D. Cussans

In deep inelastic, neutral current scattering of electrons and protons at ~/~ = 296 GeV, we observe in the ZEUS detector events with a large rapidity gap in the hadronic final state.They occur in the region of small Bjorken x and are observed up to Q2 of 100 GeV 2. They account for about 5% of the events with Q2 /> 10 GeV 2. Their general properties are inconsistent with the dominant mechanism of deep inelastic scattering, where color is transferred between the scattered quark and the proton remnant, and suggest that the underlying production mechanism is the diffractive dissociation of the virtual photon.

This paper presents our first measurement of the F2 structure function in neutral-current, deep inelastic scattering using the ZEUS detector at HERA, the ep colliding beam facility at DESY. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 24.7 nb−1. Results are presented for data in range of Q2 from 10 GeV2 to 4700 GeV2 and Bjorken x down to 3.0 × 10−4. The F2 structure function increases rapidly as x decreases.

The total photoproduction cross section is determined from a measurement of electroproduction with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The Q2 values of the virtual photons are in the range 10−7<Q2<2×10−2 GeV2. The γp total cross section in the γp centre of mass energy range 186–233 GeV is 154 ± 16 (stat.) ± 32 (syst.) μb.

A new measurement of the proton structure function F2 (x, Q2) is reported for momentum transfers squared Q2 between ].5 GeV2 and 5000 GeV2 and for Bjorken x between 3 · 10−5 and 0.32 using data collected by the HERA experiment H1 in 1994. The data represent an increase in statistics by a factor of ten with respect to the analysis of the 1993 data. Substantial extension of the kinematic range towards low Q2 and x has been achieved using dedicated data samples and events with initial state photon radiation. The structure function is found to increase significantly with decreasing x, even in the lowest accessible Q2 region. The data are well described by a Next to Leading Order QCD fit and the gluon density is extracted.

A measurement is presented, using data taken with the H1 detector at HERA, of the contribution of diffractive interactions to deep-inelastic electron-proton (ep) scattering in the kinematic range 8.5 < Q2 < 50GeV2, 2.4 × 10−4 < Bjorken-x < 0.0133, and 3.7 × 10−4 < χp < 0.043. The diffractive contribution to the proton structure function F2(x,Q2) is evaluated as a function of the appropriate deep-inelastic scattering variables χp, Q2, β (= χχp) using a class of deep-inelastic ep scattering events with no hadronic energy flow in an interval of pseudo-rapidity adjacent to the proton beam direction. the dependence of this contribution on χp is measured to be χp−n with n = 1.19 ± 0.06 (stat.) ± 0.07 (syst.) independent of β and Q2, which is consistent with both a diffractive interpretation and a factorisable ep diffractive cross section. A first measurement of the deep-inelastic structure of the pomeron in the form of the Q2 and β dependences of a factorised structure function is presented. For all measured β, this structure function is observed to be consistent with scale invariance.

A measurement of the proton structure function F2(x, Q2) is reported for momentum transfers squared Q2 between 4.5 GeV2 and 1600 GeV2 and for Bjorken x between 1.8 × 10−14 and 0.13 using data collected by the HERA experiment H1 in 1993. It is observed that F2 increases significantly with decreasing x, confirming our previous measurement made with one tenth of the data available in this analysis. The Q2 dependence is approximately logarithmic over the full kinematic range covered. The subsample of deep inelastic events with a large pseudo-rapidity gap in the hadronic energy flow close to the proton remnant is used to measure the “diffractive” contribution to F2.

Evidence is presented using data taken with the H1 detector at HERA for a class of deep inelastic electron-proton scattering (DIS) events (5 < Q2 < 120 GeV2) at low Bjorken-x (10−4 < x < 10−2) which have almost no hadronic energy flow in a large interval of pseudo-rapidity around the proton remnant direction and which cannot be attributed to our present understanding of DIS and fluctuations in final state hadronic fragmentation. From an integrated luminosity of 273 nb−1, 734 events, that is about 5% of the total DIS sample, have no energy deposition greater than 400 MeV forward of laboratory pseudo-rapidity ηmax = 1.8 up to the largest measurable pseudo-rapidity of about 3.65. Evidence that about 10% of observed rapidity gap events are exclusive vector meson electroproduction is presented. Good descriptions of the data are obtained using models based either on a vector meson dominance like picture, which includes a large fraction of inelastic virtual photon dissociation, or on deep inelastic electron-pomeron scattering in which the partonic sub-structure of the latter is resolved.

Test beam measurements at the test beam facilities of DESY have been conducted to characterise the performance of the EUDET-type beam telescopes originally developed within the EUDET project. The beam telescopes are equipped with six sensor planes using MIMOSA26 monolithic active pixel devices. A programmable Trigger Logic Unit provides trigger logic and time stamp information on particle passage. Both data acquisition framework and offline reconstruction software packages are available. User devices are easily integrable into the data acquisition framework via predefined interfaces. The biased residual distribution is studied as a function of the beam energy, plane spacing and sensor threshold. Its standard deviation at the two centre pixel planes using all six planes for tracking in a 6\,GeV electron/positron-beam is measured to be $(2.88\,\pm\,0.08)\,\upmu\meter$.Iterative track fits using the formalism of General Broken Lines are performed to estimate the intrinsic resolution of the individual pixel planes. The mean intrinsic resolution over the six sensors used is found to be $(3.24\,\pm\,0.09)\,\upmu\meter$.With a 5\,GeV electron/positron beam, the track resolution halfway between the two inner pixel planes using an equidistant plane spacing of 20\,mm is estimated to $(1.83\,\pm\,0.03)\,\upmu\meter$ assuming the measured intrinsic resolution. Towards lower beam energies the track resolution deteriorates due to increasing multiple scattering. Threshold studies show an optimal working point of the MIMOSA26 sensors at a sensor threshold of between five and six times their RMS noise. Measurements at different plane spacings are used to calibrate the amount of multiple scattering in the material traversed and allow for corrections to the predicted angular scattering for electron beams.

First results on inclusive $$\mathop {D^0 }\limits^{( - )} $$ andD*± production in neutral current deep inelasticep scattering are reported using data collected by the H1 experiment at HERA in 1994. Differential cross sections are presented for both channels and are found to agree well with QCD predictions based on the boson gluon fusion process. A charm production cross section for 10 GeV2≤Q2≤100 GeV2 and 0.01≤y≤0.7 of $$\sigma (ep \to ec\bar cX) = (17.4 \pm 1.6 \pm 1.7 \pm 1.4) nb$$ is derived. A first measurement of the charm contribution $$F_2^{c\bar c} (x,Q^2 )$$ to the proton structure function for Bjorkenx between 8·10−4 and 8·10−3 is presented. In this kinematic range a ratio $$F_2^{c\bar c} /F_2 = 0.237 \pm 0.021 \pm 0.041$$ is observed.

The results of a measurement of the proton structure function F2(x,Q2) and the virtual photon-proton cross section are reported for momentum transfers squared Q2 between 0.35 GeV2 and 3.5 GeV2 and for Bjorken-x values down to 6 × 10−6 using data collected by the HERA experiment H1 in 1995. The data represent an increase in kinematic reach to lower x and Q2 values of about a factor of 5 compared to previous H1 measurements. Including measurements from fixed target experiments the rise of F2 with decreasing x is found to be less steep for the lowest Q2 values measured. Phenomenological models at low Q2 are compared with the data.

The data acquisition software framework, EUDAQ, was originally developed to read out data from the EUDET-type pixel telescopes. This was successfully used in many test beam campaigns in which an external position and time reference were required. The software has recently undergone a significant upgrade, EUDAQ2, which is a generic, modern and modular system for use by many different detector types, ranging from tracking detectors to calorimeters. EUDAQ2 is suited as an overarching software that links individual detector readout systems and simplifies the integration of multiple detectors. The framework itself supports several triggering and event building modes. This flexibility makes test beams with multiple detectors significantly easier and more efficient, as EUDAQ2 can adapt to the characteristics of each detector prototype during testing. The system has been thoroughly tested during multiple test beams involving different detector prototypes. EUDAQii has now been released and is freely available under an open-source license.

