H. Löhner

Response of TAPS to monochromatic photons with energies between 45 and 790 MeV

The Two Arm Photon Spectrometer TAPS - comprising 384 plastic-BaF2 scintillator telescopes - was tested with monochromatic photons in the energy range between 45 and 790 MeV. The energy resolution for a collimated photon beam hitting the central detector module was determined to sigma/E = 0.59% X E(gamma)-1/2 + 1.9% (E, given in GeV). For the the fast scintillation component alone sigma/E = 0.79% X E(gamma)-1/2 + 1.8% has been measured. The position resolution of the point of impact amounts to DELTAx = 2 cm (FWHM) at the highest energies which corresponds to 30% of the diameter of an individual module. Monte Carlo simulations using the code GEANT3 are in good agreement with the experimental results.

A Comprehensive Model to Predict the Timing Resolution of SiPM-Based Scintillation Detectors: Theory and Experimental Validation

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are expected to replace photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) in several applications that require scintillation detectors with excellent timing resolution, such as time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET). However, the theory about the timing resolution of SiPM-based detectors is not yet fully understood. Here we propose a comprehensive statistical model to predict the timing resolution of SiPM-based scintillation detectors. It incorporates the relevant SiPM-related parameters (viz. the single cell electronic response, the single cell gain, the charge carrier transit time spread, and crosstalk) as well as the scintillation pulse rise and decay times, light yield, and energy resolution. It is shown that the proposed model reduces to the well-established Hyman model for timing with PMTs if the number of primary triggers (photoelectrons in case of a PMT) is Poisson distributed and crosstalk and electronic noise are negligible. The model predictions are validated by measurements of the coincidence resolving times (CRT) for 511 keV photons of two identical detectors as a function of SiPM bias voltage, for two different kinds of scintillators, namely LYSO:Ce and LaBr3:5%Ce. CRTs as low as 138 ps ± 2 ps FWHM for LYSO:Ce and 95 ps ± 3 ps FWHM for LaBr3:5%Ce were obtained, demonstrating the outstanding timing potential of SiPM-based scintillation detectors. These values were found to be in good agreement with the predicted CRTs of 140 ps FWHM and 95 ps FWHM, respectively. Utilizing the proposed model, it can be shown that the CRTs obtained in our experiments are mainly limited by photon statistics while crosstalk, electronic noise and signal bandwidth have relatively little influence.

Simulation of Silicon Photomultiplier Signals

In a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), also referred to as multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC), many Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GM-APDs) are connected in parallel so as to combine the photon counting capabilities of each of these so-called microcells into a proportional light sensor. The discharge of a single microcell is relatively well understood and electronic models exist to simulate this process. In this paper we introduce an extended model that is able to simulate the simultaneous discharge of multiple cells. This model is used to predict the SiPM signal in response to fast light pulses as a function of the number of fired cells, taking into account the influence of the input impedance of the SiPM preamplifier. The model predicts that the electronic signal is not proportional to the number of fired cells if the preamplifier input impedance is not zero. This effect becomes more important for SiPMs with lower parasitic capacitance (which otherwise is a favorable property). The model is validated by comparing its predictions to experimental data obtained with two different SiPMs (Hamamatsu S10362-11-25u and Hamamatsu S10362-33-25c) illuminated with ps laser pulses. The experimental results are in good agreement with the model predictions.

New results on the Roper resonance and the P-11 partial wave

Abstract Properties of the Roper resonance, the first scalar excitation of the nucleon, are determined. Pole positions and residues of the P 11 partial wave are studied in a combined analysis of pion- and photo-induced reactions. We find the Roper pole at { ( 1371 ± 7 ) − i ( 92 ± 10 ) } MeV and an elasticity of 0.61 ± 0.03 . The largest decay coupling is found for the Nσ ( σ = ( π π ) - S -wave). The analysis is based on new data on γ p → p π 0 π 0 for photons in the energy range from the two-pion threshold to 820 MeV from TAPS at Mainz and from 0.4 to 1.3 GeV from Crystal Barrel at Bonn and includes further data from other experiments. The partial wave analysis excludes the possibility that the Roper resonance is split into two states with different partial decay widths.

Quasifree Photoproduction ofηMesons off the Neutron

Quasifree photoproduction of eta mesons off nucleons bound in the deuteron has been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5 GeV at the Bonn ELSA accelerator. The eta mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and recoil neutrons, which allows a detailed comparison of the quasifree n(gamma,eta)n and p(gamma,eta)p reactions. The excitation function for eta production off the neutron shows a pronounced bumplike structure at W=1.68 GeV (E{gamma} approximately 1 GeV), which is absent for the proton.

