Future Accelerators Research Articles

A Time-over-Threshold asynchronous front-end in 28 nm CMOS for the readout of pixel detectors in extreme radiation environments

This work describes the design, in a 28 nm CMOS technology, of a front-end channel for the readout of pixel sensors in future particle accelerators. The channel being developed leverages the Time-Over-Threshold technique for the numerical conversion of the detector signal amplitude, and includes a low-noise charge sensitive amplifier featuring a compact gain stage architecture. The front-end circuit features an equivalent noise charge not exceeding 70 electrons r.m.s. for a detector capacitance of 50 fF, with a threshold dispersion of the order of 20 electrons r.m.s. A prototype chip including a matrix of 8x32 readout channels has been submitted for fabrication. The design of the front-end channel, together with the main simulation results, is discussed in the paper.

ON THE POSSIBILITY OF USING STRAIGHT AND BENT CRYSTALS FOR CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM STEERING AT THE FUTURE MULTIFUNCTIONAL ACCELERATOR COMPLEX OF NSC KIPT

The scattering of electrons and positrons with energy of 500 MeV on straight and bent silicon crystals has been considered using numerical simulations. The selected particle energy corresponds to parameters that can be achieved at the future multifunctional accelerator complex of the NSC “Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology”. It is shown that bent crystals, at certain orientations, allow deflecting charged particles at angles significantly exceeding the critical angle of axial channeling. It is also shown that experimental investigation of the effect of reducing inco- herent scattering of high-energy positrons when orienting the crystal relative to the direction of particle incidence near one of the main crystal axes is of interest.

Coherent high-harmonic generation with laser-plasma beams

Active energy compression scheme is presently being investigated for future laser-plasma accelerators. This method enables generating laser-plasma accelerator electron beams with a small, ∼10−5, relative slice energy spread. When modulated by a laser pulse, such beams can produce coherent radiation at very high, ∼100th harmonics of the modulation laser wavelength, which are hard to access by conventional techniques. The scheme has a potential of providing additional capabilities for future plasma-based facilities by generating stable, tunable, narrow-band radiation. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The European strategy and detector R&D program

The latest update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics stimulated the preparation of the European Detector Roadmap document in 2021 by the European Committee for Future Accelerators ECFA. This roadmap, defined during a bottom-up process by the community, outlines nine technology domains for HEP instrumentation and pinpoints urgent R&D topics, known as Detector R&D Themes (DRDTs). Task forces were set for each domain, leading to Detector R&D Collaborations (DRDs), now hosted at CERN. After an intensive period over the last months, seven DRD collaborations have been established which are now starting to set up their collaboration structures and begin to work. One is still in the preparation phase.In this publication, I will give an overview of the set-up process and the current status of all DRD collaborations covering detector developments in the field of gaseous detectors, noble liquid detectors for rare event searches, semiconductor detectors, photodetectors and concepts for particle ID, quantum sensors, calorimetry, electronics for HEP instrumentation and mechanical and integration aspects.

Shielded Pair Method for Beam Screen Surface Resistance Measurement at Cryogenic Temperature

The shielded pair resonator method is a useful tool in the measurement of accelerator components, such as the beam screens used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the High-Luminosity (HL) LHC, or future accelerators. It can measure the resistive losses at several frequency points by separating the resistive losses on the sample from other sources of losses. We built a new resonator to be inserted into a superconducting dipole magnet (peak magnetic field of 9.5 T) and to measure the surface resistance of beam screens, such as LHC beam screens coated with amorphous carbon (a-C). The device can measure surface resistance at any temperature between 4.2 K and 300 K, in the frequency range of 400 MHz to 1600 MHz. We conducted the first surface resistance measurements of two a-C coated beam screens at 4.2 K and showed that the 200 nm to 400 nm titanium underlayer plus 50 nm a-C only has a limited effect on the surface resistance. This first result supports the choice of this coating as baseline for the HL-LHC triplets magnets upgrade. The resonator will have an important role in the characterization of next-generation beam screens, such as a beam screen with laser-engineered surface structure (LESS). Further measurements of the LHC beam screen in the presence of magnetic fields up to 9.5 T and throughout the full temperature range are going to be reported separately.

