High-energy Particle Accelerators Research Articles

Qualification and calibration tests of detector modules for the CMS Pixel Phase 1 upgrade

In high energy particle physics, accelerator- and detector-upgrades always go hand in hand. The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider will increase to up to L = 2×1034cm−2s−1 during Run 2 until 2023. In order to cope with such luminosities, the pixel detector of the CMS experiment has been replaced early 2017. The so-called CMS Pixel phase 1 upgrade detector consists of 1184 modules with new design. An important production step is the module qualification and calibration, ensuring their proper functionality within the detector. This paper summarizes the qualification and calibration tests and results of modules used in the innermost two detector layers with focus on methods using module-internal calibration signals. Extended characterizations on pixel level such as electronic noise and bump bond connectivity, optimization of operational parameters, sensor quality and thermal stress resistance were performed using a customized setup with controlled environment. It could be shown that the selected modules have on average 0.55‰ ± 0.01‰ defective pixels and that all performance parameters stay within their specifications.

Hybrid modeling of diffusive shock acceleration in collisionless shocks in multispecies plasma

Diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) is a very efficient mechanism of high energy particle acceleration in heliosphere, supernova remnants, stellar winds and gamma-ray bursts. We present microscopic simulation of particle injection and diffusive shock acceleration which is performed with 3D divergence-conserving second-order accurate hybrid code "Maximus". Hydrogen plasma with admixture of various heavy ions is considered. The injection process is found to start through shock reflection for both hydrogen and heavier ions. However, the reflection process depends on charge-to-mass ratio. While hydrogen ions reflection appears at shock ramp and is governed by the cross-shock potential, the reflection of ions with greater A=Z proceeds deeper down-stream via gyration in perpendicular magnetic field component. The heavy ions appear to inject into the DSA preferentially, but this chemical enhancement saturates with growing A=Z. The protons injection efficiency is estimated within various approaches, and it is shown that about 20% of initial flow energy goes into accelerated particles.

Uncertainty quantification applied to the radiological characterization of radioactive waste

This paper describes the process adopted at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to quantify uncertainties affecting the characterization of very-low-level radioactive waste. Radioactive waste is a by-product of the operation of high-energy particle accelerators. Radioactive waste must be characterized to ensure its safe disposal in final repositories. Characterizing radioactive waste means establishing the list of radionuclides together with their activities. The estimated activity levels are compared to the limits given by the national authority of the waste disposal. The quantification of the uncertainty affecting the concentration of the radionuclides is therefore essential to estimate the acceptability of the waste in the final repository but also to control the sorting, volume reduction and packaging phases of the characterization process. The characterization method consists of estimating the activity of produced radionuclides either by experimental methods or statistical approaches. The uncertainties are estimated using classical statistical methods and uncertainty propagation. A mixed multivariate random vector is built to generate random input parameters for the activity calculations. The random vector is a robust tool to account for the unknown radiological history of legacy waste. This analytical technique is also particularly useful to generate random chemical compositions of materials when the trace element concentrations are not available or cannot be measured. The methodology was validated using a waste population of legacy copper activated at CERN. The methodology introduced here represents a first approach for the uncertainty quantification (UQ) of the characterization process of waste produced at particle accelerators.

Electromagnetic Design Study of a 20-T Cos-Theta 2-in-1 Dipole Magnet for High-Energy Accelerators

High-field superconducting magnets are the key components of the high-energy particle accelerators. The Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing, China, has been working on the related R&D since 2014. In parallel with the baseline R&D roadmap with common coil configuration, preliminary electromagnetic design of a 20-T 2-in-1 dipole magnet with cos-theta configuration has been carried out as an option for the model magnet R&D in future. Totally six layers of coils are required for each aperture of this dipole with the high temperature superconductor for the inner two layers and the low temperature superconductor for the outer four layers. Graded coil design is selected to increase the efficiency of the conductor utilization. For each aperture, the clear bore diameter is 50 mm. Asymmetric coil configuration has been adopted to obtain a good geometrical field quality. After optimization, the field uniformity of 10 -4 within 2/3 of the aperture is achieved. The coil ends of the dipole magnet have also been designed and optimized. The detailed magnetic analysis and the main characteristics of this magnet are presented.

