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We describe the development of a proton Computed Tomography (pCT) scanner at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in collaboration with Fermilab and Delhi University. This paper provides an overview of major components of the scanner and a detailed description of the data acquisition system (DAQ).
RENO (Reactor Experiment for Neutrino Oscillation) is an experiment dedicated to measure the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_13 using reactor neutrinos in Korea. Our first result measured in 2012 using about 220 live days of data showed non-zero θ_13 value with 4.9 σ significance. In March 2013 we updated our first result with improvements in both statistical and systematic errors using 403 live days of data. The measured value using rate-only analysis is sin^2(2θ_13) = 0.100 +/- 0.010 (stat) +/- 0.015 (sys.) corresponding to 6.3 σ significance. RENO has been taking data almost continuously since August 2011 and we have reached more than 800 live days of data that is currently being analyzed.
In ground-based extensive air shower experiments, the direction and energy are reconstructed by measuring the relative arrival time of secondary particles, and the energy they deposit. The measurement precision of the arrival time is crucial for determination of the angular resolution. For this purpose, we need to obtain a precise relative time offset for each detector, and to apply the calibration process. The time offset is associated with the photomultiplier tube, cable, relevant electronic circuits, etc. In view of the transit time through long cables being heavily dependent on the ambient temperature, a real-time calibration method for the cable transit time is investigated in this paper. Even with a poor-resolution time-to-digital converter, this method can achieve high precision. This has been successfully demonstrated with the Front-End-Electronic board used in the Daya Bay neutrino experiment.
Barium fluoride (BaF$_2$) crystal scintillators are promising detectors to search for double beta decay processes in $^{130}$Ba ($Q_{2β}$ = 2619(3) keV) and $^{132}$Ba ($Q_{2β}$ = 844(1) keV). The $^{130}$Ba isotope is of particular interest because of the indications on 2$β$ decay found in two geochemical experiments. The radioactive contamination of BaF$_2$ scintillation crystal with mass of 1.714 kg was measured over 113.4 hours in a low-background DAMA/R&D set-up deep underground (3600 m w.e.) at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories of INFN (LNGS, Italy). The half-life of $^{212}$Po (present in the crystal scintillator due to contamination by radium) was estimated as $T_{1/2}$ = 298.8 $\pm$ 0.8(stat.) $\pm$ 1.4(syst.) ns by analysis of the events pulse profiles.
We report here the characterization (temperature coefficients and noise level) of selected voltage references in the frequency range from 10^(-5) to 10 Hz. The goal of this work is to update previous studies, with a characterization at lower frequencies, and find voltage references that may be suitable for the space-based interferometry mission eLISA. The requirements of relative output stability of 1 ppm/$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$ down to 0.1 mHz were not met by any of the tested devices, but 4 references approaches the objective : the AD587UQ, the MAX6126AASA50, the LT1021-BCN8-5 and the LT6655BHM. While the first three were already identified as potential devices in previous studies, the later is a new promising candidate using a different technology (bandgap).
High-precision flavor physics measurements play a complementary role to the direct searches for new physics by CMS and ATLAS experiments at LHC. Such measurements will be performed with the Belle II detector at the upgraded KEKB accelerator (SuperKEKB) in Japan. The physics potential with emphasis on the charm sector, current status and future prospects of the Belle II experiment are presented in these proceedings.
Alpha from natural radioactivity may interact with a nucleus and emit a neutron. The reaction introduces background to the liquid scintillator (LS) based neutrino experiments. In the LS detector, alpha comes from 238U, 232Th and 210Po decay chains. For Gadolinium-doped LS (Gd-LS) detector, alpha also comes from 227Ac. The nucleus 13C is a natural component of Carbon which is rich in the LS. The background rate and spectrum should be subtracted carefully from the neutrino candidates. This paper describes the calculation of neutron yield and spectrum with uncertainty estimated. The results are relevant for many existing neutrino experiments and future LS or Gd-LS based experiments.
We searched for solar hidden photons in the visible photon energy range using a hidden photon detector add-on attached to Sumico. It consists of a parabolic mirror of dia. 0.5m and f=1m installed in a vacuum chamber, and a low noise photomultiplier tube at the focal point. No evidence for the existence of hidden photons was found in the latest measurement giving a new limit on the photon-hidden photon mixing parameter in the hidden photon mass range 0.001-1eV.
