Cross section measurement for the^(232)Th(n,f)reaction in the 4.50−5.40 MeV region using a time projection chamber

Accurate cross sections of neutron induced fission reactions are required in the design of advanced nuclear systems and the development of fission theory.Time projection chambers(TPCs),with their track reconstruction and particle identification capabilities,are considered the best detectors for high-precision fission cross section measurements.The TPC developed by the back-streaming white neutron source(Back-n)team of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS)was used as the fission fragment detector in measurements.In this study,the cross sections of the ^(232)Th(n,f)reaction at five neutron energies in the 4.50−5.40 MeV region were measured.The fission fragments and α particles were well identified using our TPC,which led to a higher detection efficiency of the fission fragments and smaller uncertainty of the measured cross sections.Ours is the first measurement of the ^(232)Th(n,f)reaction using a TPC for the detection of fission fragments.With uncertainties less than 5%,our cross sections are consistent with the data in different evaluation libraries,including JENDL-4.0,ROSFOND-2010,CENDL-3.2,ENDF/B-VⅢ.0,and BROND-3.1,whose uncertainties can be reduced after future improvement of the measurement.

A gaseous time projection chamber with Micromegas readout for low-radioactive material screening

Purpose Low-radioactive material screening is becoming essential for rare event search experiments,such as neutrinoless double beta decay and dark matter searches in underground laboratories.A gaseous time projection chamber(TPC)can be used for such purposes with large active areas and high efficiency.Methods A gaseous TPC with a Micromegas readout plane of approximately 20×20 cm^(2)is successfully constructed for surface alpha contamination measurements.Results We have characterized the energy resolution,gain stability,and tracking capability with calibration sources.Conclusion With the unique track-related background suppression cuts of the gaseous TPC,we have established that the alpha background rate of the TPC is(0.13±0.03)×10^(−6)Bq/cm^(2),comparable to the leading commercial solutions.

Studies of the 2α and 3α channels of the ^(12)C+^(12)C reaction in the range of E_(c.m.)=8.9 MeV to 21 MeV using the active target Time Projection Chamber

The ^(12)C+^(12)C fusion reaction was studied in the range of E_(c.m.)=8.9 to 21 MeV using the active-target Time Projection Chamber.With full information on all tracks of the reaction products,cross sections of the^(12)C(^(12)C,^(8)Be)^(16)O_(g.s.)channel and the ^(12)C(^(12)C,3a)^(12)C channel could be measured down to the level of a few milibarns.The ^(12)C(^(12)C,^(8)Be)^(16)O_(g.s.)reaction channel was determined to be 10_(-8)^(+24) mb at E_(c.m.)=11.1 MeV,supporting the direct a transfer reaction mechanism.The ^(12)C(^(12)C,3α)^(12)C reaction channel was studied for the first time using an exclusive measurement.Our result does not confirm the anomaly behavior reported in the previous inclusive measurement by Kolata et al.[Phys.Rev.C 21,579(1980)].Our comparisons with statistical model calculations suggest that the 3 a channel is dominated by the fusion evaporation process at E_(c.m.)>19 MeV.The additional contribution of the 3 a channel increases the fusion reaction cross section by 10% at energies above 20 MeV.We also find that an additional reaction mechanism is needed to explain the measured cross section at E_(c.m.)<15 MeV at which point the statistical model prediction vanishes.

NνDEx-100 conceptual design report

Observing nuclear neutrinoless double beta (0vββ) decay would be a revolutionary result in particle physics.Observing such a decay would prove that the neutrinos are their own antiparticles,help to study the absolute mass of neutrinos,explore the origin of their mass,and may explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in our universe by lepton number violation.We propose developing a time projection chamber (TPC) using high-pressure ^(82)SeF_(6) gas and Topmetal silicon sensors for readout in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL) to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of82Se,called the NvDEx experiment.Besides being located at CJPL with the world’s thickest rock shielding,NvDEx combines the advantages of the high Qββ(2.996 MeV) of82Se and the TPC’s ability to distinguish signal and background events using their different topological characteristics.This makes NvDEx unique,with great potential for low-background and high-sensitivity 0 vββsearches.NvDEx-100,a NvDEx experiment phase with 100 kg of SeF_(6)gas,is being built,with plans to complete installation at CJPL by 2025.This report introduces 0 vββ physics,the NvDEx concept and its advantages,and the schematic design of NvDEx-100,its subsystems,and background and sensitivity estimation.

