The Argonne MCP-based photo detector is an offshoot of the Large Area Pico-second Photo Detector (LAPPD) project, wherein 6 cm x 6 cm sized detectors are made at Argonne National Laboratory. We have successfully built and tested our first detectors for pico-second timing and few mm spatial resolution. We discuss our efforts to customize these detectors to operate in a cryogenic environment. Initial plans aim to operate in liquid argon. We are also exploring ways to mitigate wave length shifting requirements and also developing bare-MCP photodetectors to operate in a gaseous cryogenic environment.
Micro-channel plate (MCP)-based photodetectors are capable of picosecond level time resolution and sub-mm level position resolution, which makes them a perfect candidate for the next generation large area photodetectors. The large-area picosecond photodetector (LAPPD) collaboration is developing new techniques for making large-area photodetectors based on new MCP fabrication and functionalization methods. A small single tube processing system (SmSTPS) was constructed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for developing scalable, cost-effective, glass-body, 6 cm x 6 cm, picosecond photodetectors based on MCPs functionalized by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). Recently, a number of fully processed and hermitically sealed prototypes made of MCPs with 20 micron pores have been fabricated. This is a significant milestone for the LAPPD project. These prototypes were characterized with a pulsed laser test facility. Without optimization, the prototypes have shown excellent results: The time resolution is ~57 ps for single photoelectron mode and ~15 ps for multi-photoelectron mode; the best position resolution is < 0.8 mm for large pulses. In this paper, the tube processing system, the detector assembly, experimental setup, data analysis and the key performance will be presented.
We report on the design, construction, and operation of a PID temperature controlled and vacuum tight camera casing. The camera casing contains a commercial digital camera and a lighting system. The design of the camera casing and its components are discussed in detail. Pictures taken by this cryo-camera while immersed in argon vapour and liquid nitrogen are presented. The cryo-camera can provide a live view inside cryogenic set-ups and allows to record video.
The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is proposed to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy using a 20 kiloton underground liquid scintillator detector (CD). One of the keys is the energy resolution of the CD to reach <3% at 1 MeV, where totally 15,000 MCP-PMT will be used. The optimization of the 20-inch MCP-PMT is very important for better detection efficiency and stable performance. In this work, we will show the study to optimize the MCP-PMT working configuration for charge measurement. Particularly, the quality of PMT signal is another key for high-precision neutrino experiments while most of these experiments are affected by the overshoot of PMT signal from the positive HV scheme. The overshoot coupled with positive HV which is troubling trigger, dead time and precise charge measurement, we have studied to control it to less than 1% of signal amplitude for a better physics measurement. In this article, on the one hand, the optimized HV divider ratio will be presented here to improve its collection efficiency; on the other hand, we will introduce the method to reduce the ratio of overshoot from 10% to 1%.
We have designed and characterized a cryogenic amplifier for use in $^3$He NMR spectrometry. The amplifier, with a power consumption of $sim 2.5$ mW, works at temperatures down to 4~K. It has a hi-impedance input for measuring a signal from NMR resonant circuit, and a 50 $mathrm{Omega}$ differential input which can be used for pick-up compensation and gain calibration. At 4.2 K, the amplifier has a voltage gain of 45, output resistance 146 $mathrm{Omega}$ and a 4.4 MHz bandwidth starting from DC. At 1 MHz, the voltage and current noise amount to 1.3 $mbox{nV}/sqrt{mbox{Hz}}$ and 12 $mbox{fA}/sqrt{mbox{Hz}}$, respectively, which yields an optimal source impedance of $sim 100$ k$mathrm{Omega}$.
We have designed and prototyped the process steps for the batch production of large-area micro-channel-plate photomultipliers (MCP-PMT) using the air-transfer assembly process developed with single $LAPPD^{text{TM}}$ modules. Results are presented addressing the challenges of designing a robust package that can transmit large numbers of electrical signals for pad or strip readout from inside the vacuum tube and hermetically sealing the large-perimeter window-body interface. We have also synthesized a photocathode in a large-area low-aspect-ratio volume, and shown that the micro-channel plates recover their functionality after cathode synthesis. The steps inform a design for a multi-module batch facility employing dual nested low-vacuum (LV) and ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) systems in a small-footprint. The facility design provides full access to multiple MCP-PMT modules prior to hermetic pinch-off for leak-checking and real-time photocathode optimization.