The INFN and the ICARUS collaboration originally developed the technology of the LAr-TPC. Located the underground LNGS Hall-B, the ICARUS T600 detector has been performed over three years with remarkable detection efficiency featuring a smooth operation, high live time, and high reliability. About 3000 CNGS neutrino events have been collected and are being actively analyzed. ICARUS will now be moved to CERN for an extensive R&D program. The T600 detector will be overhauled and complemented with a similar T150 detector. These improvements are performed in collaboration with the LBNE experiment, of which several INFN Institutions are now members. As a novelty, a SC magnetic field of about 1 T will be introduced. During 2016 it is proposed to move the experiment to FNAL where short base line neutrino beams are available, complementing the approved MicroBooNe experiment which will start operation in 2014. The ICARUS detectors at FNAL will be an important addition since, in absence of anomalies, the signals of several detectors at different distances from the target should be a copy of each other for all experimental signatures. Due to the reduced mass, in MicroBooNE the anti-neutrino signal is too weak for a sensitive comparison. Hence, a definitive clarification of the LSND anomaly requires the exploration of the anti-neutrino signal provided by the much larger T600. The magnetic field will allow separating the anti-neutrino signal from the neutrino-induced background. It is proposed to expose the T600 at the Booster NuBeam at ~700 m from target; the T150 will be located at ~150 m. The T600 will also receive >10^4 nu_e events/year from the off-axis NUMI beam peaked around 1 GeV and exploitable to prepare for the LBNE experiment. The ICARUS teams are also interested in extending the participation to other short baseline neutrino activities collaborating with existing FNAL groups.
Measurement procedures of most rise-and-fall absolute gravimeters has to resolve singularity at the apex of the trajectory caused by the discrete fringe counting in the Michelson-type interferometers. Traditionally the singularity is addressed by implementing non-linear models of the trajectory, but they introduce problems of their own, such as biasness, non-uniqueness, and instability of the gravity estimates. Using IMGC-02 gravimeter as example, we show that the measurement procedure of the rise-and-fall gravimeters can be based on the linear models which successfully resolve the singularity and provide rigorous estimates of the gravity value. The linear models also facilitate further enhancements of the instrument, such as accounting for new types of disturbances and active compensation for the vibrations.
For radiation protection and environmental impact assessment purpose, the radioactivity induced by carbon ion of Heavy Ion Medical Machine (HIMM) was studied. Radionuclides in accelerator component, cooling water and air at target area which are induced from primary beam and secondary particles are simulated by FLUKA Monte Carlo code. It is found that radioactivity in cooling water and air is not very important at the required beam intensity and energy which is needed for treatment, radionuclides in accelerator component may cause some problem for maintenance work, suitable cooling time is needed after the machine are shut down.
The CMOS camera found in many cellphones is sensitive to ionized electrons. Gamma rays penetrate into the phone and produce ionized electrons that are then detected by the camera. Thermal noise and other noise needs to be removed on the phone, which requires an algorithm that has relatively low memory and computational requirements. The continuous high-delta algorithm described fits those requirements. Only a small fraction of the energy of even the electron is deposited in the camera sensor, so direct methods of measuring the energy cannot be used. The fraction of groups of lit up pixels that are lines is correlated with the energy of the gamma rays. This correlation under certain conditions allows limited low resolution energy resolution to be performed.
In this paper, we propose an experiment for the precise measurements of very forward particle production at RHIC. The proposal is to install a LHCf-like calorimeter in the ZDC installation slot at one of the RHIC interaction points. By installing a high-resolution electromagnetic calorimeter at this location we measure the spectra of photons, neutrons and pi0 at pseudo rapidity eta above 6. The new measurements at 500 GeV p-p collisions contribute to improve the hadronic interaction models used in the cosmic-ray air shower simulations. Using a similar kinematic coverage at RHIC to that of the measurements at LHC, we can test the Feynman scaling with a wide energy range and make the extrapolation of models into cosmic-ray energy more reliable. Combination of a high position resolution of the LHCf detector and a high energy resolution of the ZDC makes it possible to determine pT of forward neutrons with the ever best resolution. This enables us to study the forward neutron spin asymmetry discovered at RHIC in more detail. Another new experiment expected at RHIC is world-first light-ion collisions. Cosmic-ray interaction models have been so far tested with accelerator data, but colliders have provided only p-p and heavy-ion collisions. To simulate the interaction between cosmic-ray particles and atmosphere, collision of light ions like nitrogen is a ultimate goal for the cosmic-ray physics. We propose 200 GeV p-N collisions together with 200 GeV p-p collisions to study the nuclear effects in the forward particle production. The experiment can be performed by using the existing LHCf detector. Considering the geometry and response of one of the LHCf detectors, we propose some short dedicated operations. Ideal beam conditions are summarized in this paper. Our basic idea is to bring one of the LHCf detectors to RHIC and then operate from 2016 season at RHIC.