Construction and performance test of charged particle detector array for MATE

A charged particle array named MATE-PA,which serves as an auxiliary detector system for a Multi-purpose Active-target Time projection chamber used in nuclear astrophysical and exotic beam Experiments(MATE),was constructed.The array comprised of 20 single-sided strip-silicon detectors covering approximately 10%of the solid angle.The detectors facilitated the detection of reaction-induced charged particles that penetrate the active volume of the MATE.The performance of MATE-PA has been experimentally studied using an alpha source and a 36-MeV 14 N beam injected into the MATE chamber on the radioactive ion beam line in Lanzhou(RIBLL).The chamber was filled with a gas mixture of 95%4 He and 5%CO_(2) at a pressure of 500 mbar.The results indicated good separation of light-charged particles using the forward double-layer silicon detectors of MATE-PA.The energy resolution of the Si detectors was deduced to be approximately 1%(σ)for an energy loss of approximately 10 MeV caused by theαparticles.The inclusion of MATE-PA improves particle identification and increases the dynamic range of the kinetic energy of charged particles,particularly that of theαparticles,up to approximately 15 MeV.

Advances in nuclear detection and readout techniques

“A Craftsman Must Sharpen His Tools to Do His Job,”said Confucius.Nuclear detection and readout techniques are the foundation of particle physics,nuclear physics,and particle astrophysics to reveal the nature of the universe.Also,they are being increasingly used in other disciplines like nuclear power generation,life sciences,environmental sciences,medical sciences,etc.The article reviews the short history,recent development,and trend of nuclear detection and readout techniques,covering Semiconductor Detector,Gaseous Detector,Scintillation Detector,Cherenkov Detector,Transition Radiation Detector,and Readout Techniques.By explaining the principle and using examples,we hope to help the interested reader underst and this research field and bring exciting information to the community.

On proportional scintillation in very large liquid xenon detectors

The charge readout of a liquid xenon(LXe)detector via proportional scintillation in the liquid phase was first realized by the Waseda group 40 years ago,but the technical challenges involved were overwhelming.Although the tests were successful,this method was finally discarded and eventually nearly forgotten.Currently,this approach is not considered for large LXe dark matter detectors.Instead,the dual-phase technology was selected despite many limitations and challenges.In two independent studies,two groups from Columbia University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University reevaluated proportional scintillation in the liquid phase.Both studies established the merits for very large LXe detectors,but the Columbia group also encountered apparent limitations,namely the shadowing of the light by the anode wires,and a dependence of the pulse shape on the drift path of the electrons in the anode region.The differences between the two studies,however,are not intrinsic to the technique,but a direct consequence of the chosen geometry.Taking the geometrical differences into account,the results match without ambiguity.They also agree with the original results from the Waseda group.

A LN2-based cooling system for a next-generation liquid xenon dark matter detector

In recent years, cooling technology for liquid xenon(LXe) detectors has advanced driven by the development of dark matter(DM) detectors with target mass in the 100–1000 kg range. The next generation of DM detectors based on LXe will be in the 50,000 kg(50 t)range requiring more than 1 k W of cooling power. Most of the prior cooling methods become impractical at this level.For cooling a 50 t scale LXe detector, a method is proposed in which liquid nitrogen(LN2) in a small local reservoir cools the xenon gas via a cold finger. The cold finger incorporates a heating unit to provide temperature regulation. The proposed cooling method is simple, reliable, and suitable for the required long-term operation for a rare event search. The device can be easily integrated into present cooling systems, for example the ‘‘Cooling Bus’ ’employed for the Panda X I and II experiments. It is still possible to cool indirectly with no part of the cooling or temperature control system getting in direct contact with the clean xenon in the detector. Also, the cooling device can be mounted at a large distance, i.e., the detector is cooled remotely from a distance of 5–10 m. The method was tested in a laboratory setup at Columbia University to carry out different measurements with a small LXe detector and behaved exactly as predicted.

Waveform simulation in PandaX-4T

Signal reconstruction through software processing is a crucial component of the background and signal models in the PandaX-4T experiment,which is a multi-tonne dark matter direct search experiment.The accuracy of signal reconstruction is influenced by various detector artifacts,including noise,dark count of photomultiplier,photoionization of impurities in the detector,and other relevant considerations.In this study,we presented a detailed description of a semi-data-driven approach designed to simulate a signal waveform.This work provides a reliable model for the efficiency and bias of the signal reconstruction in the data analysis of PandaX-4T.By comparing critical variables that relate to the temporal shape and hit pattern of the signals,we found good agreement between the simulation and data.