Results on J/ψ production in ep interactions in the H1 experiment at HERA are presented. The J/ψ mesons are produced by almost real photons (Q2 ≈ 0) and detected via their leptonic decays. The data have been taken in 1994 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 2.7 pb−1. The γp cross section for elastic J/ψ production is observed to increase strongly with the center of mass energy. The cross section for diffractive J/ψ production with proton dissociation is found to be of similar magnitude as the elastic cross section. Distributions of transverse momentum and decay angle are studied and found to be in accord with a diffractive production mechanism. For inelastic J/ψ production the total γp cross section, the distribution of transverse momenta, and the elasticity of the J/ψ are compared to NLO QCD calculations in a colour singlet model and agreement is found. Diffractive ψ′ production has been observed and a first estimate of the ratio to J/ψ production in the HERA energy regime is given.

A measurement of the inclusive cross section for the deep-inelastic scattering of positrons off protons at HERA is presented at momentum transfers 8.5 ≤ Q2 ≤ 35 GeV2 and large inelasticity <y> = 0.7, i.e. for the Bjorken-x range 0.00013 ≤ x ≤ 0.00055. Using a next-to-leading order QCD fit to the structure function F2 at lower y values, the contribution of F2 to the measured cross section at high y is calculated and, by subtraction, the longitudinal structure function FL is determined for the first time with an average value of FL = 0.52 ± 0.03 (statt)−0.22+0.25 (syst) at Q2 = 15.4 GeV2 and x = 0.000243.

Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles produced in deep inelastic scattering are measured as a function of the kinematic variables x_B and Q2 using the H1 detector at the ep collider HERA. The data are compared to different parton emission models, either with or without ordering of the emissions in transverse momentum. The data provide evidence for a relatively large amount of parton radiation between the current and the remnant systems.

We report a study of electron proton collisions at very low Q2, corresponding to virtual photoproduction at centre of mass energies in the range 100–295 GeV. The distribution in transverse energy of the observed hadrons is much harder than can be explained by soft processes. Some of the events show back-to-back two-jet production at the rate and with the characteristics expected from hard two-body scattering. A subset of the two-jet events have energy in the electron direction consistent with that expected from the photon remnant in resolved photon processes.

Jets in photoproduction events have been studied with the ZEUS detector for yp centre-of-mass energies ranging from 130 to 250 GeV.The inclusive jet distributions give evidence for the dominance of resolved photon interactions.In the di-jet sample the direct processes are for the first time clearly isolated.Di-jet cross sections for the resolved and direct processes are given in a restricted kinematic range.

The next generation of very-short-baseline reactor experiments will require compact detectors operating at surface level and close to a nuclear reactor. This paper presents a new detector concept based on a composite solid scintillator technology. The detector target uses cubes of polyvinyltoluene interleaved with 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) phosphor screens to detect the products of the inverse beta decay reaction. A multi-tonne detector system built from these individual cells can provide precise localisation of scintillation signals, making efficient use of the detector volume. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that a neutron capture efficiency of over 70 % is achievable with a sufficient number of 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) screens per cube and that an appropriate segmentation enables a measurement of the positron energy which is not limited by γ-ray leakage. First measurements of a single cell indicate that a very good neutron-gamma discrimination and high neutron detection efficiency can be obtained with adequate triggering techniques. The light yield from positron signals has been measured, showing that an energy resolution of 14%/√E(MeV) is achievable with high uniformity. A preliminary neutrino signal analysis has been developed, using selection criteria for pulse shape, energy, time structure and energy spatial distribution and showing that an antineutrino efficiency of 40% can be achieved. It also shows that the fine segmentation of the detector can be used to significantly decrease both correlated and accidental backgrounds.

The AIDA-2020 Trigger Logic Unit (TLU) has been designed to be a flexible and easily configurable unit to provide trigger and control signals to devices employed during test beams, integrating them with the beam telescope. The most recent iteration of the TLU (v1E) has been re-designed within the AIDA-2020 project to integrate with hardware used in beam facilities. Configuration and communication with the TLU are performed over Ethernet. It can be employed as a stand-alone unit or be deployed as part of the EUDAQ2 data acquisition framework, which allows it to connect to a wide range of LHC readout systems. The TLU can operate with a sustained particle rate of 1 MHz and with instantaneous rates up to 20 MHz. In the current firmware iteration, the unit can time-stamp incoming signals with a resolution of 1.5 ns. The hardware, firmware and software designs of the TLU are freely accessible and benefit from constant inputs and upgrades from experienced users. TLU units have already been deployed successfully in beam lines at CERN and DESY.

The production of transverse energy in deep inelastic scattering is measured as a function of the kinematic variables $x$ and $Q^2$ using the H1 detector at the ep collider HERA. The results are compared to the different predictions based upon two alternative QCD evolution equations, namely the Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (DGLAP) and the Balitsky-Fadin-Kuraev-Lipatov (BFKL) equations. In a pseudorapidity interval which is central in the hadronic centre of mass system between the current and the proton remnant fragmentation region the produced transverse energy increases with decreasing $x$ for constant $Q^2$. Such a behaviour can be explained with a QCD calculation based upon the BFKL ansatz. The rate of forward jets, proposed as a signature for BFKL dynamics, has been measured.

The cross section for the elastic photoproduction of ϱ0 mesons (γp → ϱ0p) has been measured with the H1 detector at HERA for two average photon-proton centre-of-mass energies of 55 and 187 GeV. The lower energy point was measured by observing directly the ϱ0 decay giving a cross section of 9.1 ± 0.9 (stat.) ± 2.5 (syst.) μb. The logarithmic slope parameter of the differential cross section, dσ/dt, is found to be 10.9 ± 2.4 (stat.) ± 1.1 (syst.) GeV−2. The ϱ0 decay polar angular distribution is found to be consistent with s-channel helicity conservation. The higher energy cross section was determined from analysis of the lower part of the hadronic invariant mass spectrum of diffractive photoproduction and found to be 13.6 ± 0.8 (stat.) ± 2.4 (syst.) μb.

In the past year, the Linear Collider Flavour Identification (LCFI) Collaboration has taken significant steps towards having a sensor suitable for use in the silicon vertex detector of the International Linear Collider (ILC). The goal of the collaboration is to develop the sensors, electronic systems and mechanical support structures necessary for the construction of a high performance vertex detector and to investigate the contribution such a vertex detector can make to the physics accessible at the ILC. Particular highlights include the delivery and testing of both a second-generation column parallel CCD (CP-CCD), design of the next-generation readout ASIC (CPR2a) and a dedicated ASIC for driving the CP-CCD. This paper briefly describes these and other highlights.

This work describes the performance of a muon tracker built with high resolution glass resistive plate chambers. The tracker is the result of a collaboration between University of Bristol and the Atomic Weapon Establishment to develop a reliable and cost effective system to scan shipping containers in search of special nuclear materials. The current setup consists of 12 detection layers, each comprised of a resistive plate chamber read out by 1.5 mm pitch strips. For most of the layers we achieved an efficiency better than 95%, a purity above 95% and a signal-to-noise ratio better than 300. A spatial resolution better than 500μm was obtained for most layers, thus satisfying the main requirements to apply resistive plate chambers to cosmic ray tomography.

The SoLid collaboration has developed a new detector technology to detect electron anti-neutrinos at close proximity to the Belgian BR2 reactor at surface level. A 288 kg prototype detector was deployed in 2015 and collected data during the operational period of the reactor and during reactor shut-down. Dedicated calibration campaigns were also performed with gamma and neutron sources. This paper describes the construction of the prototype detector with a high control on its proton content and the stability of its operation over a period of several months after deployment at the BR2 reactor site. All detector cells provide sufficient light yields to achieve a target energy resolution of better than 20%/√E(MeV). The capability of the detector to track muons is exploited to equalize the light response of a large number of channels to a precision of 3% and to demonstrate the stability of the energy scale over time. Particle identification based on pulse-shape discrimination is demonstrated with calibration sources. Despite a lower neutron detection efficiency due to triggering constraints, the main backgrounds at the reactor site were determined and taken into account in the shielding strategy for the main experiment. The results obtained with this prototype proved essential in the design optimization of the final detector.

