C. A. Lewis

Acrylic Target Vessels for a High-Precision Measurement of theta13 with the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detectors

This paper describes in detail the acrylic vessels used to encapsulate the target and gamma catcher regions in the Daya Bay experiments first pair of antineutrino detectors. We give an overview of the design, fabrication, shipping, and installation of the acrylic vessels and their liquid overflow tanks. The acrylic quality assurance program and vessel characterization, which measures all geometric, optical, and material properties relevant to e detection at Daya Bay are summarized. This paper is the technical reference for the Daya Bay acrylic vessels and can provide guidance in the design and use of acrylic components in future neutrino or dark matter experiments.

Assembly and Installation of the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detectors

The Daya Bay reactor antineutrino experiment is designed to make a precision measurement of the neutrino mixing angle θ_(13), and recently made the definitive discovery of its non-zero value. It utilizes a set of eight, functionally identical antineutrino detectors to measure the reactor flux and spectrum at baselines of ~ 300–2000 m from the Daya Bay and Ling Ao Nuclear Power Plants. The Daya Bay antineutrino detectors were built in an above-ground facility and deployed side-by-side at three underground experimental sites near and far from the nuclear reactors. This configuration allows the experiment to make a precision measurement of reactor antineutrino disappearance over km-long baselines and reduces relative systematic uncertainties between detectors and nuclear reactors. This paper describes the assembly and installation of the Daya Bay antineutrino detectors.