Measurement of the beam asymmetry in η photoproduction off the proton

The beam asymmetry, Σ, was measured at ELSA in the reaction γ p → η p using linearly polarised tagged photon beams, produced by coherent bremsstrahlung off a diamond. The crystal was oriented to provide polarised photons in the energy range Eγ = 800 to 1400 MeV with the maximum polarisation of Pγ = 49% obtained at 1305 MeV. Both dominant decay modes of the η into two photons and 3π were used to extract the beam asymmetry from the azimuthal modulation of the cross section. The measurements cover the angular range Θcm ≃ 50 – 150 degrees. Large asymmetries up to 80 % are observed, in agreement with a previous measurement. The eta-MAID model and the Bonn–Gatchina partial wave analysis describe the measurements, but the required partial waves differ significantly. PACS. 13.60.-r Photon and charged-lepton interactions with hadrons – 13.60.Le Meson production – 13.88.+e Polarization in interactions and scattering – 14.20.Gk Baryon resonances with S=0

A practical method for depth of interaction determination in monolithic scintillator PET detectors

Several new methods for determining the depth of interaction (DOI) of annihilation photons in monolithic scintillator detectors with single-sided, multi-pixel readout are investigated. The aim is to develop a DOI decoding method that allows for practical implementation in a positron emission tomography system. Specifically, calibration data, obtained with perpendicularly incident gamma photons only, are being used. Furthermore, neither detector modifications nor a priori knowledge of the light transport and/or signal variances is required. For this purpose, a clustering approach is utilized in combination with different parameters correlated with the DOI, such as the degree of similarity to a set of reference light distributions, the measured intensity on the sensor pixel(s) closest to the interaction position and the peak intensity of the measured light distribution. The proposed methods were tested experimentally on a detector comprised of a 20 mm × 20 mm × 12 mm polished LYSO:Ce crystal coupled to a 4 × 4 multi-anode photomultiplier. The method based on the linearly interpolated measured intensities on the sensor pixels closest to the estimated (x, y)-coordinate outperformed the other methods, yielding DOI resolutions between ∼1 and ∼4.5 mm FWHM depending on the DOI, the (x, y) resolution and the amount of reference data used.

High statistics study of the reaction gamma p -> p pi(0)eta

Photoproduction off protons of the pπ0η three-body final state was studied with the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector, at the electron stretcher accelerator ELSA in Bonn, for incident energies from the π0η production threshold up to 2.5 GeV. Differential cross sections and the total cross sections are presented. The use of linearly polarized photons gives access to the polarization observables Σ, Is, and Ic, the latter two characterize beam asymmetries in case of three-body final states. Δ(1232)η, N(1535)1/2−π, and pa0(980) are the dominant isobars contributing to the reaction. The partial wave analysis confirms the existence of some nucleon and Δ resonances, for which so far only fair evidence was reported. A large number of decay modes of known nucleon and Δ resonances is presented. It is shown that detailed investigations of decay branching ratios may provide a key to unravelling the structure of nucleon and Δ resonances.

Quasi-free photoproduction of η-mesons off the deuteron

Abstract.Precise data for quasi-free photoproduction of η-mesons off the deuteron have been measured at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the combined Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5GeV. The η-mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and neutrons. Possible nuclear effects like Fermi motion and re-scattering can be studied via a comparison of the quasi-free reaction off the bound proton to η-production off the free proton. No significant effects beyond the folding of the free cross-section with the momentum distribution of the bound protons have been found. These Fermi motion effects can be removed by an analysis using the invariant mass of the η-nucleon pairs reconstructed from the final-state four-momenta of the particles. The total cross-section for quasi-free η-photoproduction off the neutron reveals even without correction for Fermi motion a pronounced bump-like structure around 1GeV of incident photon energy, which is not observed for the proton. This structure is even narrower in the invariant-mass spectrum of the η-neutron pairs. Position and width of the peak in the invariant-mass spectrum are W ≈ 1665 MeV and FWHM Γ ≈ 25 MeV. The data are compared to the results of different models.

Neutral-pion photoproduction off protons in the energy range 0.3 GeV<E(gamma)<3 GeV.

Single pi(0) photoproduction has been studied with the CB-ELSA experiment at Bonn using tagged photon energies between 0.3 and 3.0 GeV. The experimental setup covers a very large solid angle of approximately 98% of 4pi. Differential cross sections dsigma/dOmega have been measured. Complicated structures in the angular distributions indicate a variety of different resonances being produced in the s channel intermediate state gammap-->N(*)(Delta(*))-->ppi(0). A combined analysis including the data presented in this letter along with other data sets reveals contributions from known resonances and evidence for a new resonance N(2070)D15.