Electron
Bubble Particle Detector
Objective
- The objective of the project is to study, design and develop a
new "e-Bubble" Particle Detector,
using cryogenic fluid (Helium, Hydrogen and Neon) as the detecting
medium, for the detection of low-energy particle tracks, such as
neutrinos from the Sun and accelerator beams and nuclear reactors.
Interest in condensed matter physics is another consideration. The
R&D program will allow the determination of the feasibility of
constructing a modest-size tracking chamber that in turn would lead to
a study for a large solar neutrino detector, which will provide a
simultaneous and critical test of stellar evolution theory and of
questions in neutrino oscillation. We anticipate that this technology
may open up new possibilities for next-generation neutrino detectors,
and may also have applications in detecting 'dark matter' particles and
at future colliding-beam facilities. The challenge is to obtain the
fundamental spatial and energy resolution, to supply a feasible
detector structure and readout.
- The project focuses in particular on the interactions of
neutrinos scattering off atomic electrons in the detecting medium (a
cryogenic fluid), resulting in recoil electrons which can be measured
experimentally.
- Physics and Simulation: the kinematics of
neutrino-electron scattering, making use of 4-vectors and special
relativity to determine the maximum possible energy transfer and the
distribution of electron scattering angle
- Electron Drift in Cryogenic Liquids: the drift
velocity, spatial diffusion, ionization charge yield as a function of
velocity and electric field, attachment on impurities, recombination
and multiple scattering
- Electronic Detection: the mechanism of electron
avalanche gain, charge collection, electrode structure, signal
formation and noise measurements. Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs) are currently our detector of choice
- Cryogenic and Mechanical Design: the key
physics
and mechanical parameters, for the design of a high pressure critical density neon solar
neutrino detector: choice of materials, mechanical supports, pressure
vessel, cryostats, vapor-cooling circuits, high and low voltage
supplies, thermal and electrical insulation, gas purification,
radioactivity, safety and many others
- Optical Measurements: imaging tracks of
ebubble tracks using the light generated in GEM avalanches
- Literature: comprehensive reference library of
published materials that could be used both by our research scientists
and collaborators
