Alfio Pappalardo - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Alfio Pappalardo

Sensors, 2021

In the framework of the MICADO (Measurement and Instrumentation for Cleaning And Decommissioning ... more In the framework of the MICADO (Measurement and Instrumentation for Cleaning And Decommissioning Operations) European Union (EU) project, aimed at the full digitization of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste management, a set of 32 solid state thermal neutron detectors named SiLiF has been built and characterized. MICADO encompasses a complete active and passive characterization of the radwaste drums with neutrons and gamma rays, followed by a longer-term monitoring phase. The SiLiF detectors are suitable for the monitoring of nuclear materials and can be used around radioactive waste drums possibly containing small quantities of actinides, as well as around spent fuel casks in interim storage or during transportation. Suitable polyethylene moderators can be exploited to better shape the detector response to the expected neutron spectrum, according to Monte Carlo simulations that were performed. These detectors were extensively tested with an AmBe neutron source, and the r...

Nature Communications, 2020

Second-order processes in physics is a research topic focusing attention from several fields worl... more Second-order processes in physics is a research topic focusing attention from several fields worldwide including, for example, non-linear quantum electrodynamics with high-power lasers, neutrinoless double-β decay, and stimulated atomic two-photon transitions. For the electromagnetic nuclear interaction, the observation of the competitive double-γ decay from 137mBa has opened up the nuclear structure field for detailed investigation of second-order processes through the manifestation of off-diagonal nuclear polarisability. Here, we confirm this observation with an 8.7σ significance, and an improved value on the double-photon versus single-photon branching ratio as 2.62 × 10−6(30). Our results, however, contradict the conclusions from the original experiment, where the decay was interpreted to be dominated by a quadrupole-quadrupole component. Here, we find a substantial enhancement in the energy distribution consistent with a dominating octupole-dipole character and a rather small q...

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2015

A novel technique for the rejection of gamma background from charged-particle spectra was demonst... more A novel technique for the rejection of gamma background from charged-particle spectra was demonstrated using a CVD diamond detector with a 6 Li neutron converter installed at a thermal neutron beamline of the TRIGA research reactor at the Atominstitut (Vienna University of Technology). Spectra of the alpha particles and tritons of 6 Li(n,T) 4 He thermal neutron capture reaction were separated from the gamma background by a new algorithm based on pulse-shape analysis. The thermal neutron capture in 6 Li is already used for neutron flux monitoring, but the ability to remove gamma background allows using a CVD diamond detector for thermal neutron counting. The pulse-shape analysis can equally be applied to all cases where the charged products of an interaction are absorbed in the diamond and to other background particles that fully traverse the detector.

Radioactive Ion Beams at INFN Laboratories

The LNS and the LNL are the two laboratories of INFN devoted to the research on nuclear physics. ... more The LNS and the LNL are the two laboratories of INFN devoted to the research on nuclear physics. Since the 1995 the LNS are involved in the design and construction of the Radioactive Ion Beam facilities called EXCYT. In the early of 2000 the LNL starts a project for second generation RIB facilities called SPES. In the 2004 at the

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2008

In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization perform... more In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization performed on STMicroelectronics new photosensor technology based on silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD). On the prospective of the design and the manufacturing of large-area silicon photomultipliers to be used as photodetectors for nuclear medicine imaging applications, we have modified our previous SPAD technology by means of the integration of a high-value quenching resistor to the photodiode. Moreover, an appropriate antireflective coating layer and the reduction of the quasi-neutral region thickness above the thin junction depletion layer have been introduced in the process flow of the device to enhance its spectral response in blue and near ultraviolet wavelength ranges. High gain, low leakage currents, low dark noise, very good quantum detection efficiency in blue-near UV ranges and a good linearity of the photodiode response to the incident luminous flux are the main characterization results.

A foil-based secondary emission monitor (SEM) was developed for beam profile measurements at the ... more A foil-based secondary emission monitor (SEM) was developed for beam profile measurements at the Ultra-low energy Storage Ring (USR) that will be installed at the future Facility for Low-energy Antiproton and Ion Research (FLAIR) in Darmstadt, Germany. Simulations of the optimised design of the monitor are presented. Furthermore, its usability for the low energy antiproton (p) beam profile monitoring is discussed.

Physical Review C, 2020

The 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He ground state cross section was measured for the first time using monoenerget... more The 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He ground state cross section was measured for the first time using monoenergetic γ rays with energies between 4.4 and 10 MeV at the High Intensity Gamma-ray Source. The reaction is important for the primordial Li problem and for testing our understanding of the mirror α-capture reactions 3 H(α, γ) 7 Li and 3 He(α, γ) 7 Be. Although over the last 30 years most measurements of the 3 H(α, γ) 7 Li reaction have concentrated in an energy range below E γ = 3.65 MeV, measurements at higher energies could potentially restrict the extrapolation to astrophysically important energies. The experimental arrangement for measuring the 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He reaction included a large-area silicon detector array and several beam characterization instruments. The experimental astrophysical S factor of 3 H(α, γ) calculated from the present data was fitted using the R-matrix formalism. The results are in disagreement with previous experimental measurements in the same energy range but the extrapolated S factor agrees with the potential model calculation and lower energy experimental data.

