Superconducting microstrip detectors

Superconducting NbN microstrip counters feature radiation hardness two orders of magnitude higher than conventional Si strip detectors, spatial resolution limited only by lithographic techniques (0.1 - 2 microns), intrinsic signal rise time of 2 ps, and signal transport over large distances without losses. The aim of this proposal is to improve understanding of the physics of such detectors and to establish their large- scale feasibility

Superconducting NbN microstrip detectors

Superconducting NbN strip transmission line counters and coupling circuits were processed on silicon wafers using thin film techniques, and they were characterized with several methods to verify the design principles. The stripline circuits, designed using microwave design rules, were simulated using a circuit design tool enhanced to include modelling of the superconducting lines. The strips, etched out of the 282 nm thick top NbN film with resistivity 284 µ?cm at 20 K, have critical temperatures in the range 12 to 13 K and a critical current density approximately Jc(0) = 3.3·105 A/cm2. The linearized heat transfer coefficient between the strip and the substrate is approximately 1.1·105 W/(m2K) and the healing length is about 1.6 µm between 3 and 5 K temperatures. Traversing 5 MeV a-particles caused the strips to quench. No events due to electrons could be detected in agreement with the predicted signal amplitude which is below the noise threshold of our wideband circuitry. The strip bias current and hence the signal amplitude were limited due to a microbridge at the isolator step of the impedance transformer

Spin Structure of the Proton from Polarized Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Muon-Proton Scattering

We have measured the spin-dependent structure function $g_1^p$ in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of polarized muons off polarized protons, in the kinematic range $0.003 < x < 0.7$ and $1 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 60 GeV^2$. A next-to-leading order QCD analysis is used to evolve the measured $g_1^p(x,Q^2)$ to a fixed $Q^2_0$. The first moment of $g_1^p$ at $Q^2_0 = 10 GeV^2$ is $\Gamma^p = 0.136\pm 0.013(stat.) \pm 0.009(syst.)\pm 0.005(evol.)$. This result is below the prediction of the Ellis-Jaffe sum rule by more than two standard deviations. The singlet axial charge $a_0$ is found to be $0.28 \pm 0.16$. In the Adler-Bardeen factorization scheme, $\Delta g \simeq 2$ is required to bring $\Delta \Sigma$ in agreement with the Quark-Parton Model. A combined analysis of all available proton and deuteron data confirms the Bjorken sum rule.Comment: 33 pages, 22 figures, uses ReVTex and smc.sty. submitted to Physical Review

Large enhancement of deuteron polarization with frequency modulated microwaves

We report a large enhancement of 1.7 in deuteron polarization up to values of 0.6 due to frequency modulation of the polarizing microwaves in a two liters polarized target using the method of dynamic nuclear polarization. This target was used during a deep inelastic polarized muon-deuteron scattering experiment at CERN. Measurements of the electron paramagnetic resonance absorption spectra show that frequency modulation gives rise to additional microwave absorption in the spectral wings. Although these results are not understood theoretically, they may provide a useful testing ground for the deeper understanding of dynamic nuclear polarization.Comment: 10 pages, including the figures coming in uuencoded compressed tar files in poltar.uu, which also brings cernart.sty and crna12.sty files neede

Measurement of the spin-dependent structure function g1(x) of the proton

Adams D, Adeva B, Arik E, et al. Measurement of the spin-dependent structure function g1(x) of the proton. Phys.Lett. B. 1994;329(2-3):399-406.We have measured the spin-dependent structure function $g_1~p$ of the proton in deep inelastic scattering of polarized muons off polarized protons, in the kinematic range $0.003<x<0.7$ and 1\,\mbox{GeV}~2. Its first moment, $\int_0~1 g_1~p(x) dx$, is found to be 0.136 \pm 0.011\,(\mbox{stat.})\pm 0.011\,(\mbox{syst.}) at Q~2=10\,\mbox{GeV}~2. This value is smaller than the prediction of the Ellis--Jaffe sum rule by two standard deviations, and is consistent with previous measurements. A combined analysis of all available proton, deuteron and neutron data confirms the Bjorken sum rule to within $10\%$ of the theoretical value

Polarised quark distributions in the nucleon from semi-inclusive spin asymmetries

We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1~GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10~GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) {\rm d}x = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) {\rm d}x = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) {\rm d}x= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) {\rm d}x$.We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1 GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) dx = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) dx = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) dx= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) dx$.We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1 GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) dx = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) dx = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) dx= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) dx$.We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1 GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) dx = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) dx = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) dx= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) dx$.We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1 GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) dx = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) dx = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) dx= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) dx$.We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range 0.0031 GeV 2 . Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at Q 2 =10 GeV 2 . The polarised u valence quark distribution, Δu v ( x ), is positive and the polarisation increases with x . The polarised d valence quark distribution, Δd v ( x ), is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, Δ q ̄ (x) , is consistent with zero over the measured range of x . We find for the first moments ∫ 0 1 Δu v (x) d x=0.77±0.10±0.08 , ∫ 0 1 Δd v (x) d x=−0.52±0.14±0.09 and ∫ 0 1 Δ q ̄ (x) d x=0.01±0.04±0.03 , where we assumed Δ u ̄ (x)=Δ d ̄ (x) . We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions ∫ 0 1 xΔq v (x) d x