Work Package 5: SciFi tracking and Transition Radiation Detectors

 

At this stage we have defined only a work package with a single task and expect further tasks to arise in the future.

 

Task 5.1 - Develop an improved radiation hard scintillating fibre with a fluorescence decay time near 4 ns.

Long term goals: The aim of this work package is to develop a scintillating optical fibre with a peak detected emission wavelength greater than 500 nm with a fluorescence decay time near 4 ns for use in LHC or future collider experiments, as well as beam instrumentation where a large total integrated dose could be expected. The characteristics should be comparable to or better than the SCSF-78MJ from Kuraray, which has a peak emission of 450 nm, attenuation length of 3.5 m, and decay time of 2.8 ns. A large Stoke’s Shift would allow for extending the lifetime of the detector performance in high radiation environments, as well as being able to reduce the material in the acceptance while still producing the light yield needed for a high hit efficiency. While the transmission of the base polymer, such as polystyrene, is expected to degrade, the organic scintillator dyes should also be stable under ionising radiation such that the emission light yield does not degrade. Developments of new scintillators in recent years in block form factors (specifically SP33 from Nuvea), as well as nano-materials, and other base polymers, indicate the potential for an improved fibre over the standard fast fibre that is over 25 years old (SCSF-78M and -78MJ from Kuraray).

Objectives:
• Identify new, suitable but existing scintillators (e.g. SP33 from Nuvea).
• Identify modifications to claddings that could boost the light yield or effective radiation hardness
• Develop the scintillating fibre with manufacturers (Kuraray) in small batches.
• Measure the emission light yield, attenuation length, and decay time of the resulting fibres.
• Irradiate samples to relevant ionising radiation doses (104 − 106 Gray.)


Description of work:
Identify and produce new scintillating fibres based on newly developed scintillators or techniques with industry partners. The resulting fibre will need to be measured for its decay time, light yield, attenuation length, and ionising radiation hardness.
 

Milestones:

  • M5.1.1 Pre-Selection of suitable scintillators or cladding modification (M12-M18).
  • M5.1.2 Radiation hardness qualification of materials (M18-M24).
  • M5.1.3 Production of prototype fibre(s) (M24-M30).
  • M5.1.4 Testing and qualification of prototype(s). (M36)


Deliverables:

  • D5.1.1 Interim report on the candidates for prototype fibre(s). (M26)
  • D5.1.2 Final performance report on the development of prototype fibre(s). (M36)