ions interacting with Carbon (C) and Polyethylene (C$_2$H$_4$) targets in the kinetic energy range of 80 to 200 MeV/nucleon. Measurements were performed using the Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC) technique, which combines high spatial resolution and angular acceptance, up to 45$^\circ$. The results are compared with Monte Carlo model predictions. Moreover, the total charge-changing and fragment production cross-sections for $^{16}$O on Hydrogen in the same energy range are derived.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

MUSIC: A Multi-Purpose Detector Concept for Physics at the 10 TeV Muon Collider

This work presents a proof of concept for MUSIC, a multi-purpose detector conceived for high-precision and ultra-high-energy physics studies in the challenging environment of $\sqrt{s}=10$ TeV muon-antimuon collisions. The detector features a central tracking system, electromagnetic and hadronic calorimeters, and dedicated muon detectors. This paper outlines the main design elements of each subdetector, with an emphasis on the effects of machine-induced backgrounds and the reconstruction strategies employed for key physics objects. Performance results for electrons, photons, muons, and jets are reported, and studies of jet flavour identification are discussed.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Higgs Physics at a $\sqrt{s}=3$ TeV Muon Collider with detailed detector simulation

The Muon Collider is one of the most promising future collider facilities with the potential to reach multi-TeV center-of-mass energy and high luminosity. Due to the significant Higgs boson production cross section in muon collisions at these high energies, the collider can be considered a Higgs factory. It holds the capability to significantly advance our understanding of the Higgs sector to an unprecedented level of precision. However, the presence of beam-induced background resulting from the decay of the beam muons poses unique challenges for detector development and event reconstruction. In this paper, the prospects for various measurements of the Higgs boson production cross sections at a $\sqrt{s}=3$ TeV collider are presented using a detailed detector simulation in a realistic environment. The study demonstrates the feasibility of achieving high precision measurements of the Higgs boson production cross sections with the current state-of-the-art detector design. In addition, the paper discusses the detector requirements necessary for obtaining such resolutions and for measuring the Higgs trilinear self-coupling.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

A Compensated Design of the LGAD Gain Layer

In this contribution, we present an innovative design of the Low-Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) gain layer, the p$^+$ implant responsible for the local and controlled signal multiplication. In the standard LGAD design, the gain layer is obtained by implanting $\sim$ 5E16/cm$^3$ atoms of an acceptor material, typically Boron or Gallium, in the region below the n$^{++}$ electrode. In our design, we aim at designing a gain layer resulting from the overlap of a p$^+$ and an n$^+$ implants: the difference between acceptor and donor doping will result in an effective concentration of about 5E16/cm$^3$, similar to standard LGADs. At present, the gain mechanism of LGAD sensors under irradiation is maintained up to a fluence of $\sim$ 1-2E15/cm$^2$, and then it is lost due to the acceptor removal mechanism. The new design will be more resilient to radiation, as both acceptor and donor atoms will undergo removal with irradiation, but their difference will maintain constant. The compensated design will empower the 4D tracking ability typical of the LGAD sensors well above 1E16/cm$^2$.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Simulated Detector Performance at the Muon Collider

In this paper we report on the current status of studies on the expected performance for a detector designed to operate in a muon collider environment. Beam-induced backgrounds (BIB) represent the main challenge in the design of the detector and the event reconstruction algorithms. The current detector design aims to show that satisfactory performance can be achieved, while further optimizations are expected to significantly improve the overall performance. We present the characterization of the expected beam-induced background, describe the detector design and software used for detailed event simulations taking into account BIB effects. The expected performance of charged-particle reconstruction, jets, electrons, photons and muons is discussed, including an initial study on heavy-flavor jet tagging. A simple method to measure the delivered luminosity is also described. Overall, the proposed design and reconstruction algorithms can successfully reconstruct the high transverse-momentum objects needed to carry out a broad physics program.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Promising Technologies and R&D Directions for the Future Muon Collider Detectors

Among the post-LHC generation of particle accelerators, the muon collider represents a unique machine with capability to provide very high energy leptonic collisions and to open the path to a vast and mostly unexplored physics programme. However, on the experimental side, such great physics potential is accompanied by unprecedented technological challenges, due to the fact that muons are unstable particles. Their decay products interact with the machine elements and produce an intense flux of background particles that eventually reach the detector and may degrade its performance. In this paper, we present technologies that have a potential to match the challenging specifications of a muon collider detector and outline a path forward for the future R&D efforts.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Muon Collider Physics Summary

The perspective of designing muon colliders with high energy and luminosity, which is being investigated by the International Muon Collider Collaboration, has triggered a growing interest in their physics reach. We present a concise summary of the muon colliders potential to explore new physics, leveraging on the unique possibility of combining high available energy with very precise measurements.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

