A Basic R&D of the veto counter using a scintillator made from new material for the K0 rare decay experiment

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K05368
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Particle/Nuclear/Cosmic ray/Astro physics
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Hiroshi 山形大学, 学士課程基盤教育機構, 教授 (80241727)
• Research Collaborator: TAJIMA Yasuhisa 山形大学, 学士課程基盤教育機構教育企画部, 准教授 (50311577) ; SASAKI Miki ; SEKI Yuuto ; IWASA Miwa ; OIKAWA Hiroki ; SUGIHARA Yuuta
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 粒子線検出器 / カロリメーター / シンチレーター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We made basic R&Ds on scintillators and optical devices which compose veto counters of E14 STEP 2 planned as the next project of the K0 rare decay experiment at J-PARC. Especially, we evaluated the capability of a new plastic scintillator "Scintirex" made of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) as a component of a sandwich calorimeter. We obtained systematic data which showed the existence of temperature quenching and thermoluminescence of the Scintirex. A prototype sampling calorimeter which consisted of lead plates and Scintrex plates was tested by using the positron beam at ELPH. The obtained data showed good linear response and energy resolution. A new generation MPPC could be operated stably under high counting rates with a suitably designed electrical circuit. We have measured fluorescence spectra and decay curves for some polystyrene-based plastic scintillators with the use of a short pulse light source in the wide range from visible to vacuum ultraviolet at UVSOR.

Free Research Field

数物系科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2011年に産学連携事業により登場した新素材について、実際の検出器に応用してその性能を実証できた一方で、得てして応用先行になりがちなところ、その基礎物性の研究にも取り組み、その素材がもっている欠点（温度消光や熱発光等）についても系統的な測定データを得るなどして、基礎的な裏付けを与えることができた。また、新世代MPPC等新しいデバイスを、素粒子実験の将来計画に効果的に採用できることを実証できた。