Prismatic to asbestiform offretite from Northern Italy. Occurrence, morphology and crystal-chemistry of a new potentially hazardous zeolite

A multi-methodological approach, based upon field investigation, morphological characterization, chemical analysis and structure refinement was applied to different samples of fibrous offretite, a new potentially hazardous zeolite recently discovered in northern Italy. Their morphology ranges from stocky-prismatic to asbestiform. All the investigated fibers may be considered as "inhalable", and they are well within the range of the "more carcinogenic fibers" regarding diameter. As regards the length, the main mode observed in the asbestiform samples is 20-25 mu m, and similar to 93% of the measured fibers are >5 mu m and may be significantly associated with carcinogenesis also in terms of lengths. The chemical-structural features of the investigated fibers are comparable: the extra-framework cations K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ are present in all samples in similar proportions, and refined cell parameters are similar among the samples. Offretite occurs in 60% of the investigated sites, with an estimated amount up to 75 vol % of the associated minerals. The presence of this mineral could be of concern for risk to human health, especially if one considers the vast number of quarries and mining-related activities that are operating in the zeolite host rocks

Prismatic to asbestiform offretite from Northern Italy. Occurrence, morphology and crystal-chemistry of a new potentially hazardous zeolite

A multi-methodological approach, based upon field investigation, morphological characterization, chemical analysis and structure refinement was applied to different samples of fibrous offretite, a new potentially hazardous zeolite recently discovered in northern Italy. Their morphology ranges from stocky-prismatic to asbestiform. All the investigated fibers may be considered as "inhalable", and they are well within the range of the "more carcinogenic fibers" regarding diameter. As regards the length, the main mode observed in the asbestiform samples is 20-25 mu m, and similar to 93% of the measured fibers are >5 mu m and may be significantly associated with carcinogenesis also in terms of lengths. The chemical-structural features of the investigated fibers are comparable: the extra-framework cations K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ are present in all samples in similar proportions, and refined cell parameters are similar among the samples. Offretite occurs in 60% of the investigated sites, with an estimated amount up to 75 vol % of the associated minerals. The presence of this mineral could be of concern for risk to human health, especially if one considers the vast number of quarries and mining-related activities that are operating in the zeolite host rocks

Characterization of timing and spacial resolution of novel TI-LGAD structures before and after irradiation

The characterization of spacial and timing resolution of the novel Trench Isolated LGAD (TI-LGAD) technology is presented. This technology has been developed at FBK with the goal of achieving 4D pixels, where an accurate position resolution is combined in a single device with the precise timing determination for Minimum Ionizing Particles (MIPs). In the TI-LGAD technology, the pixelated LGAD pads are separated by physical trenches etched in the silicon. This technology can reduce the interpixel dead area, mitigating the fill factor problem. The TI-RD50 production studied in this work is the first one of pixelated TI-LGADs. The characterization was performed using a scanning TCT setup with an infrared laser and a $^90$Sr source setup

Characterization of timing and spacial resolution of novel TI-LGAD structures before and after irradiation

The characterization of spacial and timing resolution of the novel Trench Isolated LGAD (TI-LGAD) technology is presented. This technology has been developed at FBK with the goal of achieving 4D pixels, where an accurate position resolution is combined in a single device with the precise timing determination for Minimum Ionizing Particles (MIPs). In the TI-LGAD technology, the pixelated LGAD pads are separated by physical trenches etched in the silicon. This technology can reduce the interpixel dead area, mitigating the fill factor problem. The TI-RD50 production studied in this work is the first one of pixelated TI-LGADs. The characterization was performed using a scanning TCT setup with an infrared laser and a $^{90}$Sr source setup

Status and upgrade of the visible light diagnostics port for energy spread measurements at KARA

At the visible light diagnostic (VLD) port at the Karlsruhe Research Accelerator (KARA), it is possible to measure the energy spread of electron bunches by measuring the horizontal bunch profile of the incoherent synchrotron radiation. KALYPSO, a MHz-rate line-array detector has been used to measure the bunch profile. Recently, the KALYPSO system has been upgraded to a version incorporating a microstrip sensor based on TI-LGAD. The performed measurements have shown that the overall sensitivity of the system was significantly improved, which enables measurements at low bunch charges. In this contribution, a brief overview of the upgraded setup and preliminary measurement results will be presented

Turn-by-turn measurements of the energy spread at negative momentum compaction factor at KARA

