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HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne

HK 59: Instrumentation XVI

HK 59.6: Talk

Thursday, March 17, 2016, 18:00–18:15, S1/01 A3

High precision timing in a FLASH — •Matthias Hoek, Matteo Cardinali, Michael Dickescheid, Sören Schlimme, Concettina Sfienti, Björn Spruck, and Michaela Thiel — Institut für Kernphysik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

A segmented highly precise start counter (FLASH) was designed and constructed at the Institute for Nuclear Physics in Mainz. Besides determining a precise reference time, a Time-of-Flight measurement can be performed with two identical FLASH units. Thus, particle identification can be provided for mixed hadron beam environments.

The detector design is based on the detection of Cherenkov light produced in fused silica radiator bars with fast multi-anode MCP-PMTs. The segmentation of the radiator improves the timing resolution while allowing a coarse position resolution along one direction. Both, the arrival time and the Time-over-Threshold are determined by the readout electronics, which enables walk correction of the arrival time.

The performance of two FLASH units was investigated in test experiments at the Mainz Microton (MAMI) using an electron beam with an energy of 855 MeV and at CERN's PS T9 beam line with a mixed hadron beam with momenta between 3-8 GeV/c. Effective Time-walk correction methods based on Time-over-Threshold were developed for the data analysis. The achieved Time-Of-Flight resolution after applying all corrections was found to be ~70ps. Furthermore, the PID and position resolution capabilities will be discussed in this contribution.