Lifetime measurements of novel ultra-fast PMTs for kaon tagging at the NA62 experiment at CERN

粒子物理学研究物质的基本成分及其相互作用。未来在粒子物理精密前沿的实验中，使用高强度粒子束进行的一个核心要求是测量光子时间到10皮秒精度的能力。此外，在这些实验中使用的光传感器应该具有较长的寿命，以便在高粒子速率的环境中长期工作。该项目的重点是描述一种新型光电倍增管原型，作为寿命的函数，直到寿命的非常高的值。测量的成功结果将使这些光传感器能够在依赖超精确定时的下一代高亮度粒子物理实验中部署，代表了粒子物理中光子探测技术的进步。除了在粒子物理学中立即使用切伦科夫和飞行时间粒子识别探测器（从欧洲核子研究中心的NA62实验开始，英国小组在其中发挥了主要作用），拟议的研究可能会为核医学的快速成像开辟尚未探索的途径。为该项目采购的最先进的实验室设备将可供共享使用，以使伯明翰粒子物理小组和其他英国小组承担的多个stfc支持的粒子物理项目受益。

Particle physics studies the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions. A central requirement for future experiments at the precision frontier of particle physics, which are carried out using high-intensity particle beams, is the capability of measuring photon times to a 10 picosecond precision. Moreover the photosensors used on these experiments should have large lifetimes to enable long-term operation in the high particle rate environments.The project is focused on characterisation of a novel photomultiplier prototype as a function of lifetime, up to the very high values of the lifetime. The successful outcome of the measurements would enable deployment of these photosensors in the next generation high-luminosity particle physics experiments relying on ultra-precise timing, representing a step forward in photon detection technology in particle physics. In addition to immediate use for Cherenkov and time-of-flight particle identification detectors in particle physics (starting from the NA62 experiment at CERN, in which the UK group plays a major role), the proposed research may open unexplored avenues for fast imaging in nuclear medicine.The state-of-the-art laboratory equipment procured for the project will be available for shared use for the benefit of multiple STFC-supported particle physics projects undertaken by the Birmingham particle physics group and other UK groups.