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Development of a novel compact and fast SiPM-based RICH detector for the future ALICE 3 PID system at LHC

M. N. Mazziotta, A. R. Altamura, L. Congedo, G. De Robertis, A. Di Mauro, J. O. Guerra-Pulidoc, F. Licciulli, L. Lorusso, P. Martinengo, E. Nappi, N. Nicassio, G. Paic, G. Panzarini, R. Pillera, G. Volpe

TL;DR

This work investigates a compact, fast SiPM-based RICH detector tailored for the ALICE 3 PID system, employing a proximity-focusing configuration with an aerogel Cherenkov radiator and a thin high-index window as a second radiator to enable timing. A small-scale prototype incorporating SiPM arrays and Petiroc 2A readout was tested at the CERN-PS T10 beam line, using window materials such as MgF$_2$ and SiO$_2$ to provide timing information. The results demonstrate a single-photon Cherenkov angle resolution better than $4$ mrad and a relative timing resolution between central M0 and M1 detectors of about $75$ ps (≈$50$ ps per SiPM channel), with nearly 100% particle-detection efficiency under appropriate window configurations and effective background suppression. Overall, the findings confirm the viability of a SiPM-based proximity-focusing RICH with Cherenkov timing for ALICE 3 and suggest broader applicability to future experiments and space missions.

Abstract

A dedicated R\&D is ongoing for the charged particle identification system of the \mbox{ALICE 3} experiment proposed for the LHC Run 5 and beyond. One of the subsystems for the high-energy charged particle identification will be a Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector. The possibility of integrating Cherenkov-based charged particle timing measurements is currently under study. The proposed system is based on a proximity-focusing RICH configuration including an aerogel radiator separated from a SiPM array layer by an expansion gap. A thin high-refractive index window of transparent material, acting as a second Cherenkov radiator, is glued on the SiPM array to enable time-of-flight measurements of charged particles by exploiting the yield of Cherenkov photons in the thin window. We assembled a small-scale prototype instrumented with different Hamamatsu SiPM array sensors with pitches ranging from 1 to 3 mm, readout by custom boards equipped with the front-end Petiroc 2A ASICs to measure charges and times. The primary Cherenkov radiator consisted of a 2 cm thick aerogel tile, while various window materials, including SiO$_2$ and MgF$_2$, were used as secondary Cherenkov radiators. The prototype was successfully tested in a campaign at the CERN PS T10 beam line with pions and protons. This paper summarizes the results achieved in the 2023 test beam campaign.

Development of a novel compact and fast SiPM-based RICH detector for the future ALICE 3 PID system at LHC

TL;DR

This work investigates a compact, fast SiPM-based RICH detector tailored for the ALICE 3 PID system, employing a proximity-focusing configuration with an aerogel Cherenkov radiator and a thin high-index window as a second radiator to enable timing. A small-scale prototype incorporating SiPM arrays and Petiroc 2A readout was tested at the CERN-PS T10 beam line, using window materials such as MgF and SiO to provide timing information. The results demonstrate a single-photon Cherenkov angle resolution better than mrad and a relative timing resolution between central M0 and M1 detectors of about ps (≈ ps per SiPM channel), with nearly 100% particle-detection efficiency under appropriate window configurations and effective background suppression. Overall, the findings confirm the viability of a SiPM-based proximity-focusing RICH with Cherenkov timing for ALICE 3 and suggest broader applicability to future experiments and space missions.

Abstract

A dedicated R\&D is ongoing for the charged particle identification system of the \mbox{ALICE 3} experiment proposed for the LHC Run 5 and beyond. One of the subsystems for the high-energy charged particle identification will be a Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector. The possibility of integrating Cherenkov-based charged particle timing measurements is currently under study. The proposed system is based on a proximity-focusing RICH configuration including an aerogel radiator separated from a SiPM array layer by an expansion gap. A thin high-refractive index window of transparent material, acting as a second Cherenkov radiator, is glued on the SiPM array to enable time-of-flight measurements of charged particles by exploiting the yield of Cherenkov photons in the thin window. We assembled a small-scale prototype instrumented with different Hamamatsu SiPM array sensors with pitches ranging from 1 to 3 mm, readout by custom boards equipped with the front-end Petiroc 2A ASICs to measure charges and times. The primary Cherenkov radiator consisted of a 2 cm thick aerogel tile, while various window materials, including SiO and MgF, were used as secondary Cherenkov radiators. The prototype was successfully tested in a campaign at the CERN PS T10 beam line with pions and protons. This paper summarizes the results achieved in the 2023 test beam campaign.
Paper Structure (4 sections, 5 figures)

This paper contains 4 sections, 5 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Beam test set-up
  3. Data analysis and results
  4. Conclusions

Figures (5)

  • Figure 1: Beam test set-up at CERN PS T10 line on Oct, 2023. The beam enters from the right side. The black boxes upstream and downstream the set-up include thin plastic scintillator tiles and two X-Y fiber tracker modules (T0 and T1) MAZZIOTTA2022167040.
  • Figure 2: CAD view of the RICH cylinder with the central upstream SiPM array M0, the aerogel tile, the SiPM linear ring arrays and the central downstream SiPM array M1.
  • Figure 3: Left panel: upstream S13361-3075AE-08 SiPM array coupled with a 1 mm thick MgF$_2$ window. Right panel: downstream photon detector plate with eight S13552 SiPM arrays and a central S13361-3075AE-08 SiPM array coupled with a 1 mm thick SiO$_2$ window.
  • Figure 4: Top left: Spatial distribution of the extrapolated X-Y emission coordinates in aerogel and of the hits in the ring arrays. Top right: Distribution of the relative timing between the array cell firing time $\text{t}_{\text{hit}}$ and the firing time $\text{t}_{\text{track}}$ of the M1 cell with maximum number of PEs. Bottom left: Raw single photon Cherenkov angle distribution. Bottom right: Corresponding angular distribution requiring $|\text{t}_{\text{hit}} - \text{t}_{\text{track}}|<$ 5 ns. The results refer to measurements with the positive beam at 8 GeV/$c$ momentum.
  • Figure 5: Top left: M0 (blue points) and M1 (red points) charged track detection efficiency vs minimum number of required cluster PEs. Top right: Time walk correction for M0 channels. Bottom left: Distribution of the relative time of the M0 and M1 channels with maximum number of PEs. Bottom right: Time resolution as a function of M0 number of PEs requiring $>$ 30 PEs in M1. The results refer to measurements with the negative beam at 10 GeV/$c$ momentum.