The SoLid experiment, short for Search for Oscillations with a Lithium-6 detector, is a new generation neutrino experiment which tries to address the key challenges for high precision reactor neutrino measurements at very short distances from a reactor core and with little or no overburden. The primary goal of the SoLid experiment is to perform a precise measurement of the electron antineutrino energy spectrum and flux and to search for very short distance neutrino oscillations as a probe of eV-scale sterile neutrinos. This paper describes the SoLid detection principle, the mechanical design and the construction of the detector. It then reports on the installation and commissioning on site near the BR2 reactor, Belgium, and finally highlights its performance in terms of detector response and calibration.

A search for any resonant state coupled to an electron and a proton constituent has been performed using collisions of electron and proton beams at HERA. In a sample with integrated luminosity of 26 nb−1, no evidence has been found for production of leptoquarks with decays to e− + jet or ν + je to electron and quark have been determined for masses above 25 GeV. For example, scalar isosinglet leptoquarks (S0) with electroweak coupling strength to (e−u) states are ruled out at the 95% confidence level for masses below 168 GeV for left-handed couplings and below 176 GeV for right-handed couplings.

The total cross sections for the elastic electroproduction of P and Jψ mesons for Q2 > 8 GeV2 and 〈W〉 ⋍ 90 GeV/c2 are measured at HERA with the H1 detector. The measurements are for an integrated electron-proton luminosity of ⋍3 pb−1. The dependences of the total virtual photon-proton (γ∗p) cross sections on Q2, W and the momentum transfer squared to the proton (t), and, for the ϱ, the dependence on the polar decay angle (cos θ∗ are presented. The Jψ : ∂ cross section ratio is determined. The results are discussed in the light of theoretical models and of the interplay of hard and soft physics processes.

At the electron-proton collider HERA the inclusive D∗± meson photoproduction cross section has been measured with the H1 detector in two different, but partly overlapping, kinematical regions. For the first, where 〈Wγp〉 ≈ 200 GeV and Q2 < 0.01 GeV2, the result is σ(γp → ccX) = (13.2 ± 2.2−1.7 −4.8+2.1 +9.9) μb. The second measurement for Q2 < 4 GeV2 yields σ(γp → ccX) = (9.3 ± 2.1−1.8 −3.2+1.9 +6.9) μb at 〈Wγp〉 ≈ 142 GeV and σ(γp → ccX) = (20.6 ± 5.5−3.9 −7.2+4.3 +15.4 μb at 〈Wγp〉 ≈ 230 GeV, respectively. The third error accounts for an additional uncertainty due to the proton and photon parton density parametrizations. Differential cross sections are presented as a function of the D∗± transverse momentum and rapidity. The results compare reasonably well with next-to-leading order QCD calculations. Evidence for diffractive photoproduction of charm quarks is presented.

We present a QCD analysis of the proton structure function F2 measured by the H1 experiment at HERA, combined with data from previous fixed target experiments. The gluon density is extracted from the scaling violations of F2 in the range 2 · 10−4 < x < 3 · 10−2 and compared with an approximate solution of the QCD evolution equations. The gluon density is found to rise steeply with decreasing x.

The non-invasive imaging of dense objects is of particular interest in the context of nuclear waste management, where it is important to know the contents of waste containers without opening them. Using Muon Scattering Tomography (MST), it is possible to obtain a detailed 3D image of the contents of a waste container on reasonable timescales, showing both the high and low density materials inside. We show the performance of such a method on a Monte Carlo simulation of a dummy waste drum object containing objects of different shapes and materials. The simulation has been tuned with our MST prototype detector performance. In particular, we show that both a tungsten penny of 2 cm radius and 1 cm thickness, and a uranium sheet of 0.5 cm thickness can be clearly identified. We also show the performance of a novel edge finding technique, by which the edges of embedded objects can be identified more precisely than by solely using the imaging method.

TORCH is a novel time-of-flight detector that has been developed to provide charged-particle identification between 2 and 10 GeV/c momentum. TORCH combines arrival times from multiple Cherenkov photons produced within a 10 mm-thick quartz radiator plate, to achieve a 15 ps time-of-flight resolution per incident particle. A customised Micro-Channel Plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) and associated readout system utilises an innovative charge-sharing technique between adjacent pixels to obtain the necessary 70 ps time resolution of each Cherenkov photon. A five-year R\&D programme has been undertaken, culminating in the construction of a small-scale prototype TORCH module. In testbeams at CERN, this prototype operated successfully with customised electronics and readout system. A full analysis chain has been developed to reconstruct the data and to calibrate the detector. Results are compared to those using a commercial Planacon MCP-PMT, and single photon resolutions approaching 80 ps have been achieved. The photon counting efficiency was found to be in reasonable agreement with a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation of the detector. The small-scale demonstrator is a precursor to a full-scale TORCH module (with a radiator plate of $660\times1250\times10~{\rm mm^3}$), which is currently under construction.

Photoproduction of 2-jet events is studied with the H1 detector at HERA. Parton cross sections are extracted from the data by an unfolding method using leading order parton-jet correlations of a QCD generator. The gluon distribution in the photon is derived in the fractional momentum range 0.04 ⩽ xγ ⩽ 1 at the average factorization scale 75 GeV2.

The cross section of the charged current process e−p → ve + hadrons is measured at HERA for transverse momenta of the hadron system larger than 25 GeV. The size of the cross section exhibits the W propagator.

We present a study of Jψ meson production in collisions of 26.7 GeV electrons with 820 GeV protons, performed with the H1-detector at the HERA collider at DESY. The Jψ mesons are detected via their leptonic decays both to electrons and muons. Requiring exactly two particles in the detector, a cross section of σ(ep → JψX) = (8.8±2.0±2.2) nb is determined for 30 GeV ≤ Wγp ≤ 180 GeV and Q2 ≲ 4 GeV2. Using the flux of quasi-real photons with Q2 ≲ 4 GeV2, a total production cross section of σ(γp → J/ψX) = (56±13±14) nb is derived at an average Wγp=90 GeV. The distribution of the squared momentum transfer t from the proton to the Jψ can be fitted using an exponential exp(−b∥t∥) below a ∥t∥ of 0.75 GeV2 yielding a slope parameter of b = (4.7±1.9) GeV−2.

A search for leptoquarks at HERA was performed in H1 using 1994 e+ p data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 3 pb−1. Single leptoquarks were searched for in direct positron-quark fusion processes taking into account possible decays into lepton-quark pairs of either the first, the second, or the third generation. No significant deviation from the Standard Model predictions is found in the various final states studied and mass dependent exclusion limits are derived on the Yukawa couplings of the leptoquarks. Compared with earlier results from an analysis of e− p data, exclusion limits are considerably improved for leptoquarks which could be produced via e+ -valence quark fusion. For leptoquarks with lepton flavour conserving couplings, masses up to 275 GeV (depending on the leptoquark type) are excluded for coupling values larger than 4πλem. For leptoquarks with lepton flavour violating couplings, masses up to 225 GeV are excluded for couplings with leptons of the second or third generation larger than 4πλem. Fourteen possible combinations of couplings are studied and stringent exclusion limits comparable or better than any existing direct or indirect limits are obtained for each leptoquark type.

The precision measurements envisaged at the International Linear Collider (ILC) depend on excellent instrumentation and reconstruction software. The correct identification of heavy flavour jets, placing unprecedented requirements on the quality of the vertex detector, will be central for the ILC programme. This paper describes the LCFIVertex software, which provides tools for vertex finding and for identification of the flavour and charge of the leading hadron in heavy flavour jets. These tools are essential for the ongoing optimisation of the vertex detector design for linear colliders such as the ILC. The paper describes the algorithms implemented in the LCFIVertex package as well as the scope of the code and its performance for a typical vertex detector design.

