Design of a Base-Board for arrays of closely-packed Multi-Anode Photo-Multipliers

We describe the design of a Base-Board to house Multi-Anode Photo-Multipliers for use in large-area arrays of light sensors. The goals, the design, the results of tests on the prototypes and future developments are presented.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Nucl. Instrum. and Meth.

A Scintillating Fiber Tracker With SiPM Readout

We present a prototype for the first tracking detector consisting of 250 micron thin scintillating fibers and silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays. The detector has a modular design, each module consists of a mechanical support structure of 10mm Rohacell foam between two 100 micron thin carbon fiber skins. Five layers of scintillating fibers are glued to both top and bottom of the support structure. SiPM arrays with a channel pitch of 250 micron are placed in front of the fibers. We show the results of the first module prototype using multiclad fibers of types Bicron BCF-20 and Kuraray SCSF-81M that were read out by novel 32-channel SiPM arrays from FBK-irst/INFN Perugia as well as 32-channel SiPM arrays produced by Hamamatsu. A spatial resolution of 88 micron +/- 6 micron at an average yield of 10 detected photons per minimal ionizig particle has been achieved.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, submitted as proceedings to the 11th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors (IPRD08

The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment

Particle therapy uses proton and ion beams to treat deep-seated solid tumors, exploiting the favorable energy deposition profile of charged particles. Nuclear interactions with patient tissues can induce fragments production that must be taken into account in treatment planning: in proton treatments target fragmentation produces low-energy, short-range fragments depositing a non-negligible dose in the entry channel, while in heavier-ion beam treatments long-range fragments due to projectile fragmentation release dose in tissues surrounding the tumor. The FOOT experiment aims to study these processes to improve the nuclear interactions description in next generation Treatment Planning Systems softwares and hence the treatments quality. Target (16O and12C) fragmentation induced by 150–250MeV proton beams will be studied via inverse kinematics: 16O and12C beams (150–250MeV/u) collide on graphite and hydrocarbon targets to provide nuclear fragmentation cross sections on hydrogen. The projectile fragmentation of these beams will be explored as well. The FOOT detector includes a magnetic spectrometer to measure fragments momentum, a plastic scintillator for ΔE and TOF measurements and a scintillating crystal calorimeter to measure fragments kinetic energy. These measurements will be combined to accurately identify fragments charge and mass

FOOT: FragmentatiOn Of Target Experiment

The main goal of the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment is the measurement of the differential cross sections as a function of energy and direction of the produced fragments in the nuclear interaction between a ion beam (proton, helium, carbon, ...) and different targets (proton, carbon, oxygen, ...). Depending on the beam energy, the purpose of the measurements is twofold: in the [150-400] MeV/u range, the data will be used to evaluate the side effects of the nuclear fragmentation in the hadrontherapy treatment, while in the [700-1000] MeV/u range it will be used to optimize the shielding of spaceships for long term space missions. The experiment has been funded by the INFN since September 2017 and it is currently in the construction phase. An overview of the detector, of the results obtained in several beam tests and of the expected performances will be presented

A pulsed nanosecond IR laser diode system to automatically test the Single Event Effects in the laboratory

Abstract A pulsed nanosecond IR laser diode system to automatically test the Single Event Effects in laboratory is described. The results of Single Event Latchup (SEL) test on two VLSI chips (VA_HDR64, 0.8 and 1.2 μm technology) are discussed and compared to those obtained with high-energy heavy ions at GSI (Darmstadt)

Muon `Depth -- Intensity' Relation Measured by LVD Underground Experiment and Cosmic-Ray Muon Spectrum at Sea Level

We present the analysis of the muon events with all muon multiplicities collected during 21804 hours of operation of the first LVD tower. The measured angular distribution of muon intensity has been converted to the `depth -- vertical intensity' relation in the depth range from 3 to 12 km w.e.. The analysis of this relation allowed to derive the power index, $\gamma$, of the primary all-nucleon spectrum: $\gamma=2.78 \pm 0.05$. The `depth -- vertical intensity' relation has been converted to standard rock and the comparison with the data of other experiments has been done. We present also the derived vertical muon spectrum at sea level.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, to be published on Phys. Rev.

Upper Limit on the Prompt Muon Flux Derived from the LVD Underground Experiment

We present the analysis of the muon events with all muon multiplicities collected during 21804 hours of operation of the first LVD tower. The measured depth-angular distribution of muon intensities has been used to obtain the normalization factor, A, the power index, gamma, of the primary all-nucleon spectrum and the ratio, R_c, of prompt muon flux to that of pi-mesons - the main parameters which determine the spectrum of cosmic ray muons at the sea level. The value of gamma = 2.77 +/- 0.05 (68% C.L.) and R_c < 2.0 x 10^-3 (95% C.L.) have been obtained. The upper limit to the prompt muon flux favours the models of charm production based on QGSM and the dual parton model.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, RevTex. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Isotopic Composition of Light Nuclei in Cosmic Rays: Results from AMS-01

The variety of isotopes in cosmic rays allows us to study different aspects of the processes that cosmic rays undergo between the time they are produced and the time of their arrival in the heliosphere. In this paper we present measurements of the isotopic ratios 2H/4He, 3He/4He, 6Li/7Li, 7Be/(9Be+10Be) and 10B/11B in the range 0.2-1.4 GeV of kinetic energy per nucleon. The measurements are based on the data collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, AMS-01, during the STS-91 flight in 1998 June.Comment: To appear in ApJ. 12 pages, 11 figures, 6 table

A Study of Cosmic Ray Secondaries Induced by the Mir Space Station Using AMS-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a high energy particle physics experiment that will study cosmic rays in the $\sim 100 \mathrm{MeV}$ to $1 \mathrm{TeV}$ range and will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years. A first version of AMS-02, AMS-01, flew aboard the space shuttle \emph{Discovery} from June 2 to June 12, 1998, and collected $10^8$ cosmic ray triggers. Part of the \emph{Mir} space station was within the AMS-01 field of view during the four day \emph{Mir} docking phase of this flight. We have reconstructed an image of this part of the \emph{Mir} space station using secondary $\pi^-$ and $\mu^-$ emissions from primary cosmic rays interacting with \emph{Mir}. This is the first time this reconstruction was performed in AMS-01, and it is important for understanding potential backgrounds during the 3 year AMS-02 mission.Comment: To be submitted to NIM B Added material requested by referee. Minor stylistic and grammer change

The internal alignment and position resolution of the AMS-02 silicon tracker determined with cosmic-ray muons

Abstract The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer is a large acceptance cosmic-ray detector ( 0.5 m 2 sr ) designed to operate at an altitude of 400 km on the International Space Station. The AMS-02 silicon tracker contains 2264 silicon microstrip sensors (total active area 6.75 m 2 ). The internal alignment parameters of the assembled tracker have been determined on the ground with cosmic-ray muons. The alignment procedure is described and results for the alignment precision and position resolution are reported