PandaX: a liquid xenon dark matter experiment at CJPL

PandaX is a large liquid-xenon detector experiment usable for direct dark-matter detection and 136Xe double-beta decay search.The central vessel was designed to accommodate a staged target volume increase from initially 120 kg(stage I)to 0.5 t(stage II)and eventually to a multi-ton scale.The experiment is located in the Jinping Deep-Underground Laboratory in Sichuan,China.The detector operates in dual-phase mode,allowing detection of both prompt scintillation,and ionization charge through proportional scintillation.In this paper a detailed description of the stage I detector design and performance as well as results established during the commissioning phase are presented.

Design and construction of a TPC prototype based on GEM detector readout

A time projection chamber （TPC） readout by gas electron multipliers （GEM） detector is a very promising candidate for the central tracking system of ILC （International Linear Collider）. A prototype is designed and set up in our lab and introduced here. The tests during and after the assembly prove that the prototype TPC has been constructed successfully. It is ready for further study.

Determination of responses of liquid xenon to low energy electron and nuclear recoils using a PandaX-Ⅱ detector

We present a systematic determination of the responses of PandaX-Ⅱ,a dual phase xenon time projection chamber detector,to low energy recoils.The electron recoil(ER) and nuclear recoil(NR) responses are calibrated,respectively,with injected tritiated methane or 220Rn source,and with 241Am-Be neutron source,in an energy range from 1-25 keV(ER) and 4-80 keV(NR),under the two drift fields,400 and 317 V/cm.An empirical model is used to fit the light yield and charge yield for both types of recoils.The best fit models can describe the calibration data significantly.The systematic uncertainties of the fitted models are obtained via statistical comparison to the data.

Study on the TU gas for the GEM-TPC detector

In this paper several different working gas mixtures for GEM-TPC were evaluated based on a Garfield simulation. Among them, Ar：CH4：CF4=90：7：3 （named herein TU gas） was selected for a detailed study because of its better performance. Some performances of drift velocity, transverse diffusion, spatial resolution and the effective number of electrons in various electric fields were obtained. The performance of a GEM-TPC prototype working in the TU gas was studied and compared with that in Ar：CH4=90：10 （P10 gas）.

Performance study of the neutron-TPC

Fast neutron spectrometers will play an important role in the future of the nuclear industry and nuclear physics experiments, in tasks such as fast neutron reactor monitoring, thermo-nuclear fusion plasma diagnostics,nuclear reaction cross-section measurement, and special nuclear material detection. Recently, a new fast neutron spectrometer based on a GEM（Gas Electron Multiplier amplification）-TPC（Time Projection Chamber）, named the neutron-TPC, has been under development at Tsinghua University. It is designed to have a high energy resolution,high detection efficiency, easy access to the medium material, an outstanding n/γ suppression ratio, and a wide range of applications. This paper presents the design, test, and experimental study of the neutron-TPC. Based on the experimental results, the energy resolution（FWHM） of the neutron-TPC can reach 15.7%, 10.3% and 7.0% with detection efficiency higher than 10^-5 for 1.2 Me V, 1.81 Me V and 2.5 Me V neutrons respectively.

Calibration of liquid argon detector with ^(83m)Kr and ^(22)Na in different drift fields

Introduction Liquid noble gases are widely used as targets in low background search experiments,particularly in direct dark matter search experiments.83mKr is an excellent low-energy internal calibration source for future larger liquid noble gas detectors.Purpose To calibrate liquid argon detector with 83mKr in different drift fields and to study the correlation between light yield and drift fields.Method A dual-phase LAr prototype detector was designed to study the 83mKr responses in liquid argon.83mKr atoms are produced through the decay of 83Rb and introduced into the LAr detector through the circulating purification system.Conclusion We report that the light yield reaches 7.26±0.02 pe/keV for 41.5 keV from 83mKr and 7.66±0.01 pe/keV for 511 keV from 22Na,as a comparison.After stopping the fill,the rate decays of 83mKr are with a fitted half-life of 1.83±0.11 h,which is consistent with the reported value of 1.83±0.02 h.The light yield that varies with the drift electric field from 0 to 200 V/cm has also been reported.

Novel fused-silica charge detection tile for particle detectors

Purpose Develop a novel charge-detecting tile for future large-scale liquid xenon TPC for searching for neutrinoless doublebeta decay.Methods Use advanced microelectronic technologies to fabricate small metal pads on a fused-silica wafer.The pads are chained into orthogonal strips,and the strips are isolated at the cross sections.The size of the pads defines the pitch between parallel strips and can be flexibly tuned according to any optimized dimension from future Monte Carlo studies.Such tile also has good potential to suppress the radioactivity and control electronics noise.Furthermore,its modular design allows to easily cover a large size.Results The design and performance have been demonstrated by a prototype tile,particularly by comprehensive tests in liquid xenon.Conclusions A new design of charge detection tile and the fabrication technologies have been developed,which would be useful for future noble liquid detectors.