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Development of ultra-fast photon detection systems

超快光子探测系统的开发

基本信息

批准号：
ST/L002256/1
负责人：
Bjoern Seitz
金额：
$ 22.84万
依托单位：
University of Glasgow
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2014
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2014 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FL002256%2F1
关键词：
Development ultra fast photon detection

项目摘要

Future experiments in nuclear, hadronic and particle physics rely on the identification and complete, precise determination of the four-momentum vector of all reaction products. Imaging Cherenkov detector are an invaluable tool in providing this information. Charged particle traversing a dielectric medium with a speed greater than the speed of light inside the medium emit a come of Cherenkov radiations. The opening angle of this cone is (for a given refractive index of the radiator medium) a measure of the particles's velocity. This provides, combined with an independent moment measurement, a powerful method to infer the mass of the particle in question. Imaging Cherenkov detectors current under development can be categories in two classes, classical Ring Imaging CHerenkov (RICH) counters and counters using the Detection of Internally Reflected Cherenkov light (DIRC). The RICH principle uses the light emitted from the radiator into an expansion volume to image the Cherenkov cone, while the DIRC principle relies on the optical properties of the radiator itself to propagate the light internally towards a photon detection array. The latter technique is also studied for energy and time-of-flight measurements. The UK nuclear physics community is involved in three exciting new detector developments for precision studies of the strong interaction, the PANDA disc DIRC, the upgrade of the CLAS 12 detector with an Aerogel RICH and conceptual studies for the DIRC detector at a future electron-ion collider EIC. The nuclear physics group at the University of Glasgow is leading the development of the PANDA disc DIRC and the development and testing of the photon detection system for the CLAS 12 RICH.These detector systems rely on segmented, high rate and high granularity, single photon capable detection devices. All detector systems will have to operate within or in the vicinity of a strong magnetic field. Their photon detection systems require a large filling fraction and a compact geometry. Our current and previous tests demonstrated that none of the available commercial solutions fulfil the criteria for future Cherenkov counters in nuclear and particle physics. We propose to develop and test a new generation of photon detectors together with research and industrial partners in the UK, Kelvin Nanotechnology, Kelvin/Rutherford laboratory and Photek.The project comprised test of gain, homogeneity, rate dependence, time resolution, cathode lifetime and photon detection efficiency. These studies will be complemented by simulation studies of the detectors themselves and their properties in applications. The performance will be tested in laboratories at Photek and the University of Glasgow and by using existing Cherenkov prototypes in electron and hadron beams at the University of Strathclyde, GSI and CERN.The principal investigator of this project is leading the European Joint Research Activity "CherenkovImaging" which complements the proposed research e.g. for applications at COSY, Juelich, Germany. Furthermore we are closely collaborating with UK institutions involved in the TORCH project, a proposed upgrade of the LHCb detector based on adapting the PANDA disc DIRC design to time-of-flight measurements, and the ATLAS Forward Physics group.The properties of the photon detection system investigated are of great interest beyond the boundaries of fundamental nuclear and particle physics research. Its application in future medical imaging modalities like Time-of-Flight PET or PET/MRI fusion, is obvious. Less obvious, but potentially equally important, it could greatly enhance the current capabilities of studying time resolved fluorescence phenomena in cell research and other life-science applications. THe principle investigator and his group are currently conducting a pilot study into these applications in collaboration with the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research.

未来在核、强子和粒子物理方面的实验依赖于对所有反应产物的四动量矢量的识别和完整、精确的确定。成像切伦科夫探测器是提供这一信息的宝贵工具。带电粒子以高于介质内部光速的速度穿过介质，发出切伦科夫辐射。该锥体的张开角(对于给定的散热器介质的折射率)是粒子速度的量度。与独立的矩测量相结合，这提供了一种强有力的方法来推断所讨论的粒子的质量。目前正在开发的成像切伦科夫探测器可以分为两类，经典的环形成像切伦科夫(RICH)计数器和使用内反射切伦科夫光检测(DIRC)的计数器。RICH原理使用从辐射器发射到扩展体积中的光来成像切伦科夫锥体，而DIRC原理依赖于辐射器本身的光学属性来将光在内部传播到光子探测阵列。后一种技术也被用于能量和飞行时间的测量。英国核物理界参与了三项令人振奋的新探测器开发，用于对强相互作用的精确研究，熊猫圆盘DIRC，用丰富的气凝胶升级Clas 12探测器，以及未来电子-离子对撞机EIC的DIRC探测器的概念研究。格拉斯哥大学的核物理小组正在领导熊猫圆盘DIRC的开发，以及12级RICH的光子探测系统的开发和测试。这些探测器系统依赖于分段、高速率和高粒度的单光子探测设备。所有探测器系统都必须在强磁场内或其附近运行。它们的光子探测系统需要很大的填充比例和紧凑的几何结构。我们目前和以前的测试表明，现有的商业解决方案都不符合未来核物理和粒子物理切伦科夫计数器的标准。我们建议与英国的研究和工业合作伙伴、开尔文纳米技术公司、开尔文/卢瑟福实验室和Photek一起开发和测试新一代光子探测器。该项目包括测试增益、均匀性、速率相关性、时间分辨率、阴极寿命和光子探测效率。这些研究将通过对探测器本身及其在应用中的特性的模拟研究来补充。该性能将在Photek和格拉斯哥大学的实验室中进行测试，并使用斯特拉斯克莱德大学、GSI和欧洲核子研究中心现有的电子和强子束切伦科夫原型进行测试。该项目的主要研究员正在领导欧洲联合研究活动“Cherenkov成像”，该活动是对拟议的研究的补充，例如在德国Juelich COSY的应用。此外，我们正在与参与TORCH项目的英国机构密切合作，该项目是一项基于使熊猫圆盘DIRC设计适用于飞行时间测量的LHCb探测器的拟议升级，以及ATLAS前向物理小组。所研究的光子探测系统的特性超出了基础核物理和粒子物理研究的界限。它在未来的医学成像方式中的应用是显而易见的，比如飞行时间PET或PET/MRI融合。不那么明显，但潜在同样重要的是，它可以极大地提高目前在细胞研究和其他生命科学应用中研究时间分辨荧光现象的能力。这位首席研究员和他的团队目前正在与比特森癌症研究所合作对这些应用进行试点研究。