First observation of proton reflection from bent crystals

We recently suggested using short bent crystals as primary collimators in a two stage cleaning system for hadron colliders, with the aim of providing larger impact parameters in the secondary bulk absorber, through coherent beam-halo deflection [1]. Tests with crystals a few mm long, performed with 70 GeV proton beams at IEHP in Protvino, showed a channeling efficiency exceeding 85 %. We also observed disturbing phenomena such as dechannelling at large impact angle, insufficient bending induced by volume capture inside the crystal, multiple scattering of non-channeled protons and, for the first time, a proton flux reflected by the crystalline planes. Indeed, protons with a tangent path to the curved planes somewhere inside the crystal itself are deflected in the opposite direction with respect to the channeled particles, with an angle almost twice as large as the critical angle. This effect, up to now only predicted by computer simulations [2], produces a flux of particles in the wrong direction with respect to the absorber, which may hamper the collimation efficiency if neglected

The UA9 experimental layout

The UA9 experimental equipment was installed in the CERN-SPS in March '09 with the aim of investigating crystal assisted collimation in coasting mode. Its basic layout comprises silicon bent crystals acting as primary collimators mounted inside two vacuum vessels. A movable 60 cm long block of tungsten located downstream at about 90 degrees phase advance intercepts the deflected beam. Scintillators, Gas Electron Multiplier chambers and other beam loss monitors measure nuclear loss rates induced by the interaction of the beam halo in the crystal. Roman pots are installed in the path of the deflected particles and are equipped with a Medipix detector to reconstruct the transverse distribution of the impinging beam. Finally UA9 takes advantage of an LHC-collimator prototype installed close to the Roman pot to help in setting the beam conditions and to analyze the efficiency to deflect the beam. This paper describes in details the hardware installed to study the crystal collimation during 2010.Comment: 15pages, 11 figure, submitted to JINS

Deflection of high-energy negative particles in a bent crystal through axial channeling and multiple volume reflection stimulated by doughnut scattering

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High-efficiency deflection of high energy protons due to channeling along the (110) axis of a bent silicon crystal

A deflection efficiency of about 61% was observed for 400 GeV/c protons due to channeling, most strongly along the 〈110〉 axis of a bent silicon crystal. It is comparable with the deflection efficiency in planar channeling and considerably larger than in the case of the 〈111〉 axis. The measured probability of inelastic nuclear interactions of protons in channeling along the 〈110〉 axis is only about 10% of its amorphous level whereas in channeling along the (110) planes it is about 25%. High efficiency deflection and small beam losses make this axial orientation of a silicon crystal a useful tool for the beam steering of high energy charged particles

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

Performance and Operation of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented

Analysis of reactor burnup simulation uncertainties for antineutrino spectrum prediction

Nuclear reactors are a source of electron antineutrinos due to the presence of unstable fission products that undergo $\beta^-$ decay. They will be exploited by the JUNO experiment to determine the neutrino mass ordering and to get very precise measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters. This requires the reactor antineutrino spectrum to be characterized as precisely as possible both through high resolution measurements, as foreseen by the TAO experiment, and detailed simulation models. In this paper we present a benchmark analysis utilizing Serpent Monte Carlo simulations in comparison with real pressurized water reactor spent fuel data. Our objective is to study the accuracy of fission fraction predictions as a function of different reactor simulation approximations. Then, utilizing the BetaShape software, we construct fissile antineutrino spectra using the summation method, thereby assessing the influence of simulation uncertainties on reactor antineutrino spectrum

Observation of focusing of 400 GeV/c proton beam with the help of bent crystals

The results of observation and studies of focusing of 400 GeV/ c proton beam with the help of bent single crystals are presented. Two silicon crystals have been used in the measurements. The focal length of the first and second crystals is found to be 1.48 m and 0.68 m, respectively. The mean square size of the horizontal profile in the focus was 3.1 and 4.3 times as small as at the exit of the crystals