In 1956 Reines & Cowan discovered the neutrino using a liquid scintillator detector. The neutrinos interacted with the scintillator, producing light that propagated across transparent volumes to surrounding photo-sensors. This approach has remained one of the most widespread and successful neutrino detection technologies used since. This article introduces a concept that breaks with the conventional paradigm of transparency by confining and collecting light near its creation point with an opaque scintillator and a dense array of optical fibres. This technique, called LiquidO, can provide high-resolution imaging to enable efficient identification of individual particles event-by-event. A natural affinity for adding dopants at high concentrations is provided by the use of an opaque medium. With these and other capabilities, the potential of our detector concept to unlock opportunities in neutrino physics is presented here, alongside the results of the first experimental validation.

Cabrera, A., Abusleme, A., dos Anjos, J., Bezerra, T., Bongrand, M., Bourgeois, C., et al. (2021). Neutrino physics with an opaque detector. COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS, 4(1) [10.1038/s42005-021-00763-5].

Neutrino physics with an opaque detector

Govoni, P.;Ortona, G.;Sisti, M.;
2021

Abstract

In 1956 Reines & Cowan discovered the neutrino using a liquid scintillator detector. The neutrinos interacted with the scintillator, producing light that propagated across transparent volumes to surrounding photo-sensors. This approach has remained one of the most widespread and successful neutrino detection technologies used since. This article introduces a concept that breaks with the conventional paradigm of transparency by confining and collecting light near its creation point with an opaque scintillator and a dense array of optical fibres. This technique, called LiquidO, can provide high-resolution imaging to enable efficient identification of individual particles event-by-event. A natural affinity for adding dopants at high concentrations is provided by the use of an opaque medium. With these and other capabilities, the potential of our detector concept to unlock opportunities in neutrino physics is presented here, alongside the results of the first experimental validation.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Scintillation detectors; Neutrino Physics
English
2021
4
1
273
none
Cabrera, A., Abusleme, A., dos Anjos, J., Bezerra, T., Bongrand, M., Bourgeois, C., et al. (2021). Neutrino physics with an opaque detector. COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS, 4(1) [10.1038/s42005-021-00763-5].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/342559
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