The physics case of a 3 TeV muon collider stage

In the path towards a muon collider with center of mass energy of 10 TeV or more, a stage at 3 TeV emerges as an appealing option. Reviewing the physics potential of such muon collider is the main purpose of this document. In order to outline the progression of the physics performances across the stages, a few sensitivity projections for higher energy are also presented. There are many opportunities for probing new physics at a 3 TeV muon collider. Some of them are in common with the extensively documented physics case of the CLIC 3 TeV energy stage, and include measuring the Higgs trilinear coupling and testing the possible composite nature of the Higgs boson and of the top quark at the 20 TeV scale. Other opportunities are unique of a 3 TeV muon collider, and stem from the fact that muons are collided rather than electrons. This is exemplified by studying the potential to explore the microscopic origin of the current $g$-2 and $B$-physics anomalies, which are both related with muons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

The FragmentatiOn Of Target Experiment (FOOT) and its DAQ system

The FragmentatiOn Of Target (FOOT) experiment aims to provide precise nuclear cross-section measurements for two different fields: hadrontherapy and radio-protection in space. The main reason is the important role the nuclear fragmentation process plays in both fields, where the health risks caused by radiation are very similar and mainly attributable to the fragmentation process. The FOOT experiment has been developed in such a way that the experimental setup is easily movable and fits the space limitations of the experimental and treatment rooms available in hadrontherapy treatment centers, where most of the data takings are carried out. The Trigger and Data Acquisition system needs to follow the same criteria and it should work in different laboratories and in different conditions. It has been designed to acquire the largest sample size with high accuracy in a controlled and online-monitored environment. The data collected are processed in real-time for quality assessment and are available to the DAQ crew and detector experts during data taking.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Muon Colliders: Opening New Horizons for Particle Physics

Particle colliders have arguably been the most important instruments for particle physics over the past 50 years. As they became more powerful, they were used to push the frontier of our knowledge into previously uncharted territory. The LHC, the highest energy collider to date, at which the Higgs boson was discovered, is a prime example. To continue along the road into the Terra Promissa beyond the Standard Model requires colliders with energy reach even greater than that of the LHC. Beams of muons offer enormous potential for the exploration of the energy frontier. Since the muon is a fundamental particle, its full energy is available in collisions in contrast to protons which are composed of quarks and gluons. However, muon beams decay rapidly, which presents a special challenge for a collider. Recent research indicates that the technologies required to overcome this challenge are within our grasp and may offer a cost-effective and energy-efficient option to continue our explorations. A new international collaboration is forming to bring together the diverse expertise and complementary capabilities from around the world to realize the muon collider as the next-generation energy-frontier discovery machine.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2020

Detector and Physics Performance at a Muon Collider

A muon collider represents the ideal machine to reach very high center-of-mass energies and luminosities by colliding elementary particles. This is the result of the low level of beamstrahlung and synchrotron radiation compared to linear or circular electron-positron colliders. In contrast with other lepton machines, the design of a detector for a multi-TeV muon collider requires the knowledge of the interaction region due to the presence of a large amount of background induced by muon beam decays. The physics reaches can be properly evaluated only when the detector performance is determined. In this work, the background generated by muon beams of $750$ GeV is characterized and the performance of the tracking system and the calorimeter detector are illustrated. Solutions to minimize the effect of the beam-induced background are discussed and applied to obtain track and jet reconstruction performance. The $μ^+μ^-\to Hν\barν\to b\bar b ν\barν$ process is fully simulated and reconstructed to demonstrate that physics measurements are possible in this harsh environment. The precision on Higgs boson coupling to $b\bar b$ is evaluated for $\sqrt{s}=1.5$, 3, and 10 TeV and compared to other proposed machines.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2019

Preliminary Report on the Study of Beam-Induced Background Effects at a Muon Collider

Physics at a multi-TeV muon collider needs a change of perspective for the detector design due to the large amount of background induced by muon beam decays. Preliminary studies, based on simulated data, on the composition and the characteristics of the particles originated from the muon decays and reaching the detectors are presented here. The reconstruction performance of the physics processes $H\to b\bar b$ and $Z\to b\bar b$ has been investigated for the time being without the effect of the machine induced background. A preliminary study of the environment hazard due to the radiation induced by neutrino interactions with the matter is presented using the FLUKA simulation program.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2019

Muon Colliders

Muon colliders have a great potential for high-energy physics. They can offer collisions of point-like particles at very high energies, since muons can be accelerated in a ring without limitation from synchrotron radiation. However, the need for high luminosity faces technical challenges which arise from the short muon lifetime at rest and the difficulty of producing large numbers of muons in bunches with small emittance. Addressing these challenges requires the development of innovative concepts and demanding technologies. The document summarizes the work done, the progress achieved and new recent ideas on muon colliders. A set of further studies and actions is also identified to advance in the field. Finally, a set of recommendations is listed in order to make the muon technology mature enough to be favourably considered as a candidate for high-energy facilities in the future.

physics.acc-ph↗