DUSEL R&D Collaborative Research: Light Amplifier Compressor Photodetector Development for Astroparticle Experiments

该奖项将为开发用于天体粒子物理、宇宙射线现象、核子衰变、中微子振荡和高能物理的新型光电探测器提供资金，这种探测器可以扩展到非常大的尺寸，超过现有的光电倍增管（pmt）。这种光电探测器压缩入射光子的相空间，并放大它们。一个光放大器压缩（LAC）管。该技术基于图像增强器中使用的成熟技术，以及提案人已经构建的预原型的经验。光电子被加速到荧光粉屏幕上，产生的光被波长移位（WLS）光纤收集。由于光电子在荧光粉屏上的轨迹并不重要，因此具有较高的收集效率和几乎同步的光电子到达。考虑了两种配置，一种是平面光电阴极，接近聚焦到平面荧光粉屏幕阳极，并由屏幕后面的WLS光纤读出。另一种是圆柱形光电阴极，径向聚焦到一个更小的圆柱形空心同轴荧光粉阳极上，通过同轴插入阳极圆柱体中心的WLS光纤读出。与球形pmt相比，同等光电阴极面积的真空体积大大减小，真空包层可承受更高的外部压力。对于一个兆吨级的中微子或核子衰变探测器，可以考虑一个直径20-30厘米，长1-2米的圆柱形光学压缩放大器，由一对直径mm的像素探测器读出，沿轴的空间分辨率约为40厘米。更广泛的影响包括光子探测应用，其中低功耗和/或紧凑性在探测现场是必不可少的。这些应用包括空间和卫星应用、CT扫描仪、伽马照相机和荧光仪器。预计至少有六名学生参加这项工作。如果成功的话，从事光电工作的公司也很可能将这项技术用于各种应用。

This award will provide funds to develop a new class of photodetectors for astroparticle physics, cosmic ray phenomena, nucleon decay, neutrino oscillations, and high energy physics, which can scale to very large sizes, exceeding available photomultipliers (PMTs). This photodetector compresses the phase space of the incident photons, and amplifies them ? a Light Amplifier Compressor (LAC) tube. The technology is based on proven techniques used in image intensifiers, and on the experience of a pre-prototype already constructed by the proposers. Photoelectrons are accelerated to a phosphor screen, and the resulting light is collected by wavelength-shifting (WLS) optical fibers. Because the photoelectron trajectories at the phosphor screen are not critical, high collection efficiency and nearly isochronous photoelectron arrivals result. Two configurations are considered, one with a planar photocathode, proximity focused to a planar phosphor screen anode, and readout by WLS fibers behind the screen. The other is a cylindrical photocathode, radially focused onto a much smaller cylindrical hollow coaxial phosphor anode, readout by WLS fibers coaxially inserted into the center of the anode cylinder. Compared with spherical-type PMTs, the vacuum volume for a comparable photocathode area is much reduced, and the vacuum envelope is amenable to much higher external pressures. For a mega-tonne-class neutrino or nucleon decay detector, a 20-30 cm diameter by 1-2 m long cylindrical Optical Compressor Amplifier might be contemplated, readout by a pair of mm diameter pixel detectors, with ~40 cm spatial resolution along the axis. Broader Impacts include photon detection applications where low power and/or compactness are essential at the site of detection. Such applications include space and satellite applications, CT scanners, gamma cameras, and fluorescence instruments. At least six students are anticipated to participate in this work. It is also likely that if successful, companies that work in electro-optics will use the technology for a variety of applications.