Fission induced by nucleons at intermediate energies

Monte Carlo calculations of fission of actinides and pre-actinides induced by protons and neutrons in the energy range from 100 MeV to 1 GeV are carried out by means of a recent version of the Li\`ege Intranuclear Cascade Model, INCL++, coupled with two different evaporation-fission codes, GEMINI++ and ABLA07. In order to reproduce experimental fission cross sections, model parameters are usually adjusted on available (p,f) cross sections and used to predict (n,f) cross sections for the same isotopes.Comment: 36 pages, 18 figures, to appear in Nuclear Physics

On the role of secondary pions in spallation targets

We use particle-transport simulations to show that secondary pions play a crucial role for the development of the hadronic cascade and therefore for the production of neutrons and photons from thick spallation targets. In particular, for the n_TOF lead spallation target, irradiated with 20 GeV/c protons, neutral pions are involved in the production of ~90% of the high-energy photons; charged pions participate in ~40% of the integral neutron yield. Nevertheless, photon and neutron yields are shown to be relatively insensitive to large changes of the average pion multiplicity in the individual spallation reactions. We characterize this robustness as a peculiar property of hadronic cascades in thick targets.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures. Submitted to Eur. Phys. J.

Neutron detection devices with 6LiF converter layers

The demand for new thermal neutron detectors as an alternative to 3He tubes in research, industrial, safety and homeland security applications, is growing. These needs have triggered research and development activities about new generations of thermal neutron detectors, characterized by reasonable efficiency and gamma rejection comparable to 3He tubes. In this paper we show the state of art of a promising lowcost technique, based on commercial solid state silicon detectors coupled with thin neutron converter layers of 6LiF deposited onto carbon fiber substrates. Several configurations were studied with the GEANT4 simulation code, and then calibrated at the PTB Thermal Neutron Calibration Facility. The results show that the measured detection efficiency is well reproduced by the simulations, therefore validating the simulation tool in view of new designs. These neutron detectors have also been tested at neutron beam facilities like ISIS (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) and n_TOF (CERN) where a few samples are already in operation for beam flux and 2D profile measurements. Forthcoming applications are foreseen for the online monitoring of spent nuclear fuel casks in interim storage sites

Innovative LuYAP:Ce array for PET imaging

We present an imaging characterization of a 10 x 10 LuYAP array (2 x 2 x 10 mm3 pixels) with an innovative dielectric coating insulation (0.015 mm thick), in view of its possible use in a gamma camera for imaging positron emission tomography (PET) or in similar applications, e.g. as γ-prompt detector in hadron therapy. The particular assembly of this array was realized in order to obtain a packing fraction of 98%, improving detection efficiency and light collection. For imaging purpose, the array has been coupled with a selected Hamamatsu H10966-100 Multi Anode Photomultiplier read out by a customized 64 independent channels electronics. This tube presents a superbialkali photocathode with 38% of quantum efficiency, permitting to enhance energy resolution and consequently image quality. A pixel identification of about 0.5 mm at 662 keV was obtained, highlighting the potentiality of this detector in PET application

On the role of secondary pions in spallation targets

We use particle-transport simulations to show that secondary pions play a crucial role for the development of the hadronic cascade and therefore for the production of neutrons and photons from a thick spallation target. Considering the spallation target of the n-TOF Facility at CERN, we see that photon and neutron yields are relatively insensitive to large changes of the average pion multiplicity in the individual spallation reactions. We characterize this robustness as a peculiar property of hadronic cascades in thick targets

An embedding technique to determine ττ backgrounds in proton-proton collision data

An embedding technique is presented to estimate standard model tau tau backgrounds from data with minimal simulation input. In the data, the muons are removed from reconstructed mu mu events and replaced with simulated tau leptons with the same kinematic properties. In this way, a set of hybrid events is obtained that does not rely on simulation except for the decay of the tau leptons. The challenges in describing the underlying event or the production of associated jets in the simulation are avoided. The technique described in this paper was developed for CMS. Its validation and the inherent uncertainties are also discussed. The demonstration of the performance of the technique is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions collected by CMS in 2017 at root s = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 41.5 fb(-1).Peer reviewe