Partially Insulated Twisted Stacked Cable for HTS Insert of a Particle Accelerator

High Tc superconducting (HTS) insert in combination with low Tc superconducting (LTS) outsert is the only possibility today to go above 16 T for future high-energy particle accelerator dipoles. These HTS inserts will feature large operating current (≥ 10 kA) and high background fields (≥ 13 T) leading to severe operating conditions. In our 46-turns HTS insert, a 4 × 4 mm twisted stacked cable composed of 20 tapes and carrying 10.4 kA is used. It is simple to manufacture and enables a partial transposition. The designed insert can generate 5 T with good field homogeneity, assuming a homogeneous current density in the cable. However, a half twist per turn applied in the magnet ends of a 15-m-long insert makes it difficult to obtain both low magnetization and uniform current distribution in the cable. Three twisted stacked cables solutions are numerically studied: noninsulated cable, insulated cable, and partially insulated cable. The simulated HTS insert is first submitted to the external field of the outsert then the current is ramped up to nominal value. The partially insulated twisted stacked cable compounds both advantages of noninsulated and insulated cables, and thus appear to be the best solution for the HTS insert.

Precision timing detectors with cadmium-telluride sensor

Precision timing detectors for high energy physics experiments with temporal resolutions of a few 10 ps are of pivotal importance to master the challenges posed by the highest energy particle accelerators such as the LHC. Calorimetric timing measurements have been a focus of recent research, enabled by exploiting the temporal coherence of electromagnetic showers. Scintillating crystals with high light yield as well as silicon sensors are viable sensitive materials for sampling calorimeters. Silicon sensors have very high efficiency for charged particles. However, their sensitivity to photons, which comprise a large fraction of the electromagnetic shower, is limited. To enhance the efficiency of detecting photons, materials with higher atomic numbers than silicon are preferable. In this paper we present test beam measurements with a Cadmium-Telluride (CdTe) sensor as the active element of a secondary emission calorimeter with focus on the timing performance of the detector. A Schottky type CdTe sensor with an active area of 1cm2 and a thickness of 1 mm is used in an arrangement with tungsten and lead absorbers. Measurements are performed with electron beams in the energy range from 2 GeV to 200 GeV. A timing resolution of 20 ps is achieved under the best conditions.

Reduction of secondary electron yield for E-cloud mitigation by laser ablation surface engineering

Developing a surface with low Secondary Electron Yield (SEY) is one of the main ways of mitigating electron cloud and beam-induced electron multipacting in high-energy charged particle accelerators. In our previous publications, a low SEY<0.9 for as-received metal surfaces modified by a nanosecond pulsed laser was reported. In this paper, the SEY of laser-treated blackened copper has been investigated as a function of different laser irradiation parameters. We explore and study the influence of micro- and nano-structures induced by laser surface treatment in air of copper samples as a function of various laser irradiation parameters such as peak power, laser wavelength (λ=355nm and 1064nm), number of pulses per point (scan speed and repetition rate) and fluence, on the SEY. The surface chemical composition was determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) which revealed that heating resulted in diffusion of oxygen into the bulk and induced the transformation of CuO to sub-stoichiometric oxide. The surface topography was examined with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) which showed that the laser-treated surfaces are dominated by microstructure grooves and nanostructure features.

Cryogenics for high-energy particle accelerators: highlights from the first fifty years

Applied superconductivity has become a key technology for high-energy particle accelerators, allowing to reach higher beam energy while containing size, capital expenditure and operating costs. Large and powerful cryogenic systems are therefore ancillary to low-temperature superconducting accelerator devices – magnets and high-frequency cavities – distributed over multi-kilometre distances and operating generally close to the normal boiling point of helium, but also above 4.2 K in supercritical and down to below 2 K in superfluid. Additionally, low-temperature operation in accelerators may also be required by considerations of ultra-high vacuum, limited stored energy and beam stability. We discuss the rationale for cryogenics in high-energy particle accelerators, review its development over the past half-century and present its outlook in future large projects, with reference to the main engineering domains of cryostat design and heat loads, cooling schemes, efficient power refrigeration and cryogenic fluid management.

