Electron Transverse Polarimeter for the MTV experiment at TRIUMF

Abstract

A new experimental project called MTV(Mott Polarimetry for T-Violation Experiment)-S1183 has started at TRIUMF, aiming to achieve the highest precision test of time reversal symmetry in polarized nuclear beta decay. In this experiment, existence of T-violating transverse polarization of electrons emitted from polarized nuclei is examined, using a multi-wire drift chamber (MWDC) as an electron tracking detector in order to measure Mott scattering asymmetries. In this paper, technical aspects of the electron polarimetry are described. The Mott polarimeter, MWDC, consists of six sense layers. In order to improve the real backward scattering event purity, a new intelligent triggering system using FPGA module to perform on-line hit pattern recognition was developed. The new triggering system was installed for the first commissioning experiment in November 2009 at TRIUMF-ISAC. In addition to the triggering system, a new buffering DAQ system was also developed in order to achieve the needed high triggering rate at ISAC. Details of their performance are also described.