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Title: Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam

Abstract

The MICROMEGAS (MICRO-MEsh GAseous Structure) charge amplification structure has found wide use in many detection applications, especially as a gain stage for the charge readout of Time Projection Chambers (TPCs). We report on the behavior of a MICROMEGAS TPC when operated in a high-energy (up to 800 MeV) neutron beam. It is found that neutron-induced reactions can cause discharges in some drift gas mixtures that are stable in the absence of the neutron beam. The discharges result from recoil ions close to the MICROMEGAS that deposit high specific ionization density and have a limited diffusion time. And for a binary drift gas, increasing the percentage of the molecular component (quench gas) relative to the noble component and operating at lower pressures generally improves stability.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [1];  [2];  [4];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [3];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [2];  [6];  [1] more »;  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [5];  [1];  [5];  [6];  [1] « less
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
  4. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics
  5. Abilene Christian Univ., TX (United States)
  6. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
  7. California Polytechnic State Univ. (CalPoly), San Luis Obispo, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1414355
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1549099
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-722401
Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002; TRN: US1800687
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344; AC52-06NA25396; NA0002921; AC52–06NA25396
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 881; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; time projection chamber; TPC; MICROMEGAS; neutron beam

Citation Formats

Snyder, L., Manning, B., Bowden, N. S., Bundgaard, J., Casperson, R. J., Cebra, D. A., Classen, T., Duke, D. L., Gearhart, J., Greife, U., Hagmann, C., Heffner, M., Hensle, D., Higgins, D., Isenhower, D., King, J., Klay, J. L., Geppert-Kleinrath, V., Loveland, W., Magee, J. A., Mendenhall, M. P., Sangiorgio, S., Seilhan, B., Schmitt, K. T., Tovesson, F., Towell, R. S., Walsh, N., Watson, S., Yao, L., and Younes, W. Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.028.
Snyder, L., Manning, B., Bowden, N. S., Bundgaard, J., Casperson, R. J., Cebra, D. A., Classen, T., Duke, D. L., Gearhart, J., Greife, U., Hagmann, C., Heffner, M., Hensle, D., Higgins, D., Isenhower, D., King, J., Klay, J. L., Geppert-Kleinrath, V., Loveland, W., Magee, J. A., Mendenhall, M. P., Sangiorgio, S., Seilhan, B., Schmitt, K. T., Tovesson, F., Towell, R. S., Walsh, N., Watson, S., Yao, L., & Younes, W. Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.028
Snyder, L., Manning, B., Bowden, N. S., Bundgaard, J., Casperson, R. J., Cebra, D. A., Classen, T., Duke, D. L., Gearhart, J., Greife, U., Hagmann, C., Heffner, M., Hensle, D., Higgins, D., Isenhower, D., King, J., Klay, J. L., Geppert-Kleinrath, V., Loveland, W., Magee, J. A., Mendenhall, M. P., Sangiorgio, S., Seilhan, B., Schmitt, K. T., Tovesson, F., Towell, R. S., Walsh, N., Watson, S., Yao, L., and Younes, W. 2017. "Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.028. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1414355.
@article{osti_1414355,
title = {Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam},
author = {Snyder, L. and Manning, B. and Bowden, N. S. and Bundgaard, J. and Casperson, R. J. and Cebra, D. A. and Classen, T. and Duke, D. L. and Gearhart, J. and Greife, U. and Hagmann, C. and Heffner, M. and Hensle, D. and Higgins, D. and Isenhower, D. and King, J. and Klay, J. L. and Geppert-Kleinrath, V. and Loveland, W. and Magee, J. A. and Mendenhall, M. P. and Sangiorgio, S. and Seilhan, B. and Schmitt, K. T. and Tovesson, F. and Towell, R. S. and Walsh, N. and Watson, S. and Yao, L. and Younes, W.},
abstractNote = {The MICROMEGAS (MICRO-MEsh GAseous Structure) charge amplification structure has found wide use in many detection applications, especially as a gain stage for the charge readout of Time Projection Chambers (TPCs). We report on the behavior of a MICROMEGAS TPC when operated in a high-energy (up to 800 MeV) neutron beam. It is found that neutron-induced reactions can cause discharges in some drift gas mixtures that are stable in the absence of the neutron beam. The discharges result from recoil ions close to the MICROMEGAS that deposit high specific ionization density and have a limited diffusion time. And for a binary drift gas, increasing the percentage of the molecular component (quench gas) relative to the noble component and operating at lower pressures generally improves stability.},
doi = {10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.028},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1414355}, journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},
issn = {0168-9002},
number = C,
volume = 881,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Fission fragment angular anisotropy in neutron-induced fission of U 235 measured with a time projection chamber
journal, June 2019