The Desktop Muon Detector

Spencer Axani, Janet Conrad, and Conor Kirby

arXiv:1606.01196For more details see:

email: S. Axani (saxani@mit.edu) and J. Conrad (conrad@mit.edu)

SiPMPlastic Scintillator

60 mm

10 m

m

muon

36 mm2

SiPM

mTOM “Muon Tagging Optical Modules” overview

Detector design:‣ 50x50x10 mm3 extruded Plastic Scintillator‣ Interfaced with C-Series SensL SiPM‣ Onboard digitization‣ Aluminium or TiO coating for optical isolation

Requirements:‣ Space in the IceCube DOMs‣ 29.5 V power supply‣ Electronics to pulse amplitude

The original idea was developed as Muon Tagging Optical Modules (mTOMs) for the PINGU detector. When a muon passes through an mTOM, we get a signal which can be used to localize the muon.

Localizing a muon track can help with the event reconstruction.

The Desktop Muon Detector OverviewThe design of the mTOMs eventually led us to Arduino-based, self contained desktop muon

detectors.

They have several advantages over conventional PMT based muon detectors:- inexpensive (~100$)- low power consumption (~1W)- low voltage requirements (USB powered)- insensitive to magnetic fields- portable (battery powered)

The Desktop Muon Detector An example measurement

We measured the raw rate of the detector at various locations around the world.

The Desktop Muon Detector A course in experimental physics

Shop Practices: Using a mill to machine a light-tight enclosure. Machining and polishing plastic

scintillator.

Circuitry design: Populating circuit boards, using micro-controllers, working with SiPMs.

Assembly and physics measurements!

Take-offLanding

We would like to use the detector as an undergraduate-level project for courses in experimental physics. Students would gain valuable skills in several key areas.

Several students have contacted us with their own plans for the detector:- University of Warsaw is developing a website to record live detector data- MIT is developing a wifi/bluetooth version of the detector- University of Wisconsin pursuing on-board data-logging- Midwestern State University is designing a light-weight version for balloon flights

We released a detail description of how to build a detector: https://arxiv.org/abs/1606.01196

A pilot program is being developed at WiPAC to use these detectors to teach high-school/undergraduate students about particle physics.

The Desktop Muon Detector Current state and outlook

The next generation design of the Desktop Muon Detector is currently underway.

Version 1 Version 2

Pulse detection The principle behind the circuit

SiPM pulse (yellow)

Amplified pulse (blue)

Peak detector pulse (red)

A pulse from the SiPM is amplified and stretched so that the Arduino can make several measurements of the waveform. The measured amplitude of the pulse is proportional to the number of photons incident on the SiPM.

Backup

Pulse detection The principle behind the circuit

Backup