We present a novel approach to the detection of special nuclear material using cosmic rays. Muon Scattering Tomography (MST) is a method for using cosmic muons to scan cargo containers and vehicles for special nuclear material. Cosmic muons are abundant, highly penetrating, not harmful for organic tissue, cannot be screened against, and can easily be detected, which makes them highly suited to the use of cargo scanning. Muons undergo multiple Coulomb scattering when passing through material, and the amount of scattering is roughly proportional to the square of the atomic number Z of the material. By reconstructing incoming and outgoing tracks, we can obtain variables to identify high-Z material. In a real life application, this has to happen on a timescale of 1 min and thus with small numbers of muons. We have built a detector system using resistive plate chambers (RPCs): 12 layers of RPCs allow for the readout of 6 x and 6 y positions, by which we can reconstruct incoming and outgoing tracks. In this work we detail the performance of an algorithm by which we separate high-Z targets from low-Z background, both for real data from our prototype setup and for MC simulation of a cargo container-sized setup. (c) British Crown Owned Copyright 2013/AWE

TORCH is an innovative high-precision time-of-flight system to provide particle identification in the difficult intermediate momentum region up to 10 GeV/c. It is also suitable for large-area applications. The detector provides a time-of-flight measurement from the imaging of Cherenkov photons emitted in a 1 cm thick quartz radiator. The photons propagate by total internal reflection to the edge of the quartz plate and are then focused onto an array of photon detectors at the periphery. A time-of-flight resolution of about 10–15 ps per incident charged particle needs to be achieved to allow a three sigma kaon-pion separation up to 10 GeV/c momentum for the TORCH located 9.5 m from the interaction point. Given ~30 detected photons per incident charged particle, this requires measuring the time-of-arrival of individual photons to about 70 ps. This paper will describe the design of a TORCH prototype involving a number of ground-breaking and challenging techniques.

EUDAQ is a generic data acquisition software developed for use in conjunction with common beam telescopes at charged particle beam lines. Providing high-precision reference tracks for performance studies of new sensors, beam telescopes are essential for the research and development towards future detectors for high-energy physics. As beam time is a highly limited resource, EUDAQ has been designed with reliability and ease-of-use in mind. It enables flexible integration of different independent devices under test via their specific data acquisition systems into a top-level framework. EUDAQ controls all components globally, handles the data flow centrally and synchronises and records the data streams. Over the past decade, EUDAQ has been deployed as part of a wide range of successful test beam campaigns and detector development applications.

Using the H1 detector at HERA, charged particle multiplicity distributions in deep inelastice + p scattering have been measured over a large kinematical region. The evolution withW andQ 2 of the multiplicity distribution and of the multiplicity moments in pseudorapidity domains of varying size is studied in the current fragmentation region of the hadronic centre-of-mass frame. The results are compared with data from fixed target lepton-nucleon interactions,e + e − annihilations and hadron-hadron collisions as well as with expectations from QCD based parton models. Fits to the Negative Binomial and Lognormal distributions are presented.

Properties of the hadronic final state in photoproduction events with large transverse energy are studied at the electron-proton collider HERA. Distributions of the transverse energy, jets and underlying event energy are compared to % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qeguuDJXwAKbacfiGaf8hCaaNbaebacqWFWbaCaaa!3DB7! $$\bar pp$$ data and QCD calculations. The comparisons show that theγp events can be consistently described by QCD models including — in addition to the primary hard scattering process — interactions between the two beam remnants. The differential jet cross sectionsdσ/dE T jet anddσ/dη jet are measured.

Calibration of the relative response of the individual channels of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS detector was accomplished, before installation, with cosmic ray muons and test beams. One fourth of the calorimeter was exposed to a beam of high energy electrons and the relative calibration of the channels, the intercalibration, was found to be reproducible to a precision of about 0.3%. Additionally, data were collected with cosmic rays for the entire ECAL barrel during the commissioning phase. By comparing the intercalibration constants obtained with the electron beam data with those from the cosmic ray data, it is demonstrated that the latter provide an intercalibration precision of 1.5% over most of the barrel ECAL. The best intercalibration precision is expected to come from the analysis of events collected in situ during the LHC operation. Using data collected with both electrons and pion beams, several aspects of the intercalibration procedures based on electrons or neutral pions were investigated.

Events with no hadronic energy flow in a large interval of pseudo-rapidity in the proton direction are observed in photon-proton interactions at an average centre of mass energy 〈√sγp〉 of 200 GeV These events are interpreted as photon diffractive dissociation. Evidence for hard scattering in photon diffractive dissociation is demonstrated using inclusive single particle spectra, thrust as a function of transverse energy, and the observation of jet production. The data can be described by a Monte Carlo calculation including hard photon-pomeron scattering.

Deep inelastic e p scattering data, taken with the H1 detector at HERA, are used to study the event shape variables thrust, jet broadening and jet mass in the current hemisphere of the Breit frame over a large range of momentum transfers Q between 7 GeV and 100 GeV. The data are compared with results from e+e− experiments. Using second order QCD calculations and an approach to relate hadronisation effects to power corrections an analysis of the Q dependences of the means of the event shape parameters is presented, from which both the power corrections and the strong coupling constant are determined without any assumption on fragmentation models. The power corrections of all event shape variables investigated follow a 1/Q behaviour and can be described by a common parameter α0.

Results are presented on neutral current, deep inelastic scattering measured in collisions of 26.7 GeV electrons and 820 GeV protons. The events typically populate a range in Q2 from 10 to 100 GeV2. The values of x extend down to x ∼ 10−4 which is two orders of magnitude lower than previously measured at such Q2 values in fixed target experiments. The measured cross sections are in accord with the extrapolations of current parametrisations of parton distributions.

This document is an updated version of EUDET-Memo-2008-50. It describes the interfaces and operation of the EUDET JRA1 Trigger Logic Unit (TLU v0.2c) with rmware version 253. The TLU is intended for test-beam use and provides

Ensuring the radiation hardness of PbWO4 crystals was one of the main priorities during the construction of the electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at CERN. The production on an industrial scale of radiation hard crystals and their certification over a period of several years represented a difficult challenge both for CMS and for the crystal suppliers. The present article reviews the related scientific and technological problems encountered.

Muon Scattering Tomography is a scanning technique which uses cosmic muons as probes to gather information on the content of the inspected volume. Because the scattering angle depends on the Z <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> of the materials in the volume, it is possible to obtain a 3D image of the volume content by carefully tracking the muon paths. This has very interesting potential applications in several fields, from engineering to homeland security, where MST could be used to inspect shipping containers and trucks in search of special nuclear materials (SNM). For such applications to be feasible it is necessary to have large area detectors (10-100 square meters) while maintaining the efficiency and angular resolution necessary to discriminate between low-Z and high-Z materials. Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) are very good candidates. RPCs are widely adopted in high energy physics experiments thanks to their excellent performance in terms of time resolution, charged particle detection efficiency and low cost per unit area. In collaboration with the UK Atomic Weapon Establishment we have built and tested a prototype based on 12 RPCs (50 cm × 50 cm). To obtain the required spatial resolution we adopted a novel approach for the RPC readout, coupling each detector with 300 fine pitch strips (1.5 mm) and using multiplexing analog readout chips to reduce the amount of readout channels. The prototype performs very well: all the chambers have efficiency above 99% and purity above 95%. The signal-to-noise for the electronic readout ranges from 25 to 90. The spatial resolution for the layers is better than 1 mm and we show that this is sufficient to successfully image a block of lead of 10 cm × 10 cm × 15 cm. We are now in the process of upgrading the electronics with new ASICs which feature built-in ADCs. The first test

The TORCH detector is being developed for low-momentum particle identification, combining time-of-flight and Cherenkov techniques to achieve charged particle pi/K/p separation up to 10 GeV/c over a flight distance of 10m. This requires a timing resolution of 70 ps for single photons. Based on an existing scalable design, production and testing of a TORCH readout system has been undertaken over the past year, and a novel customized Micro Channel Plate (MCP) photomultiplier device with 128-channels has been instrumented. This paper will report on the development of the readout system which is being used to measure time-of-flight in a test-beam, and its performance. We will also discuss the communication and data alignment between the TORCH system and the TimePix3 telescope in order to provide track reconstruction.