Investigation of outgassing properties of CuZr alloy for vacuum chamber structural materials

CuZr alloy is considered for the structural material of the vacuum chamber of the Hefei Advanced Light Facility (HALF) storage ring. In order to test the outgassing properties of CuZr alloy, we designed and constructed a vacuum gauge calibration device and an outgassing rate test system. The outgassing rates of CuZr alloy and Stainless Steel (SS) were tested and compared at different temperatures after a rigorous ultra-high vacuum cleaning process. It can be seen that the outgassing rate of CuZr alloy can be reduced to 3.85 × 10−11 Pa L/s·cm2 after baking at 120 °C for 48h, which is lower than that of SS after baking at 180 °C. The outgassing rate of CuZr alloy can reach 2.69 × 10−11 Pa L/s·cm2 after baking at 180 °C for 48h, which is more than one order of magnitude lower than that of SS. These results indicate that CuZr alloy is easier to degas by baking at lower temperatures and is a material with very low outgassing rates. Moreover, it is a highly competitive structural material for future accelerator vacuum chamber based on its good electrical conductivity, high strength and hardness.

The [formula omitted]-RWELL technology for tracking apparatus in High Energy Physics

The micro-Resitive WELL (μ-RWELL) is a Micro Pattern Gas Detector (MPGD) that inherits some of the best characteristics of existing MPGDs, like GEMs and MicroMegas, while simplifying the detector construction. A significant progress towards large-scale applications has been achieved through the consolidation and industrial cost-effective manufacturing of this technology. The μ-RWELL, showing excellent spatial performance, good time resolution and stability under irradiation, is proposed for several tracking apparatus for future experiments at future accelerators such as FCC (CERN), CEPC (China) and EIC (Brookhaven National Laboratory). The reduced impact in terms of material budget makes this technology suitable for the development of tracking devices in the muon spectrometer. In addition, the flexibility of the μ-RWELL base material makes this device suitable for the development of very light, fully cylindrical inner trackers at future high luminosity tau-charm factories, SCTF (China). We report in this paper some results in the development of 2D readouts for IDEA apparatus and the construction steps of a cylindrical μ-RWELL.

Influence of the edge effect of the solenoid magnetic field on the discharge process of magnetron sputtering in long and narrow chambers

The fourth-generation light source or future particle accelerators have compact vacuum systems, resulting in a small flow conductance of the beam chamber. The development of NEG (Non-Evaporable Getters) films technology with distributed pumping is a good solution. This technology can obtain a pressure distribution with a small pressure gradient and an ultra-high vacuum of 10-8 Pa inside the vacuum chambers. In the magnetron sputtering process for NEG coating, the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field at the edge of the solenoid is a key parameter for affecting the stability of the magnetron sputtering discharge process. The influence mechanism of the edge magnetic field on the plasma discharge process and discharge uniformity was studied to optimize the coating parameters, which is very important. The Particle-In-Cell/Monte Carlo Collision (PIC/MCC) method was employed to simulate plasma discharge in a narrow vacuum chamber under various edge magnetic field conditions. The potential distribution, charged particle density distribution, and particle density distribution on the target were acquired for four sets of discharge parameters, followed by data processing and analysis. The electric field distribution during the discharge process is closely linked to the non-uniformity of the magnetic field at the solenoid's edge. The smaller Br (the radial component of the magnetic field) component of the magnetic field, the more uniform distribution of Ar+ on the target surface, and the smaller the difference along the length of the vacuum chamber. A smaller radial component (Br) of the magnetic field results in a more uniform distribution of Ar+ on the target surface and reduces variations in film thickness along the length of the vacuum chamber. This is attributed to the small distance between the inner wall of the vacuum chamber and the cathode target. The change in the edge magnetic field will result in the rapid migration of electrons to the inner wall of the vacuum chamber and insufficient collision with the discharge gas, making it challenging to sustain the discharge process. Moreover, fluctuations in the edge magnetic field of the solenoid induce gradient drift and curvature drift in charged particles, resulting in rapid electron loss and alterations in the density and potential distribution of charged particles at the ends of the vacuum chamber, ultimately leading to discharge instability. The research results show the importance of the edge magnetic field effect on the magnetron sputtering coating of the slender vacuum chambers, which provides an important reference for the segmented coating process of similar vacuum chambers in future accelerators.

