Scintillating fibre detectors combine sub-mm resolution particle tracking, precise measurements of the particle stopping power and sub-ns time resolution. Typically, fibres are read out with silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). Hence, if fibres with a few hundred  $$\upmu $$  <math> <mi>μ</mi> </math>  m diameter are used, either they are grouped together and coupled with a single SiPM, losing spatial resolution, or a very large number of electronic channels is required. In this article we propose and provide a first demonstration of a novel configuration which allows each individual scintillating fibre to be read out regardless of the size of its diameter, by imaging them with Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) array sensors. Differently from SiPMs, SPAD array sensors provide single-photon detection with single-pixel spatial resolution. In addition, O(us) or faster coincidence of detected photons allows to obtain noise-free images. Such a concept can be particularly advantageous if adopted as a neutrino active target, where scintillating fibres alternated along orthogonal directions can provide isotropic, high-resolution tracking in a dense material and reconstruct the kinematics of low-momentum protons (down to 150 MeV/c), crucial for an accurate characterisation of the neutrino-nucleus cross section. In this work the tracking capabilities of a bundle of scintillating fibres coupled to SwissSPAD2 is demonstrated. The impact of such detector configuration in GeV-neutrino experiments is studied with simulations and reported. Finally, future plans, including the development of a new SPAD array sensor optimised for neutrino detection, are discussed.

Switzerland

Matthew Franks

Till Dieminger

Kodai Kaneyasu

Davide Sgalaberna

Claudio Bruschini

Edoardo Charbon

Umut Kose

Botao Li

Paul Mos

Michael Wayne

Tim Weber

Jialin Wu

Demonstration of particle tracking with scintillating fibres read out by a SPAD array sensor and application as a neutrino active target

A scheme for incorporating the creation of radiation and matter into the cosmological evolution is introduced so that it becomes possible to merge the times before and after the creation of radiation and matter in a single scale factor in the Robertson–Walker metric. This scheme is illustrated through a toy model that has the prospect of constituting a basis for a realistic model.

Türkiye

Recai Erdem

Single scale factor for the universe from the creation of radiation and matter till the present