A new approach to characterize very-low-level radioactive waste produced at hadron accelerators

Radioactive waste is produced as a consequence of preventive and corrective maintenance during the operation of high-energy particle accelerators or associated dismantling campaigns. Their radiological characterization must be performed to ensure an appropriate disposal in the disposal facilities. The radiological characterization of waste includes the establishment of the list of produced radionuclides, called “radionuclide inventory”, and the estimation of their activity. The present paper describes the process adopted at CERN to characterize very-low-level radioactive waste with a focus on activated metals. The characterization method consists of measuring and estimating the activity of produced radionuclides either by experimental methods or statistical and numerical approaches. We adapted the so-called Scaling Factor (SF) and Correlation Factor (CF) techniques to the needs of hadron accelerators, and applied them to very-low-level metallic waste produced at CERN. For each type of metal we calculated the radionuclide inventory and identified the radionuclides that most contribute to hazard factors. The methodology proposed is of general validity, can be extended to other activated materials and can be used for the characterization of waste produced in particle accelerators and research centres, where the activation mechanisms are comparable to the ones occurring at CERN.

Beam-pipe coupling in particle accelerators by shape memory alloy rings

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) rings have been studied for possible applications as beam-pipe connectors in particle accelerators. The rings were analyzed by both experimental tests and finite element simulations. In particular, the tightening performance of NiTiNb rings, in terms of contact pressure and clamping/unclamping mechanisms, was studied for different values of the initial clearance between ring and vacuum pipe. The results have revealed that the contact pressure is not significantly affected by the assembly clearance due to the plateau in the stress-strain response of the material. In addition, thermal dismounting and subsequent re-clamping is obtained by exploiting the two way shape memory recovery capabilities of the SMA rings. Thanks to these features, these connectors can be used in high-energy particle accelerators, especially in radioactive areas, where thermally induced mounting and dismounting operations can be activated remotely.

New estimation method of neutron skyshine for a high-energy particle accelerator

A skyshine is the dominant component of the prompt radiation at off-site. Several experimental studies have been done to estimate the neutron skyshine at a few accelerator facilities. In this work, the neutron transports from a source place to off-site location were simulated using the Monte Carlo codes, FLUKA and PHITS. The transport paths were classified as skyshine, direct (transport), groundshine and multiple-shine to understand the contribution of each path and to develop a general evaluation method. The effect of each path was estimated in the view of the dose at far locations. The neutron dose was calculated using the neutron energy spectra obtained from each detector placed up to a maximum of 1 km from the accelerator. The highest altitude of the sky region in this simulation was set as 2 km from the floor of the accelerator facility. The initial model of this study was the 10 GeV electron accelerator, PAL-XFEL. Different compositions and densities of air, soil and ordinary concrete were applied in this calculation, and their dependences were reviewed. The estimation method used in this study was compared with the well-known methods suggested by Rindi, Stevenson and Stepleton, and also with the simple code, SHINE3. The results obtained using this method agreed well with those using Rindi’s formula.