Longitudinal kinematic imbalances in neutrino and antineutrino interactions for improved measurements of neutrino energy and the axial vector form factor

Current and future accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments require an improved understanding of nuclear effects in neutrino-nucleus interactions. One important systematic uncertainty is introduced by the collective impact of nuclear effects which bias the reconstruction of the neutrino energy, such as the nuclear removal energy. In this manuscript, we introduce a novel observable for accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments, the visible longitudinal momentum imbalance, reconstructed in charged-current quasielastic interactions from the outgoing charged lepton and nucleon. We demonstrate it to be minimally dependent on the neutrino energy and sensitive to sources of bias in neutrino energy reconstruction. Furthermore, we show how the use of the longitudinal imbalance in antineutrino interactions in a target containing hydrogen allows for an improved, high-purity selection of the interactions on hydrogen. This approach offers the potential for precise measurements of the nuclear axial vector form factor as well as of the antineutrino flux. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A novel numerical approach for analyzing experimental data on critical current degradation in Nb3Sn wires caused by transverse deformations preceding heat treatment

In the framework of studies on high-field magnets for future accelerators, a specific project called ASTRACT focuses on the effect of transverse strain on the critical current of Nb3Sn wires. The first phase of the project addresses the effects of strain imposed on Nb3Sn wires before heat treatment and the development of a procedure to directly compare critical current measurements with values extracted from magnetization cycles. A Nb3Sn RRP-Ti wire was deformed to different values of transverse strain (10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%), and long samples were collected for transport measurements at 4.2 K, in a background field ranging from 10 to 14 T. Short samples were used for magnetization measurements (VSM technique). Additionally, SEM images of the cross-section were collected at different longitudinal positions along the wire for each strain value. This paper proposes a method based on SEM image analysis and magnetization measurements analysis to study the effect of bundle deformation on transport properties. The procedure requires morphological information provided by SEM images after appropriate numerical processing. Verification through statistical comparison between the Ic transport and VSM data is also conducted. Direct critical current measurements showed no degradation due to deformation up to 25%. The method introduced, independent of transport data, can reach the same conclusions by considering the real shape of the bundles.

Numerical studies of collinear laser-assisted injection from a foil for plasma wakefield accelerators

We present a laser-assisted electron injection scheme for beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration. The laser is collinear with the driver and triggers the injection of hot electrons into the plasma wake by interaction with a thin solid target. We present a baseline case using the AWAKE Run 2 parameters and then perform variations on key parameters to explore the scheme. It is found that the trapped witness electron charge may be tuned by altering laser parameters, with a strong dependence on the phase of the wake upon injection. Normalized emittance settles at the order of micrometres and varies with witness charge. The scheme is robust to misalignment, with a 1/10th plasma skin-depth offset (20 μm for the AWAKE case) having a negligible effect on the final beam. The final beam quality is better than similar existing schemes, and several avenues for further optimization are indicated. The constraints on the AWAKE experiment are very specific, but the general principles of this mechanism can be applied to future beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Mid-infrared dielectric laser acceleration in a silicon dual pillar structure.

Dielectric laser accelerators use near-infrared laser pulses to accelerate electrons at dielectric structures. Driving these devices with mid-infrared light should result in relaxed requirements on the electron beam, easier fabrication, higher damage threshold, and thus higher acceleration gradients. In this paper, we demonstrate dielectric laser acceleration of electrons driven with 10 μm light in a silicon dual pillar structure. We observe the acceleration of 27 keV electrons by 1.4 keV, corresponding to a 93 MeV/m acceleration gradient. The damage threshold of the structures of 3.3 ± 0.6 GV/m peak field is significantly higher than for near-infrared accelerators. The dual pillar acceleration structure itself even survived 5.2 ± 0.9 GV/m, the highest field strength we could achieve with the current system. This together with the larger structure acceptance bodes well for future dielectric laser accelerators driven with mid-infrared light.