Deep inelastic scattering (DIS) events, selected from 1993 data taken by the H1 experiment at HERA, are studied in the Breit frame of reference. The fragmentation function of the quark is compared with those of \ee data. It is shown that certain aspects of the quarks emerging from within the proton in \ep interactions are essentially the same as those of quarks pair-created from the vacuum in \ee annihilation. The measured area, peak position and widthof the fragmentation function show that the kinematic evolution variable, equivalent to the \ee squared centre of mass energy, is in the Breit frame the invariant square of the four-momentum transfer. We comment on the extent to which we have evidence for coherence effects in parton showers.

Jet rates in deep inelastic electron proton scattering are studied with the H1 detector at HERA for momentum transfers squared between 10 and 4000 GeV2. It is shown that they can be quantitatively described by perturbative QCD in next to leading order making use of the parton densities of the proton and with the strong coupling constant αs as a free parameter. The measured value, αs(MZ2) = 0.123 ± 0.018, is in agreement both with determinations from e+e− annihilation at LEP using the same observable and with the world average.

Quasi-elastic (z>0.95) photo-production of ψ(2S) mesons has been observed at HERA for photon-proton centre-of-mass energies in the range 40 to 160 GeV. The ψ(2S) mesons were identified through their decays to ℓ+ℓ−, and to J/ψπ+π−, where the J/ψ subsequently decays to ℓ+ℓ−, the lepton ℓ being either a muon or an electron. The cross-section for quasi-elastic photoproduction was measured to be (18.0±2.8(stat)±3.0(syst)) nb at a photon-proton centre-of-mass energy of 80 GeV. The ratio of the ψ(2S) to J/ψ quasi-elastic cross-sections is (0.150±0.027(stat)±0.022(syst)).

The Q2 dependence and the total cross sections for charged and neutral current processes are measured in e±p reactions for transverse momenta of the outgoing lepton larger than 25 GeV. Comparable size of cross sections for the neutral current process and for the weak charged current process are observed above Q2 ∥ 5000 GeV2. Using the shape and magnitude of the charged current cross section we determine a propagator mass of mW = 84−7+10 GeV.

A contact interaction analysis is presented to search for new phenomena beyond the Standard Model in deep inelastic $e^\pm p \rightarrow e^\pm \, hadrons$ scattering. The data are collected with the H1 detector at HERA and correspond to integrated luminosities of $0.909 \ {\rm pb}^{-1}$ and $2.947 \ {\rm pb}^{-1}$ for electron and positron beams, respectively. The differential cross sections $d\sigma / dQ^2$ are measured in the $Q^2$ range bet\-ween $160 \ \GeV^2$ and $20,000 \ \GeV^2$. The absence of any significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction is used to constrain the couplings and masses of new leptoquarks and to set limits on electron--quark compositeness scales and on the radius of light quarks.

Following their introduction in the physics community in the early '80s the use of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) as charged particles detectors has constantly increased. Low cost per unit area, good time resolution and easy of operation are some of the features that contributed to such large adoption and that make RPCs interesting for several applications not necessarily related to physics. We built a prototype detector to track cosmic muons and exploit the information provided by estimating the multiple coulomb scattering angle to determine the type of materials they traversed. Simulations show that the technique could be used to inspect a cargo container in a time of the order of minutes.

This paper presents a comprehensive optimisation study to maximise the light collection efficiency of scintillating cube elements used in the SoLid detector. Very short baseline reactor experiments, like SoLid, look for active to sterile neutrino oscillation signatures in the anti-neutrino energy spectrum as a function of the distance to the core and energy. Performing a precise search requires high light yield of the scintillating elements and uniformity of the response in the detector volume. The SoLid experiment uses an innovative hybrid technology with two different scintillators: polyvinyltoluene scintillator cubes and $^6$LiF:ZnS(Ag) screens. A precision test bench based on a $^{207}$Bi calibration source has been developed to study improvements on the energy resolution and uniformity of the prompt scintillation signal of antineutrino interactions. A trigger system selecting the 1~MeV conversion electrons provides a Gaussian energy peak and allows for precise comparisons of the different detector configurations that were considered to improve the SoLid detector light collection. The light collection efficiency is influenced by the choice of wrapping material, the position of the $^6$LiF:ZnS(Ag) screen, the type of fibre, the number of optical fibres and the type of mirror at the end of the fibre. This study shows that large gains in light collection efficiency are possible compared to the SoLid SM1 prototype. The light yield for the SoLid detector is expected to be at least 52$\pm$2 photo-avalanches per MeV per cube, with a relative non-uniformity of 6 %, demonstrating that the required energy resolution of at least 14 % at 1 MeV can be achieved.

TORCH is a time-of-flight detector, designed to provide charged π∕K particle identification up to a momentum of 10 GeV/c for a 10 m flight path. To achieve this level of performance, a time resolution of 15 ps per incident particle is required. TORCH uses a plane of quartz of 1 cm thickness as a source of Cherenkov photons, which are then focussed onto square Micro-Channel Plate Photomultipliers (MCP-PMTs) of active area 53 × 53 mm2, segmented into 8 × 128 pixels equivalent. A small-scale TORCH demonstrator with a customised MCP-PMT and associated readout electronics has been successfully operated in a 5 GeV/c mixed pion/proton beam at the CERN PS facility. Preliminary results indicate that a single-photon resolution better than 100 ps can be achieved. The expected performance of a full-scale TORCH detector for the Upgrade II of the LHCb experiment is also discussed.

This paper presents energy distributions of the hadronic system produced in neutral-current electron-proton deep-inelastic scattering at a centre of mass energy of 296 GeV. Comparison of the results with QCD Monte Carlo models shows that QCD radiation has a strong influence on the characteristics of the final state. The data are reasonably reproduced by the Lund model based on a matrix element calculation in first order ofα s , followed by appropriate parton showers, as well as by the colour dipole model. The HERWIG parton shower model also gives a reasonable representation of the data. Neither the first order matrix elements alone nor the Lund parton shower model, without the matrix element calculation, reproduce the data.

Measurements of K0 meson and Λ baryon production in deep-inelastic positron-proton scattering (DIS) are presented in the kinematic range 10 < Q2 < 70 GeV2 and 10−4 < x < 10−2. The measurements, obtained using the H1 detector at the HEPA collider, are discussed in the light of possible mechanisms for increased strangeness production at low Bjorken-x. Comparisons of the xF spectra, where xF is the fractional longitudinal momentum in the hadronic centre-of-mass frame, are made with results from electron-positron annihilation. The xF spectra and the K0 “seagull” plot are compared with previous DIS results. The mean K0 and Λ multiplicities are studied as a function of the centre-of-mass energy W and are observed to be consistent with a logarithmic increase with W when compared with previous measurements. A comparison of strangeness production in diffractive and non-diffractive DIS is made. An upper limit of 0.9 nb, at the 95% confidence level, is placed on the cross section for QCD instanton induced events.

The transition between photoproduction and deep-inelastic scattering is investigated in jet production at the HERA ep collider, using data collected by the H1 experiment. Measurements of the differential inclusive jet cross-sections dσep/dEt∗ and dσep/dη∗, where Et∗ and η∗ are the transverse energy and the pseudorapidity of the jets in the virtual photon-proton centre of mass frame, are presented for 0<Q2<49GeV2 and 0.3<y<0.6. The interpretation of the results in terms of the structure of the virtual photon is discussed. The data are best described by QCD calculations which include a partonic structure of the virtual photon that evolves with Q2.

