F. Druillole

Micromegas detector developments for Dark Matter directional detection with MIMAC

The aim of the MIMAC project is to detect non-baryonic Dark Matter with a directional TPC using a high precision Micromegas readout plane. We will describe in detail the recent developments done with bulk Micromegas detectors as well as the characterisation measurements performed in an Argon(95%)-Isobutane(5%) mixture. Track measurements with alpha particles will be shown.

Characterization of a medium size Xe/TMA TPC instrumented with microbulk Micromegas, using low-energy gamma-rays

NEXT-MM is a general-purpose high pressure (10 bar, ~ 25 l active volume) Xenon-based TPC, read out in charge mode with an 0.8 cm × 0.8 cm-segmented 700 cm2 plane (1152 ch) of the latest microbulk-Micromegas technology. It has been recently commissioned at University of Zaragoza as part of the R&D of the NEXT 0νββ experiment, although the experiments first stage is currently being built based on a SiPM/PMT-readout concept relying on electroluminescence. Around 2 million events were collected during the last months, stemming from the low energy γ-rays emitted by a 241Am source when interacting with the Xenon gas (Eγ = 26, 30, 59.5 keV). The localized nature of such events around atmospheric pressure, the long drift times, as well as the possibility to determine their production time from the associated α particle in coincidence, allow the extraction of primordial properties of the TPC filling gas, namely the drift velocity, diffusion and attachment coefficients. In this work we focus on the little explored combination of Xe and trimethylamine (TMA) for which, in particular, such properties are largely unknown. This gas mixture offers potential advantages over pure Xenon when aimed at Rare Event Searches, mainly due to its Penning characteristics, wave-length shifting properties and reduced diffusion, and it is being actively investigated by our collaboration. The chamber is currently operated at 2.7 bar, as an intermediate step towards the envisaged 10 bar. We report here its performance as well as a first implementation of the calibration procedures that have allowed the extension of the previously reported energy resolution to the whole readout plane (10.6% FWHM@30 keV).

X-ray detection with Micromegas with background levels below 10−6keV−1cm−2s−1

Micromegas detectors are an optimum technological choice for the detection of low energy x-rays. The low background techniques applied to these detectors yielded remarkable background reductions over the years, being the CAST experiment beneficiary of these developments. In this document we report on the latest upgrades towards further background reductions and better understanding of the detectors response. The upgrades encompass the readout electronics, a new detector design and the implementation of a more efficient cosmic muon veto system. Background levels below 10−6keV-1cm-2s-1 have been obtained at sea level for the first time, demonstrating the feasibility of the expectations posed by IAXO, the next generation axion helioscope. Some results obtained with a set of measurements conducted in the x-ray beam of the CAST Detector Laboratory will be also presented and discussed.

Description and commissioning of NEXT-MM prototype: first results from operation in a Xenon-Trimethylamine gas mixture

A technical description of NEXT-MM and its commissioning and first performance is reported. Having an active volume of ~ 35 cm drift ? 28 cm diameter, it constitutes the largest Micromegas-read TPC operated in Xenon ever constructed, made by a sectorial arrangement of the 4 largest single wafers manufactured with the Microbulk technique to date. It is equipped with a suitably pixelized readout and with a sufficiently large sensitive volume ( ~ 23 l) so as to contain long ( ~ 20 cm) electron tracks. First results obtained at 1 bar for Xenon and Trymethylamine (Xe-(2%)TMA) mixture are presented. The TPC can accurately reconstruct extended background tracks. An encouraging full-width half-maximum of 11.6 % was obtained for ~ 29 keV gammas without resorting to any data post-processing.

Micromegas detector developments for MIMAC

The aim of the MIMAC project is to detect non-baryonic Dark Matter with a directional TPC. The recent Micromegas efforts towards building a large size detector will be described, in particular the characterization measurements of a prototype detector of 10 xa0×xa0 10 cm2 with a 2 dimensional readout plane. Track reconstruction with alpha particles will be shown.

Beam tracking with micromegas & wire chambers in secondary electron detection configuration

The focal plane of S3 (Super Separator Spectrometer), a new experimental area of SPIRAL2 at GANIL, will be used for identification of nuclei, and requires the reconstruction of their trajectories and velocities by the Time Of Flight (TOF) method. Classical tracking detectors used in-beam would generate a lot of angular and energy straggling due to their thickness. One solution is the use of a SED (Secondary Electron Detection), which consists of a thin emissive foil in beam coupled to a low pressure gaseous detector out of the beam, for the detection of secondary electrons ejected from the foil. Moreover, this type of detector can be used for classical beam tracking at low energies, or for example at NFS (GANIL) for the FALSTAFF experiment for the reconstruction of fission fragments trajectories. Several low pressure gaseous detectors such as wire chambers and Micromegas have been constructed and tested since 2008. High counting rate capabilities and good time resolution obtained in previous tests motivated the construction of a new real-size 2D prototype wire chamber and a 2D bulk Micromegas at low pressure. For the first time, spatial resolution of the Micromegas at low pressure (below 20 mbar) in the SED configuration was measured. Different tests have been performed in order to characterize time and spatial properties of both prototypes, giving spatial resolution in the horizontal (X) direction of 0.90(0.02) mm FWHM for the real size prototype and 0.72(0.08) mm FWHM for Micromegas, and a time resolution of ~ 110(25) ps for the real size prototype.