The Karlsruhe Research Accelerator (KARA), the storage ring at KIT, allows short electron bunch operation with positive as well as negative momentum compaction factor. For both cases, the beam dynamics are studied. Using a line array camera KALYPSO (KArlsruhe Linear arraY detector for MHz rePetition rate SpectrOscopy), based on TI-LGAD, the horizontal intensity distribution of the emitted visible part of the synchrotron radiation is measured at a 5-degree port of a bending magnet on a turn-by-turn time scale. As the measurement is located at a dispersive section, the dynamics of the energy spread can be studied by measuring the horizontal bunch profile. The MHz acquisition rate and the low-light sensitivity of the line camera allow measurements at low bunch currents and the investigation of the microbunching instability. This contribution presents the results of the bunch profile measurements performed at positive and negative momentum compaction factor

Development of LGAD sensors with a thin entrance window for soft X-ray detection

We show the developments carried out to improve the silicon sensor technology for the detection of soft X-rays with hybrid X-ray detectors. An optimization of the entrance window technology is required to improve the quantum efficiency. The LGAD technology can be used to amplify the signal generated by the X-rays and to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, making single photon resolution in the soft X-ray energy range possible. In this paper, we report first results obtained from an LGAD sensor production with an optimized thin entrance window. Single photon detection of soft X-rays down to 452~eV has been demonstrated from measurements, with a signal-to-noise ratio better than 20.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Characterization of iLGADs using soft X-rays

Experiments at synchrotron radiation sources and X-ray Free-Electron Lasers in the soft X-ray energy range ($250$eV--$2$keV) stand to benefit from the adaptation of the hybrid silicon detector technology for low energy photons. Inverse Low Gain Avalanche Diode (iLGAD) sensors provide an internal gain, enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio and allowing single photon detection below $1$keV using hybrid detectors. In addition, an optimization of the entrance window of these sensors enhances their quantum efficiency (QE). In this work, the QE and the gain of a batch of different iLGAD diodes with optimized entrance windows were characterized using soft X-rays at the Surface/Interface:Microscopy beamline of the Swiss Light Source synchrotron. Above $250$eV, the QE is larger than $55\%$ for all sensor variations, while the charge collection efficiency is close to $100\%$. The average gain depends on the gain layer design of the iLGADs and increases with photon energy. A fitting procedure is introduced to extract the multiplication factor as a function of the absorption depth of X-ray photons inside the sensors. In particular, the multiplication factors for electron- and hole-triggered avalanches are estimated, corresponding to photon absorption beyond or before the gain layer, respectively.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

PRISMATIC TO EXTREMELY FIBROUS OFFRETITE FROM NORTHERN ITALY: MORPHOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL DATA OF A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS ZEOLITE

Offretite, a quite rare zeolite, is hexagonal with space group symmetry P6m2 and unit-cell parameters a = 13.27-13.32 Å, c = 7.56-7.61 Å, and has a chemical formula of KCaMg[Al5Si13O36]·16H2O. Offretite forms simple hexagonal prisms with pinacoid terminations and the habit is commonly acicular (Passaglia et al., 1998). Due to the structural and chemical similarities with erionite (a mineral recognized to be highly carcinogenic), and because of the possibility of intergrowth of these two species within each crystal, their distinction can be very difficult. The most significant discrimination is based on the Mg/(Ca+Na) cation ratio. Notwithstanding offretite has been reported in various localities from Italy (Passaglia & Tagliavini, 1994; Passaglia et al., 1996, 1998; Boscardin et al., 1998; Guastoni et al., 2002; Mattioli et al., 2016a), the morphologies of offretite crystals have not yet been fully understood and many mineralogical aspects are still unknown. Here we present new morphological and chemical data of offretite from Northern Italy with two main different habits. The type-1 habit ranges from stocky-prismatic to very thin, needle-like prisms, and thus very similar to those described in the literature for the other Italian offretite. The type-2 habit is very different and is constituted by extremely thin fibers, often with asbestiform appearance, that show a strong tendency to break down into small fibrils, which could potentially be of inhalable size. Preliminary ESEM/EDS analysis on the offretite fibers revealed the occurrence of Mg, K, and Ca as extra-framework cations, and a Mg/(Ca + Na) cation ratio of ≈ 1. Recent researches on the surface properties of fibrous zeolites (Mattioli et al., 2016b) showed that interaction ability of offretite surface is much lower than that found for erionite, but we can not exclude the fibers of offretite from those able to cause some toxic effect on health. In fact, it is unclear whether the mineralogical distinction between erionite and offretite has any health implications. However, as already seen for the case of asbestos minerals, codification of nomenclature such as specific mineral names or habits into laws or regulations may have consequences in the application of health and legal policy. These data suggest the need for a better understanding of the potential toxicity across the range of erionite and offretite compositions