Shubhabrata Dutta | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

neBEM: A GPU-accelerated Electrostatic Field Solver

Accurate electric field estimation is critical for the design and optimization of Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs). The nearly exact Boundary Element Method (neBEM) offers high precision field computation but is limited by long CPU runtime arising from its complex analytical formulations. This work presents a comprehensive optimization of the neBEM solver, focusing on a hybrid hardware acceleration strategy using OpenMP for multi-core CPUs and GPU acceleration using NVIDIA's CUDA. A key contribution is the new implementation of a dynamic space charge calculation, which has also been designed to be accelerated by CUDA. This primary acceleration is complemented by enhanced algorithmic optimizations to reduce the complexity of the problem. The proposed implementation achieves substantial speedups while preserving inherent accuracy of the solver. Simulations on staggered thick Gas Electron Multiplier geometries demonstrate agreement with other commercially available field solvers, verifying the fidelity of accelerated neBEM. Benchmarking tests show a significant speedup, enabling rapid yet precise simulations for complex MPGD configurations. These improvements make GPU-accelerated neBEM a practical tool for large-scale detector simulation.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Investigation of Thick-GEM detectors fabricated in India for muography application

Muography, commonly known as muon tomography, is a passive, non-destructive imaging technique that utilizes naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons to visualize the internal density structures of large, static, or inaccessible objects. In course of developing a small prototype muography system for material identification that relies upon the multiple Coulomb scattering of muons in matter, we explored the possible use of Thick-GEM detector as muon tracking device. It is a 5-20 fold scaled-up version of traditional GEM technology, that has become increasingly popular in recent years, owing to its mechanical robustness, cost-effective production, and excellent position sensing capabilities. A few prototypes of this detector of dimension $40\,\mathrm{mm} \times 48\,\mathrm{mm}$ with variation in other design parameters, were manufactured from a local industry. Subsequent to conditioning, detailed characterization of the detectors was performed to validate their suitability in muography applications. To identify the optimal operating region, gain variation was studied under various voltage configurations for both single and double-stage configurations. Experimental measurement of muon detection efficiency across the entire operating range yielded a maximum efficiency of 99.5\% in both cases. Using a collimated Fe$^{55}$-source, the best spatial resolution was determined to be 30 $μ$m for both single and double-stage operation.

physics.ins-det↗