Polarized synchrotron emission from the equatorial current sheet in gamma-ray pulsars

Abstract Polarization is a powerful diagnostic tool to constrain the site of the high-energy pulsed emission and particle acceleration in gamma-ray pulsars. Recent particle-in-cell simulations of pulsar magnetosphere suggest that high-energy emission results from particles accelerated in the equatorial current sheet emitting synchrotron radiation. In this study, we re-examine the simulation data to compute the phase-resolved polarization properties. We find that the emission is mildly polarized and that there is an anti-correlation between the flux and the degree of linear polarization (on-pulse: ∼15 per cent, off-pulse: ∼30 per cent). The decrease of polarization during pulses is mainly attributed to the formation of caustics in the current sheet. Each pulse of light is systematically accompanied by a rapid swing of the polarization angle due to the change of the magnetic polarity when the line of sight passes through the current sheet. The optical polarization pattern observed in the Crab can be well-reproduced for a pulsar inclination angle ∼60° and an observer viewing angle ∼130°. The predicted high-energy polarization is a robust feature of the current sheet emitting scenario which can be tested by future X-ray and gamma-ray polarimetry instruments.

FIELD CALIBRATION OF A TLD ALBEDO DOSEMETER IN THE HIGH-ENERGY NEUTRON FIELD OF CERF.

The new albedo dosemeter-type AWST-TL-GD 04 has been calibrated in the CERF neutron field (Cern-EU high-energy Reference Field). This type of albedo dosemeter is based on thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) and used by the individual monitoring service of the Helmholtz Zentrum München (AWST) since 2015 for monitoring persons, who are exposed occupationally against photon and neutron radiation. The motivation for this experiment was to gain a field specific neutron correction factor Nn for workplaces at high-energy particle accelerators. Nn is a dimensionless factor relative to a basic detector calibration with 137Cs and is used to calculate the personal neutron dose in terms of Hp(10) from the neutron albedo signal. The results show that the sensitivity of the albedo dosemeter for this specific neutron field is not significantly lower as for fast neutrons of a radionuclide source like 252Cf. The neutron correction factor varies between 0.73 and 1.16 with a midrange value of 0.94. The albedo dosemeter is therefore appropriate to monitor persons, which are exposed at high-energy particle accelerators.

New Approach for Designing of High-Energy Circular Particle Accelerators

New Approach for Designing of High-Energy Circular Particle Accelerators

Load management strategy for Particle-In-Cell simulations in high energy particle acceleration

In the wake of the intense effort made for the experimental CILEX project, numerical simulation campaigns have been carried out in order to finalize the design of the facility and to identify optimal laser and plasma parameters. These simulations bring, of course, important insight into the fundamental physics at play. As a by-product, they also characterize the quality of our theoretical and numerical models. In this paper, we compare the results given by different codes and point out algorithmic limitations both in terms of physical accuracy and computational performances. These limitations are illustrated in the context of electron laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). The main limitation we identify in state-of-the-art Particle-In-Cell (PIC) codes is computational load imbalance. We propose an innovative algorithm to deal with this specific issue as well as milestones towards a modern, accurate high-performance PIC code for high energy particle acceleration.

A Mathematical Model of the Maximum Rigidity Resulting from Diffusive Shock Acceleration

The primary cause of the high-energy particle acceleration of cosmic rays and solar-particle events is first-order Fermi diffusive shock acceleration. The importance of the maximum rigidity is that it governs the effective depth in the atmosphere that accelerated particles can reach. Because the rigidity is a function of the particle energy, a high rigidity implies a high energy and thus a more intense hadronic cascade and greater atmospheric penetration. Because of their high energies, cosmic rays can penetrate the Earth’s surface and be measured underground. However, whether solar-particle events will produce significant radiation exposure at aircraft altitudes depends on the maximum rigidity resulting from the shock. First-order shock acceleration is governed by the speed of the shock, the local magnetic field the length of time the shock continues and the strength of the shock. These factors are combined in a simple equation which provides a simple model for the maximum rigidity resulting from the shock. The equation derived from these considerations accounts reasonably well for cosmic-ray and solar-particle maximum rigidities.