Deformation-induced CPT violation in entangled pairs of neutral kaons

In this paper we consider description of kaon-antikaon interference in the context of a theory with deformed CPT symmetry. In the case of such theoretical models, deviations from the standard CPT invariance is related to the momentum carried by the particles; in particular the rest masses of particles and antiparticles are equal. We find that the decay intensity of kaon-antikaon pair has three contributing terms: the correct-parity, the wrong-parity, and the interference between them, all of which are affected by deformation. Using the fact that the presence of such terms was not observed we estimate, under plausible assumptions, the magnitude of deformation parameter κ≳1017 GeV at the LHC energy. This limit can be possibly improved to values closer to the expected Planck mass scale κ≳1018 GeV using a next-generation collider with energy larger by an order of magnitude. This raises hopes that the effect, if it exists, could be detected in future accelerator experiments. Uncertainties of the energy measurement and time resolution are important for accuracy of these predictions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

End-to-end simulation of particle physics events with flow matching and generator oversampling

The simulation of high-energy physics collision events is a key element for data analysis at present and future particle accelerators. The comparison of simulation predictions to data allows looking for rare deviations that can be due to new phenomena not previously observed. We show that novel machine learning algorithms, specifically Normalizing Flows and Flow Matching, can be used to replicate accurate simulations from traditional approaches with several orders of magnitude of speed-up. The classical simulation chain starts from a physics process of interest, computes energy deposits of particles and electronics response, and finally employs the same reconstruction algorithms used for data. Eventually, the data are reduced to some high-level analysis format. Instead, we propose an end-to-end approach, simulating the final data format directly from physical generator inputs, skipping any intermediate steps. We use particle jets simulation as a benchmark for comparing both discrete and continuous Normalizing Flows models. The models are validated across a variety of metrics to identify the most accurate. We discuss the scaling of performance with the increase in training data, as well as the generalization power of these models on physical processes different from the training one. We investigate sampling multiple times from the same physical generator inputs, a procedure we name oversampling, and we show that it can effectively reduce the statistical uncertainties of a dataset. This class of ML algorithms is found to be capable of learning the expected detector response independently of the physical input process. The speed and accuracy of the models, coupled with the stability of the training procedure, make them a compelling tool for the needs of current and future experiments.

Generalized threshold of longitudinal multibunch instability in synchrotrons

Beam stability is a crucial requirement for all particle accelerators. Coupled-bunch instability (CBI) is driven by beam interaction with narrowband impedance of the resonant accelerator components. Loss of Landau damping (LLD) for a single bunch is mainly determined by broadband impedance and can lead to undamped bunch oscillations. For the first time, we solve numerically the longitudinal stability problem in a self-consistent way for a general case of two impedance types and propose a simple analytical criterion describing how the obtained LLD and CBI thresholds are combined. We demonstrate that LLD can modify the CBI mechanism and reduce the instability threshold even below the LLD threshold. These findings allow the existing beam observations in CERN Super Proton Synchrotron and Large Hadron Collider to be explained and should be considered in design of the future accelerators. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Evidence for polyimide redeposition and possible correlation with sparks in Gas Electron Multipliers working in CF[formula omitted] mixtures

Research on aging processes of Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs) is important to obtain insights on how to increase the detector’s longevity, stability, and performance, as highlighted in the latest developments roadmap by the European Council of Future Accelerators (ECFA). One key aspect of the aging process is the deposit formation on the electrodes surfaces. In this work, through the analysis of the molecular content on the surface of a used GEM, we provide evidence for polyimide redeposition as a source of organic material contributing to the formation of insulating layers on the electrodes, which eventually lead to sparks and detector failure. Furthermore, we show that chromium, used to promote adhesion between copper and polyimide, in the device undergoes a diffusion process, effectively blurring the layered structure. We demonstrate the significance of surface-sensitive chemical analysis to investigate the surface deposits on electrodes of gaseous detectors and our results reveal the necessity of standardization and more stringent study protocols.