Cancer treatments such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) require increasingly complex methods to verify the accuracy and precision of the treatment delivery. In vivo dosimetry based on measurements made in an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) has been demonstrated. The distorting effect of the patient anatomy on the beam intensity means it is difficult to separate changes in patient anatomy from changes in the beam intensity profile. Alternatively, upstream detectors scatter and attenuate the beam, changing the energy spectrum of the beam, and generate contaminant radiation such as electrons. We used the VANILLA device, a Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (MAPS), to measure the 2D beam profile of a 6 MV X-ray beam at Bristol Hospital in real-time in an upstream position to the patient without clinically significant disturbance of the beam (0.1% attenuation). MAPSs can be made very thin (~20 μm) with still a very good signal-to-noise performance. The VANILLA can reconstruct the collimated beam edge with approximately 64 μm precision.

The TORCH detector is proposed for the low-momentum particle identification upgrade of the LHCb experiment. It combines Time-Of-Flight and Cherenkov techniques to achieve charged particle separation up to 10 GeV/c. This requires a time resolution of 70 ps for single photons. Existing electronics has already demonstrated a 26 ps intrinsic time resolution; however the channel count and density need improvements for future micro-channel plate devices. This paper will report on a scalable design using custom ASICs (NINO-32 and HPTDC). The system provides up to 8 × 64 channels for a single micro-channel plate device. It is also designed to read out micro-channel plate tubes with charge-sharing technique.

The performance of electromagnetic calorimeter modules made of proton-irradiated PbWO4 crystals has been studied in beam tests. The modules, similar to those used in the Endcaps of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL), were formed from 5×5 matrices of PbWO4 crystals, which had previously been exposed to 24 GeV protons up to integrated fluences between 2.1× 1013 and 1.3× 1014 cm−2. These correspond to the predicted charged-hadron fluences in the ECAL Endcaps at pseudorapidity η = 2.6 after about 500 fb−1 and 3000 fb−1 respectively, corresponding to the end of the LHC and High Luminosity LHC operation periods. The irradiated crystals have a lower light transmission for wavelengths corresponding to the scintillation light, and a correspondingly reduced light output. A comparison with four crystals irradiated in situ in CMS showed no significant rate dependence of hadron-induced damage. A degradation of the energy resolution and a non-linear response to electron showers are observed in damaged crystals. Direct measurements of the light output from the crystals show the amplitude decreasing and pulse becoming faster as the fluence increases. The latter is interpreted, through comparison with simulation, as a side-effect of the degradation in light transmission. The experimental results obtained can be used to estimate the long term performance of the CMS ECAL.

Within the TORCH (Time Of internally Reflected CHerenkov light) R&D project, a small-scale TORCH prototype module is currently under study. Circular-shaped micro-channel plate photon detectors with finely segmented square anodes (32 × 32 channels) have been produced for TORCH requirements in industrial partnership. A new generation of custom multi-channel electronics based on the 32-channel NINO and HPTDC ASICs has been developed. The performance of the photon detector coupled to these customized electronics has been assessed in the laboratory and is reported on. A time resolution of 80 ps and a spatial resolution of 0.03 mm have been measured. Finally, tests of the TORCH prototype module illuminated with laser light and in a charged particle beam will be highlighted.

Abstract The TORCH detector provides low-momentum particle identification, combining Time of Flight (TOF) and Cherenkov techniques to achieve charged particle pi/K/p separation between 2–20 GeV/c over a flight distance of 10 m. The measurement requires a timing resolution of 70 ps for single Cherenkov photons. For precision photon detection, customised Micro-Channel Plate Photomultiplier Tubes (MCP-PMTs) with high precision TOF measurement electronics have been developed. The electronics measures time-over-threshold from the MCP-PMT and features a 10-Gigabit Ethernet readout. This paper reports the design and performance of a 5120-channel system which currently instruments a pair of MCP-PMTs, but has the capacity to read out ten customised MCP-PMT devices in the future.

TORCH is a large-area and high-precision time-of-flight detector, designed to provide charged particle identification over a 2–20 GeV/c momentum range. The TORCH detector comprises a 10 mm thick quartz radiator, instrumented with photon detectors, which precisely time and measure the arrival positions of the Cherenkov photons. The photon detectors are micro-channel plate photo-multiplier tubes (MCP-PMTs) comprising a finely segmented anode of 64 × 64 anode pads, electronically ganged into 64 × 8 pixels, over a 53 × 53 mm2 area, an excellent intrinsic time resolution of ∼ 30 ps, and a long lifetime of up to ≳ 5 C/cm2. The current version of the MCP-PMTs used by TORCH have been developed with an industrial partner, Photek Ltd, to satisfy the stringent requirements of the detector. The TORCH R&D programme has successfully demonstrated the detector concept through extensive laboratory and beam tests. A TORCH prototype has been constructed and has yielded encouraging results when exposed to low momentum charged hadrons. Characteristic patterns of Cherenkov photons have been recorded, illustrating the required spatial accuracy and timing resolution of 70 ps per photon. Both laboratory and beam test results are approaching the design goals of the TORCH detector.

TORCH is a novel time-of-flight detector, designed to provide charged particle identification of pions, kaons and protons in the momentum range 2-20 GeV/c over a 9.5 m flight path. A detector module, comprising a 10mm thick quartz plate, provides a source of Cherenkov photons which propagate via total internal reflection to one end of the plate. Here, the photons are focused onto an array of custom-designed Micro-Channel Plate Photo-Multiplier Tubes (MCP-PMTs) which measure their positions and arrival times. The target time resolution per photon is 70 ps which, for 30 detected photons per charged particle, results in a 10-15 ps time-of-flight resolution. A 1.25 m length TORCH prototype module employing two MCP-PMTs has been developed, and tested at the CERN PS using a charged hadron beam of 8 GeV/c momentum. The construction of the module, the properties of the MCP-PMTs and the readout electronics are described. Measurements of the collected photon yields and single-photon time resolutions have been performed as a function of particle entry points on the plate and compared to expectations. These studies show that the performance of the TORCH prototype approaches the design goals for the full-scale detector.

A sample of events with two distinct jets, in addition to the proton remnant, has been identified in deep inelastic, neutral current ep interactions recorded at HERA by the ZEUS experiment. For these events, the mass of the hadronic system ranges from 40 to 260 GeV. The salient features of the observed jet production agree with the predictions of higher order QCD.

We report on a search for associated charm production in neutrino charged-current interactions in the CHORUS experiment, based on the visual observation of charmed-particle decays. The search differs from those carried out so far in which the production of cc̄ has been inferred from measurements of events with two or three muons in the final state, resulting from the decay of charmed hadrons. One event with a double charm-decay topology has been found and a corresponding background of 0.04 events has been evaluated.

We have developed a novel algorithm based on Markov random fields that uses cosmic ray muons to detect high-Z material, such as special nuclear material, in large-scale volumes, such as cargo containers. Since the amount of muon scattering is approximately dependent on the Z and the density of the material traversed, strong scattering in a localized area is indicative of high-Z material being present. For scanning purposes in freight harbors and similar, a decision should be made in ~ 1 minute. The performance of our algorithm has been evaluated on a variety of scenarios reflecting the composition of real-life cargo, using simulations tuned with our detector performance; we show that the algorithm can clear 64% of these containers using 60 seconds of cosmic muon exposure, and 88% using 90 seconds, with a run-time of the algorithm between 1 and 5 seconds.

We report on the first direct observation of a neutrino induced charged-current interaction with two subsequent decays of short-lived particles close to the interaction vertex. This rare double-kink signature in the CHORUS emulsion target is interpreted as a Ds∗+ production followed by the decay chain Ds∗+→Ds+γ,Ds+→τ+ντ,τ+→μ+νμντ̄. The event is characterised by small Q2 and small four-momentum transfer squared t to the target nucleon, which indicates a diffractive production mechanism. A complete analysis of the event is presented.