Bulge testing of copper and niobium tubes for hydroformed RF cavities

The heat treatment, tensile testing, and bulge testing of Cu and Nb tubes has been carried out to gain experience for the subsequent hydroforming of Nb tube into seamless superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities for high energy particle acceleration. In the experimental part of the study samples removed from representative tubes were prepared for heat treatment, tensile testing, residual resistance ratio measurement, and orientation imaging electron microscopy (OIM). After being optimally heat treated Cu and Nb tubes were subjected to hydraulic bulge testing and the results analyzed. In the final part of the study finite-element models (FEM) incorporating constitutive (stress–strain) relationships analytically derived from the tensile and bulge tests, respectively, were used to replicate the bulge test. As expected, agreement was obtained between the experimental bulge parameters and the FEM model based on the bulge-derived constitutive relationship. Not so for the FEM model based on tensile-test data. It is concluded that a constitutive relationship based on bulge testing is necessary to predict a material's performance under hydraulic deformation.

Do high energy astrophysical neutrinos trace star formation?

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has provided the first map of the high energy (∼ 0.01–1 PeV) sky in neutrinos. Since neutrinos propagate undeflected, their arrival direction is an important identifier for sources of high energy particle acceleration. Reconstructed arrival directions are consistent with an extragalactic origin, with possibly a galactic component, of the neutrino flux. We present a statistical analysis of positional coincidences of the IceCube neutrinos with known astrophysical objects from several catalogs. When considering starburst galaxies with the highest flux in gamma-rays and infrared radiation, up to n=8 coincidences are found, representing an excess over the ∼4 predicted for the randomized, or ``null'' distribution. The probability that this excess is realized in the null case, the p-value, is p=0.042. This value falls to p=0.003 for a partial subset of gamma-ray-detected starburst galaxies and superbubble regions in the galactic neighborhood. Therefore, it is possible that starburst galaxies, and the typically hundreds of superbubble regions within them, might account for a portion of IceCube neutrinos. The physical plausibility of such correlation is discussed briefly.

宇宙中高能带电粒子的加速

The origin of energetic particles is the key issue of high-energy solar physics and astrophysics. Under explosive astrophysical environment, charged particles in the background plasma can be accelerated by electric fields to very high energies. Based on the characteristics of the particle and electric field interactions, one may identify several acceleration mechanisms: Wave-particle resonance interaction, acceleration by electric field parallel to the magnetic field, and acceleration associated with the magnetic field curvature and/or gradient etc. Based on the macroscopic sources of free energies for the particle acceleration, several particle acceleration theories have been developed such as the stochastic particle acceleration, diffusive shock acceleration and acceleration in magnetic reconnection etc. These theories have different assumptions and characteristics and find applications in different astrophysical environment. With the observational advance in high-energy astrophysics, better understanding of varieties of physical processes in explosive astrophysical phenomena can be obtained via detailed analyses of the emission characteristics and the acceleration of high-energy particles.

Beam Tests of Beampipe Coatings for Electron Cloud Mitigation in Fermilab Main Injector

Electron cloud beam instabilities are an important consideration in virtually all high-energy particle accelerators and could pose a formidable challenge to forthcoming high-intensity accelerator upgrades. Dedicated tests have shown beampipe coatings dramatically reduce the density of electron cloud in particle accelerators. In this work, we evaluate the performance of titanium nitride, amorphous carbon, and diamond-like carbon as beampipe coatings for the mitigation of electron cloud in the Fermilab Main Injector. Altogether our tests represent 2700 ampere-hours of proton operation spanning five years. Three electron cloud detectors, retarding field analyzers, are installed in a straight section and allow a direct comparison between the electron flux in the coated and uncoated stainless steel beampipe. We characterize the electron flux as a function of intensity up to a maximum of 50 trillion protons per cycle. Each beampipe material conditions in response to electron bombardment from the electron cloud and we track the changes in these materials as a function of time and the number of absorbed electrons. Contamination from an unexpected vacuum leak revealed a potential vulnerability in the amorphous carbon beampipe coating. We measure the energy spectrum of electrons incident on the stainless steel, titanium nitride and amorphous carbon beampipes. We find the electron cloud signal is highly sensitive to stray magnetic fields and bunch-length over the Main Injector ramp cycle. We conduct a complete survey of the stray magnetic fields at the test station and compare the electron cloud signal to that in a field-free region.