Large liquid-scintillator trackers for neutrino experiments

Abstract

Results are given on tests of large particle trackers for the detection of neutrino interactions in long-baseline experiments. Module prototypes have been assembled using TiO 2-doped polycarbonate panels. These were subdivided into cells of ∼1 cm 2 cross-section and 6 m length, filled with liquid scintillator. A wavelength-shifting fibre inserted into each cell captured a part of the scintillation light emitted when a cell was traversed by an ionizing particle. Two different fibre-readout systems have been tested: an optoelectronic chain comprising an image intensifier and an electron-bombarded CCD (EBCCD); and a hybrid photodiode (HPD). New, low-cost liquid scintillators have been investigated for applications in large underground detectors. Testbeam studies have been performed using a commercially available liquid scintillator. The number of detected photoelectrons for minimum-ionizing particles crossing a module at different distances from the fibre readout end was 6–12 with the EBCCD chain and a mirror at the non-readout end; 4–10 with the HPD and no mirror. The light-attenuation lengths in the fibres were ∼9.4 m with the EBCCD and ∼6.4 m with the HPD. The detector response to electron showers has also been measured. After ten radiation lengths of lead, the transverse position of the incoming electron was determined with a precision of a few millimetres for electrons of 4 GeV , and with a precision of 1.5– 2.0 cm for electrons of 1 GeV .