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Register a new userSurface Processing and Discharge-Conditioning of High Voltage Electrodes for the Ra EDM Experiment
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The Ra EDM experiment uses a pair of high voltage electrodes to measure the atomic electric dipole moment of $^{225}$Ra. We use identical, plane-parallel electrodes with a primary high gradient surface of 200 mm$^2$ to generate reversible DC electric fields. Our statistical sensitivity is linearly proportional to the electric field strength in the electrode gap. We adapted surface decontamination and processing techniques from accelerator physics literature to chemical polish and clean a suite of newly fabricated large-grain niobium and grade-2 titanium electrodes. Three pairs of niobium electrodes and one pair of titanium electrodes were discharge-conditioned with a custom high voltage test station at electric field strengths as high as $+52.5$ kV/mm and $- 51.5$ kV/mm over electrode gap sizes ranging from 0.4 mm to 2.5 mm. One pair of large-grain niobium electrodes was discharge-conditioned and validated to operate at $pm 20$ kV/mm with steady-state leakage current $leq 25$ pA ($1sigma$) and a polarity-averaged $98 pm 19$ discharges per hour. These electrodes were installed in the Ra EDM experimental apparatus, replacing a copper electrode pair, and were revalidated to $pm 20$ kV/mm. The niobium electrodes perform at an electric field strength 3.1 times larger than the legacy copper electrodes and are ultimately limited by the maximum output of our 30 kV bipolar power supply.
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We investigate the influence of the high voltage scheme elements on the stability of a detector based on a single $10times10$ cm$^2$ area GEM with respect to the secondary discharge occurrence. These violent events pose a major threat to the integrity of GEM detectors and their Front-End Electronics and need to be avoided by any means. For a single GEM setup, we propose a detailed high voltage scheme that is designed to prevent secondary discharges. We determine optimal values of the protection resistors and parasitic capacitances introduced by cables used in the system. The results of this paper may be used as a guideline for the optimization of more complicated multi-GEM detectors.
We present a design and characterization of optically transparent electrodes suitable for atomic and molecular physics experiments where high optical access is required. The electrodes can be operated in air at standard atmospheric pressure and do not suffer electrical breakdown even for electric fields far exceeding the dielectric breakdown of air. This is achieved by putting an ITO coated dielectric substrate inside a stack of dielectric substrates, which prevents ion avalanche resulting from Townsend discharge. With this design, we observe no arcing for fields of up to 120 kV/cm. Using these plates, we directly verify the production of electric fields up to 18~kV/cm inside a quartz vacuum cell by a spectroscopic measurement of the dc Stark shift of the $5^2S_{1/2} rightarrow 5^2P_{3/2}$ transition for a cloud of laser cooled Rubidium atoms. We also report on the shielding of the electric field and residual electric fields that persist within the vacuum cell once the electrodes are discharged. In addition, we discuss observed atom loss that results from the motion of free charges within the vacuum. The observed asymmetry of these phenomena on the bias of the electrodes suggests that field emission of electrons within the vacuum is primarily responsible for these effects and may indicate a way of mitigating them.
We report on the Beam EDM experiment, which aims to employ a pulsed cold neutron beam to search for an electric dipole moment instead of the established use of storable ultracold neutrons. We present a brief overview of the basic measurement concept and the current status of our proof-of-principle Ramsey apparatus.
New Micromegas (Micro-mesh gaseous detectors) are being developed in view of the future physics projects planned by the COMPASS collaboration at CERN. Several major upgrades compared to present detectors are being studied: detectors standing five times higher luminosity with hadron beams, detection of beam particles (flux up to a few hundred of kHz/mm^{2}, 10 times larger than for the present Micromegas detectors) with pixelized read-out in the central part, light and integrated electronics, and improved robustness. Two solutions of reduction of discharge impact have been studied, with Micromegas detectors using resistive layers and using an additional GEM foil. Performance of such detectors has also been measured. A large size prototypes with nominal active area and pixelized read-out has been produced and installed at COMPASS in 2010. In 2011 prototypes featuring an additional GEM foil, as well as an resistive prototype, are installed at COMPASS and preliminary results from those detectors presented very good performance. We present here the project and report on its status, in particular the performance of large size prototypes with an additional GEM foil.
The MAJORANA Collaboration is constructing the MAJORANA Demonstrator, an ultra-low background, 44-kg modular high-purity Ge (HPGe) detector array to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in Ge-76. The phenomenon of surface micro-discharge induced by high-voltage has been studied in the context of the MAJORANA Demonstrator. This effect can damage the front-end electronics or mimic detector signals. To ensure the correct performance, every high-voltage cable and feedthrough must be capable of supplying HPGe detector operating voltages as high as 5 kV without exhibiting discharge. R&D measurements were carried out to understand the testing system and determine the optimum design configuration of the high-voltage path, including different improvements of the cable layout and feedthrough flange model selection. Every cable and feedthrough to be used at the MAJORANA Demonstrator was characterized and the micro-discharge effects during the MAJORANA Demonstrator commissioning phase were studied. A stable configuration has been achieved, and the cables and connectors can supply HPGe detector operating voltages without exhibiting discharge.
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