Numerical investigation of a THz-driven dielectric accelerator with a Bragg-reflector for accelerating sub-relativistic electron beams

Structure-based novel accelerators exhibit significant potential for substantial reduction in size and associated costs of future accelerators. Utilizing high-power THz sources in dielectric accelerator structures presents a favorable compromise for achieving elevated gradients and alleviating beam injection requirements. We conducted numerical investigations on an energy-efficient dielectric single grating structure accompanied by a Bragg-reflector, employing THz pulses to generate a phase-modified field for accelerating sub-relativistic electron beams. The structural parameters were optimized to enhance the strength of the acceleration field. The simulation results demonstrate that the side-coupling single grating structure, accompanied by a Bragg-reflector, designed for sub-relativistic electron beam acceleration, can increase the relative structural energy efficiency by more than 50% compared to a dual-grating accelerator structure. Moreover, it offers an available maximum acceleration gradient of up to 400 MeV m−1.

Planar deposition of Nb thin films by HiPIMS for superconducting radiofrequency applications

Cost efficiency and sustainability are critical challenges for future accelerator machines. Nb-coated Cu (Nb/Cu) superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) accelerating cavities, while requiring R&D to meet high acceleration gradient performance standards, show potential for addressing these challenges. Defects in the Nb layer responsible for the deterioration of cavity performance have been linked to the underlying Cu substrate. This study investigates a novel optimization method by mitigating the substrate surface’s impact on deposited Nb, using High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering alongside a DC substrate bias (from −50 to −300 V). Trenched silicon substrates are chosen to emulate substrates with exceptionally rugged surface characteristics. Film deposition is investigated both experimentally and through kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Higher DC voltages are shown to eliminate self-shadowing during the coating process via improved incident ionic flux directionality, enhanced adatom mobility and increased re-sputtering rates, ultimately yielding flat and densely-packed films. The influence of the substrate’s shape on the film’s surface was found to decrease exponentially with increasing ion bombardment energies. Films sputtered under high DC bias conditions (−300 V) exhibited complete planarization with a 30% re-sputtering rate. Strategies for applying this technique to Nb/Cu SRF cavities, enhancing their viability for future particle accelerators, are also discussed.

Toward an integrated multi-gigahertz ionizing particle diagnostic.

Needs arising at both current and future accelerator facilities call for the development of radiation-hardened position-sensing diagnostics that can operate with multi-GHz repetition rates. Such instruments are likely to also have applications in the diagnosis of rapid plasma behavior. Building on the recent work of our Advanced Accelerator Diagnostics Collaboration, we are exploring the development of integrated multi-GHz ionizing particle detection systems based on chemical-vapor deposition diamond sensors, with the initial goal of producing a quadrant detector that can determine the intensity and centroid position of a particle beam at a repetition rate between 5 and 10GHz. Results from our initial high-speed characterization work are presented, including those from a single-channel sensor with a GHz response. Approaches to achieving multi-GHz (5-10GHz) rate capability, including the design of a dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuit and the use of 3D RF-solver computer aided design software, are presented and discussed in more detail. 3D RF simulations suggest clean pulses of duration less than 250ps (FWHM less than 125ps) can be achieved with the approaches developed by this work.

Probing nuclear properties and neutrino physics with current and future CEνNS experiments

The recent observation of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) with neutrinos from pion decay at rest (π-DAR) sources by the COHERENT Collaboration has raised interest in this process in the search for new physics. Unfortunately, current uncertainties in the determination of nuclear parameters relevant to those processes can hide new physics effects. This is not the case for processes involving lower-energy neutrino sources such as nuclear reactors. Note, however, that a CEνNS measurement with reactor neutrinos depends largely on a (still-missing) precise determination of the quenching factor at very low energies, making its observation more challenging. In the upcoming years, once this signal is confirmed, a combined analysis of π-DAR and reactor CEνNS experiments will be very useful to probe particle and nuclear physics, with a reduced dependence on nuclear uncertainties. In this work, we explore this idea by simultaneously testing the sensitivity of current and future CEνNS experiments to neutrino nonstandard interactions (NSIs) and the neutron root mean square (rms) radius, considering different neutrino sources as well as several detection materials. We show how the interplay between future reactor and accelerator CEνNS experiments can help to get robust constraints on the neutron rms and to break degeneracies between the NSI parameters. Our forecast could be used as a guide to optimize the experimental sensitivity to the parameters under study. Published by the American Physical Society 2024