This paper introduces the development and testing of an experimental apparatus for characterization of a direct charging nuclear battery. The battery consists of a parallel-plates capacitor which is charged in a vacuum by the current of β-radiation particles (electrons) emitted from a radioisotope. A 63Ni radioisotope with an activity of 15mCi that produces a 20pA current was selected as the radiation source. The apparatus is unique in its design, having ultra-low leakage current and a few options for charge measurements. Preliminary results of a few tests are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the apparatus.
The Precision IceCube Next Generation Upgrade (PINGU) is a proposed low-energy in-fill array of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Leveraging technology proven with IceCube, PINGU will feature the world's largest effective volume for neutrinos at an energy threshold of a few GeV, improving the sensitivity to several aspects of neutrino oscillation physics at modest cost. With its unprecedented statistical sample of low-energy atmospheric neutrinos, PINGU will have highly competitive sensitivity to $ν_μ$ disappearance, the $θ_{23}$ octant, and maximal mixing, will make the world's best $ν_τ$ appearance measurement, allowing a unique probe of the unitarity of the PMNS mixing matrix, and will be able to distinguish the neutrino mass ordering at $3σ$ significance with less than 4 years of data. PINGU can also extend the indirect search for solar WIMP dark matter complimentary to the on-going and planned direct dark matter experiments. At the lower end of the energy range, PINGU may use neutrino tomography to directly probe the composition of the Earth's core. With its increased module density, PINGU will improve IceCube's sensitivity to galactic supernova neutrino bursts and enable it to extract the neutrino energy spectral shape.
A new method for measuring \ngr cross sections aiming at enhanced signal-to-background ratio is presented. This new approach is based on the combination of the pulse-height weighting technique with a total energy detection system that features $γ$-ray imaging capability (i-TED). The latter allows one to exploit Compton imaging techniques to discriminate between true capture $γ$-rays arising from the sample under study and background $γ$-rays coming from contaminant neutron (prompt or delayed) captures in the surrounding environment. A general proof-of-concept detection system for this application is presented in this article together with a description of the imaging method and a conceptual demonstration based on Monte Carlo simulations.
A design of an efficient monochromatic electron source for Inverse Photoemission Spectroscopy (IPES) apparatus is described. The electron source consists of a BaO cathode, a focus electrostatic lens, a hemispherical deflection monochromator (HDM), and a transfer electrostatic lens. The HDM adopts a "slit-in and slit-out" structure and the degradation of first-order focusing is corrected by two electrodes between the two hemispheres, which has been investigated by both analytical methods and electron-ray tracing simulations using SIMION program. Through the focus lens, the HDM, and the standard five-element transfer lens, an optimal energy resolution is estimated to be about 53 meV with a beam flux of 27uA. Pass energy (P.E.) of 10 eV and 5 eV are discussed, respectively.
We have carried out a detailed programme to explore the superconducting characteristics of reactive DC-magnetron sputtered NbN. The basic principle is to ignite a plasma using argon, and then to introduce a small additional nitrogen flow to achieve the nitridation of a Nb target. Subsequent sputtering leads to the deposition of NbN onto the host substrate. The characteristics of a sputtered film depend on a number of parameters: argon pressure, nitrogen flow rate and time-evolution profile, substrate material, etc. Crucially, the hysteresis in the target voltage as a function of the nitrogen flow can be used to provide a highly effective monitor of nitrogen consumption during the reactive process. By studying these dependencies we have been able to achieve highly reproducible film characteristics on sapphire, silicon dioxide on silicon, and silicon nitride on silicon. Intrinsic film stress was minimised by optimising the argon pressure, giving NbN films having Tc = 14.65 K. In the paper, we report characteristics such as deposition rate, Residual Resistance Ratio (RRR), film resistivity, transition temperature, and stress, as a function of deposition conditions. In order to enhance our understanding of the microwave properties of the films, we fabricated a wide range of microstrip NbN resonators (half wavelength, quarter wavelength, ring resonators). In the paper, we provide an illustrative result from this work showing a 2.1097 GHz resonator having a Q of 15,962 at 3.3 K.