The TORCH time-of-flight detector is designed to provide particle identification in the momentum range 2−10GeV∕c over large areas. The detector exploits prompt Cherenkov light produced by charged particles traversing a 10mm thick quartz plate. The photons propagate via total internal reflection and are focused onto a detector plane comprising position-sensitive Micro-Channel Plate Photo-Multiplier Tubes (MCP-PMT) detectors. The goal is to achieve a single-photon timing resolution of 70ps, giving a timing precision of 15ps per charged particle by combining the information from around 30 detected photons. The MCP-PMT detectors have been developed with a commercial partner (Photek Ltd, UK), leading to the delivery of a square tube of active area 53×53mm2 with a granularity of 8×128pixels equivalent. A large-scale demonstrator of TORCH, having a quartz plate of dimensions 660×1250×10mm3 and read out by a pair of MCP-PMTs with custom readout electronics, has been verified in a test beam campaign at the CERN PS. Preliminary results indicate that the required performance is close to being achieved. The anticipated performance of a full-scale TORCH detector at the LHCb experiment is presented.

The SoLid experiment aims to measure neutrino oscillation at a baseline of 6.4 m from the BR2 nuclear reactor in Belgium. Anti-neutrinos interact via inverse beta decay (IBD), resulting in a positron and neutron signal that are correlated in time and space. The detector operates in a surface building, with modest shielding, and relies on extremely efficient online rejection of backgrounds in order to identify these interactions. A novel detector design has been developed using 12800 5 cm cubes for high segmentation. Each cube is formed of a sandwich of two scintillators, PVT and 6LiF:ZnS(Ag), allowing the detection and identification of positrons and neutrons respectively. The active volume of the detector is an array of cubes measuring 80x80x250 cm (corresponding to a fiducial mass of 1.6 T), which is read out in layers using two dimensional arrays of wavelength shifting fibres and silicon photomultipliers, for a total of 3200 readout channels. Signals are recorded with 14 bit resolution, and at 40 MHz sampling frequency, for a total raw data rate of over 2 Tbit/s. In this paper, we describe a novel readout and trigger system built for the experiment, that satisfies requirements on: compactness, low power, high performance, and very low cost per channel. The system uses a combination of high price-performance FPGAs with a gigabit Ethernet based readout system, and its total power consumption is under 1 kW. The use of zero suppression techniques, combined with pulse shape discrimination trigger algorithms to detect neutrons, results in an online data reduction factor of around 10000. The neutron trigger is combined with a large per-channel history time buffer, allowing for unbiased positron detection. The system was commissioned in late 2017, with successful physics data taking established in early 2018.

The cross sections for the charged current processes ${e^{-}p}\rightarrow{\nu_e+hadrons}$ and, for the first time, ${e^{+}p}\rightarrow{\overline{\nu}_e+hadrons}$ are measured at HERA for transverse momenta larger than 25 GeV.

There is a need for radiation spectrometers that are able to work in sustained high-count-rate environments. This work presents the results obtained with a discrete component charge-sensitive amplifier and shaper combination designed to be the front end for a diamond spectrometer. A system with a rise time of 2.12ns, FWHM of 3.75ns and an ENC of 293e <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-</sup> RMS was developed and a high gain of 147 mV/fC was achieved with return to baseline within 20 ns. Instantaneous count rates of 50MHz and sustained count-rates of 20MHz were made possible through the use of a fast preamplifier and differentiating shaper.

The SoLid collaboration have developed an intelligent readout system to reduce their 3200 silicon photomultiplier detector's data rate by a factor of 10000 whilst maintaining high efficiency for storing data from anti-neutrino interactions. The system employs an FPGA-level waveform characterisation to trigger on neutron signals. Following a trigger, data from a space time region of interest around the neutron will be read out using the IPbus protocol. In these proceedings the design of the readout system is explained and results showing the performance of a prototype version of the system are presented.

IDEA (Innovative Detector for Electron–positron Accelerators) is a detector concept designed for a future leptonic collider operating as a Higgs factory. It is based on innovative detector technologies developed over years of R&D. In September 2018, prototypes of the proposed sub-detectors have been tested for the first time on a beam line at CERN. The preliminary results from this test of a full slice of the IDEA detector and standalone measurements of dual read-out calorimeter prototypes are presented.

A leading order determination of the gluon density in the proton has been performed in the fractional momentum range 1.9 · 10−3 < xg/p < 0.18 by measuring multi-jet events from boson-gluon fusion in deep-inelastic scattering with the H1 detector at the electron-proton collider HERA. This direct determination of the gluon density was performed in a kinematic region previously not accessible. The data show a considerable increase of the gluon density with decreasing fractional momenta of the gluons.

Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) are widely used in high energy physics for both tracking and triggering purposes. They have good time resolution and with finely segmented readout can also give a spatial resolution of better than 1 mm. RPCs can be produced cost-effectively on large scales, are of rugged build, and have excellent detection efficiency for charged particles. Our group has successfully built a Muon Scattering Tomography (MST) prototype, using 12 RPCs to obtain tracking information of muons going through a target volume of ∼ 50 cm × 50 cm × 70 cm, reconstructing both the incoming and outgoing muon tracks. We describe a readout system for fine-pitch RPCs using MAROC3 readout chips capable of scaling to a large system.

Photon-proton (γp) interactions with Q2 < 10−2 GeV2 and deep-inelastic scattering (γ∗p) interactions with photon virtualities Q2 > 5 GeV2 are studied at the high energy electron-proton collider HERA. The transverse energy flow and relative rates of large rapidity gap events are compared in the two event samples. The observed similarity between γp and γ∗p interactions can be understood in a picture where the photon develops as a hadronic object. The transverse energy density measured in the central region of the collision, at η∗ = 0 in the γ∗p centre of mass frame, is compared with data from hadron-hadron interactions as function of the CMS energy of the collision.

Data from electron-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV are used for a search for selectrons and squarks within the framework of the minimal supersymmetric model. The decays of selectrons and squarks into the lightest supersymmetric particle lead to final states with an electron and hadrons accompanied by large missing energy and transverse momentum. No signal is found and new bounds on the existence of these particles are derived. At 95% confidence level the excluded region extends to 65 GeV for selectron and squark masses, and to 40 GeV for the mass of the lightest supersymmetric particle.

Observation of J/ψ production by neutrinos in the calorimeter of the CHORUS detector exposed to the CERN SPS wide-band νμ beam is reported. A spectrum-averaged cross section σJ/ψ=(6.3±3.0)×10−41 cm2 is obtained for 20 GeV ⩽Eν⩽ 200 GeV. The data are compared with the theoretical model based on the QCD Z-gluon fusion mechanism.

The SLAC Linac can deliver damped bunches with ILC parameters for bunch charge and bunch length to End Station A. A 10Hz beam at 28.5 GeV energy can be delivered there, parasitic with PEP-II operation. We plan to use this facility to test prototype components of the Beam Delivery System and Interaction Region. We discuss our plans for this ILC Test Facility and preparations for carrying out experiments related to collimator wakefields and energy spectrometers. We also plan an interaction region mockup to investigate effects from backgrounds and beam-induced electromagnetic interference.

This Letter reports on a study of trimuon events induced by neutrino interactions in the CHORUS calorimeter exposed to the CERN SPS wide-band νμ beam. Among the multimuon events produced in the calorimeter, 42 μ−μ−μ+ events were selected and their kinematical properties investigated. In the past, several groups collected a sample of about one hundred events of this type but their source was largely unknown. Taking advantage of experimental data presently available on the production and muonic branching ratios of light neutral mesons and resonances, we make absolute predictions for the expected rates in our experiment. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations described in this article show that more than half of the trimuon events can be attributed to this source. Muons from π− and K− decays in charm dimuon events are responsible for an additional ≈25% contribution to the total μ−μ−μ+ rate. The remaining 25% of events are likely to come from the internal bremsstrahlung of virtual photons into a muon pair. Associated-charm production with subsequent decays of both charmed particles into muons is a negligible source of trimuon events.

TORCH is a Cherenkov time-of-flight detector being developed as a particle identification system for the upgraded LHCb experiment. The DIRC-type detector is located at 10m distance from the interaction point with an area of 30m2 and is formed from 10mm thick synthetic amorphous fused silica plates. In this Cherenkov radiator the photons that propagate by total internal reflection to the plate edge are focussed onto an array of position-sensitive micro-channel plate sensors. Combining the photon timings the goal is to achieve a σ = 15 ps timing resolution per particle, yielding 3σ pion-kaon separation up to 10 GeV/c or better. Requirements for the photon detectors are presented together with preliminary prototype results. Preparations for the upcoming test beam are discussed. Optical design studies have been performed for using one of the available bar boxes of the BaBar DIRC detector containing assembled quartz radiator bars in a future test beam experiment.

A search for direct production of new leptons in the mass range from 10 GeV up to 225 GeV is presented by the H1 experiment at HERA. The data were obtained during 1993 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 528 nb−1. The search includes heavy lepton decays to final states e (ν) γ and e (ν) W, e(ν) Z with the subsequent decay of the W and Z bosons into jets or lepton pairs. No evidence was found for the production of new massive electrons or neutrinos in any of the decay channels. Rejection limits for excited electrons and neutrinos are derived.

We present a search for excited electrons, neutrinos and quarks using the H1 detector at the ep collider HERA, based on data taken in 1994 with an integrated luminosity of 2.75 pb−1. Radiative decays of excited quarks and neutrinos have been investigated as well as decays of excited electrons into all possible electroweak gauge bosons. No evidence for new particle production is found and exclusion limits are derived.

This paper reports a search for excited electrons at the HERA electron-proton collider. In a sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 26 nb−, no evidence was found for any resonant state decaying into e−γ, νW− or e−Z0. Limits on the coupling strength of an excited electron have been determined for masses between 45 and 225 GeV. This study also reports the observation of the wide-angle eγ Compton scattering process.

The in situ storage image sensor (ISIS) is a monolithic active pixel sensor with memory cells in each pixel. The memory cells are implemented as a CCD register. This and other features of the sensor make the ISIS an excellent device for detectors that will be used at the International linear collider (ILC), an electron-positron accelerator with a proposed centre-of-mass energy of around 500 GeV. The sensor can be made very thin while retaining a high signal-to-noise ratio. The memory cells can be read out between bunch trains at a relatively low clock speed, hence limiting power consumption. The actual signal charge is stored in potential wells and not on capacitors, minimizing the sensitivity to electromagnetic interference. This paper presents the results of the first beam test of the first ISIS prototype. The measurements made include the signal-to-noise ratio, position resolution and efficiency.

The TORCH detector will provide charged particle pi/K/p identification up to 10 GeV/c, combining Time-of-Flight and Cherenkov techniques to achieve a timing resolution of 70 ps for single photons. Based on a scalable design, a Time-of-Flight electronics readout system has been developed to instrument a novel customized 512-channel Micro Channel Plate (MCP) device. A Gigabit Ethernet-based readout scheme that operates the TORCH demonstration unit consisting of ten such MCPs will be reported. The trigger and clock distribution will also be discussed.

The TORCH time-of-flight detector is designed for large-area coverage, up to 30 m2, to provide particle identification between 2–10 GeV/c momentum over a flight distance of 10 m. The arrival times from Cherenkov photons produced within a quartz radiator plate of 10 mm thickness are combined to achieve a 15 ps time-of-flight resolution per incident particle. Micro-Channel Plate Photomultiplier Tube (MCP-PMT) detectors of 53 × 53 mm2 active area have been developed with industrial partners for the TORCH application. The MCP-PMT is read out using charge division to give a 128 × 8 effective granularity. Laboratory results of development MCP-PMTs will be described, and testbeam studies using a small-scale TORCH prototype module will be presented.

TORCH is a time-of-flight detector that is being developed for the Upgrade II of the LHCb experiment, with the aim of providing charged particle identification over the momentum range 2-10 GeV/c. A small-scale TORCH demonstrator with customised readout electronics has been operated successfully in beam tests at the CERN PS. Preliminary results indicate that a single-photon resolution better than 100 ps can be achieved.

TORCH is a time-of-flight detector designed to perform particle identification over the momentum range 2$-$10 GeV/c for a 10 m flight path. The detector exploits prompt Cherenkov light produced by charged particles traversing a quartz plate of 10 mm thickness. Photons are then trapped by total internal reflection and directed onto a detector plane instrumented with customised position-sensitive Micro-Channel Plate Photo-Multiplier Tube (MCP-PMT) detectors. A single-photon timing resolution of 70 ps is targeted to achieve the desired separation of pions and kaons, with an expectation of around 30 detected photons per track. Studies of the performance of a small-scale TORCH demonstrator with a radiator of dimensions 120 $\times$ 350 $\times$ 10 mm$^3$ have been performed in two test-beam campaigns during November 2017 and June 2018. Single-photon time resolutions ranging from 104.3 ps to 114.8 ps and 83.8 ps to 112.7 ps have been achieved for MCP-PMTs with granularity 4 $\times$ 64 and 8 $\times$ 64 pixels, respectively. Photon yields are measured to be within $\sim$10% and $\sim$30% of simulation, respectively. Finally, the outlook for future work with planned improvements is presented.

The SoLid experiment has been designed to search for an oscillation pattern induced by a light sterile neutrino state, utilising the BR2 reactor of SCK⋅CEN, in Belgium. The detector leverages a new hybrid technology, utilising two distinct scintillators in a cubic array, creating a highly segmented detector volume. A combination of 5 cm cubic polyvinyltoluene cells, with 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) sheets on two faces of each cube, facilitate reconstruction of the neutrino signals. Whilst the high granularity provides a powerful toolset to discriminate backgrounds; by itself the segmentation also represents a challenge in terms of homogeneity and calibration, for a consistent detector response. The search for this light sterile neutrino implies a sensitivity to distortions of around (10)% in the energy spectrum of reactor e. Hence, a very good neutron detection efficiency, light yield and homogeneous detector response are critical for data validation. The minimal requirements for the SoLid physics program are a light yield and a neutron detection efficiency larger than 40 PA/MeV/cube and 50% respectively. In order to guarantee these minimal requirements, the collaboration developed a rigorous quality assurance process for all 12800 cubic cells of the detector. To carry out the quality assurance process, an automated calibration system called CALIPSO was designed and constructed. CALIPSO provides precise, automatic placement of radioactive sources in front of each cube of a given detector plane (16×16 cubes). A combination of 22Na, 252Cf and AmBe gamma and neutron sources were used by CALIPSO during the quality assurance process. Initially, the scanning identified defective components allowing for repair during initial construction of the SoLid detector. Secondly, a full analysis of the calibration data revealed initial estimations for the light yield of over 60 PA/MeV and neutron reconstruction efficiency of 68%, validating the SoLid physics requirements.

The TORCH time-of-flight detector is being developed to provide particle identification between 2 and 10 GeV/c momentum over a flight distance of 10 m. TORCH is designed for large-area coverage, up to 30 m2, and has a DIRC-like construction. The goal is to achieve a 15 ps time-of-flight resolution per incident particle by combining arrival times from multiple Cherenkov photons produced within quartz radiator plates of 10 mm thickness. A four-year R&D programme is underway with an industrial partner (Photek, UK) to produce 53×53 mm2 Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) detectors for the TORCH application. The MCP-PMT will provide a timing accuracy of 40 ps per photon and it will have a lifetime of up to at least 5 Ccm−2 of integrated anode charge by utilizing an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) coating. The MCP will be read out using charge division with customised electronics incorporating the NINO chipset. Laboratory results on prototype MCPs are presented. The construction of a prototype TORCH module and its simulated performance are also described.