Proceedings of XLIX International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics — PoS(Bormio 2011), 2011

We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste reposit... more We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste repositories. Such a system is distributed, fine-grained, robust, reliable, and must be based on low-cost components. It could, in principle, open new perspectives on the modality of waste packaging and storage. In particular we propose to employ a new family of cheap and powerful micro sensors to be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single drum.

An online monitoring system for nuclear waste storage

2009 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications, 2009

I. INTRODUCTION Among the many issues related to the disposal of short and medium term radioactiv... more I. INTRODUCTION Among the many issues related to the disposal of short and medium term radioactive waste, there is the storage inside suitable sites where a high level of safety must be guaranteed. In order to detect possible leaks of radioactive material and to efficiently ...

The sum-peak method is one of the methods used for absolute activity measurement of radionuclides... more The sum-peak method is one of the methods used for absolute activity measurement of radionuclides emitting gamma-ray photons in coincidence. This method is based on the use of acquired pulse-height distribution data only, without knowledge of the detector efficiencies. In this paper it is shown that by using Monte Carlo techniques for angular correlation corrections, pile-up peaks for corrections of accidental coincidences, low-level discriminator corrections, the activity of the 60Co source can be measured with accuracy and reproducibility below 5% by using spectral data only.

Verilog-a modeling of Silicon Photo-Multipliers

2016 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2016

Silicon detectors for the neutron flux and beam profile measurements of the n_TOF facility at CERN

International Journal of Modern Physics: Conference Series, 2016

In applications like Nuclear Physics or Astrophysics as well as in medical instrumentation (i.e. ... more In applications like Nuclear Physics or Astrophysics as well as in medical instrumentation (i.e. Positron Emission Tomography), devices capable of detecting and counting photons originating from faint sources at the maximum speed possible and with a Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) as good as possible in a wide spectral range is of great importance. Only detectors with an internal mechanism that provides a high multiplication of charge carriers are suitable for these applications. Photodiodes operating in Geiger avalanche mode, nowadays show excellent characteristics to be used as photon counting detectors and in few years from now will substitute the photomultipliers tubes in almost all scientific instruments. Depending on the manufacturer, these photodiodes are named in different ways, i.e.: Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs) or Multi Pixel Photon Counters (MPPCs), recently these devices in literature are simply named Geiger Avalanche Photodiodes (G-APDs). To understand the real applicability in the selected field, a very accurate experimental setup and a well defined methodology in measuring the electro-optical characteristics are needed in order to quantify the parameters with very high accuracy. Photon detector characterisation is of fundamental importance when developing scientific instrumentation specifically devoted for accurate photon flux measurements. The characterisation is used to optimize the sensor's performances. That means, for example, choosing the best set of electro-optical parameters in such a way to optimize the operating conditions of the detector itself. Characterising a detector allows also to supply the manufacturers with the feedback necessary to improve the detector's performances. Here we describe the single avalanche photodiode operating in Geiger mode (SPAD) and the multielement (SiPM) as well as their characterization in terms of noise, time resolution, and photon-detection efficiency (PDE). A detailed description of the experimental set up is also presented. Finally the achieved results from the characterisation are discussed.

Properties of Silicon PhotoMultipliers measured at LNS-INFN

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section a Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, Oct 1, 2010

During the last years the EXotics with CYclotron and Tandem (EXCYT) facility has been developed a... more During the last years the EXotics with CYclotron and Tandem (EXCYT) facility has been developed at LNS—INFN in Catania, in order to produce radioactive ion beams in the energy range accessible to the 15 MV Tandem Van de Graaf accelerator, with intensity around 10 5 particles per second (pps). In order to guarantee quick and precise beam transport procedures, the facility has been equipped with a high sensitivity beam diagnostics, well designed for very low intensity beams. In this paper we describe the features and the experimental results of the device developed for the low energy beam line (10-300 keV) of the facility. Such a multisensor device is mainly based on particle detectors and allows to collect the needed parameters in real time. In particular it can measure the X- Y transverse beam profile and intensity, and can identify the radioisotopes present in the beam.

Characterization of detectors for the Italian Astronomical Quantum Photometer Project

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 09500340802677068, Oct 7, 2010

In the framework of a national collaboration to bring Quantum Optics concepts to Astronomy, we ar... more In the framework of a national collaboration to bring Quantum Optics concepts to Astronomy, we are involved in finding suitable detectors for this novel application. At 'INAF Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania' and 'INFN – Laboratori Nazionali del Sud' laboratories, measurements of ...

In this paper we prove that the choice of a suitable treatment of the scintillator surfaces, alon... more In this paper we prove that the choice of a suitable treatment of the scintillator surfaces, along with suitable photodetectors electronics and specific algorithms for raw data analysis, allow to achieve an optimal tradeoff between energy, time and DOI resolution, thus strongly supporting the feasibility of a prostate TOF- PET probe, MRI compatible, with the required features and performance. In numbers this means a detector element of 1.5mm x 1.5mm x 10mm, achieving at the same time energy resolution around 11.5%, time-of- flight resolution around 150 ps and DOI resolution even below 1 mm. We stress that such a time resolution allows to increase significantly the Noise Equivalent Counting Rate, and consequently improve the image quality and the lesion detection capability. These individual values correspond to the best obtained so far by other groups, but we got all of them simultaneously. In our opinion this proof of principle paves the way to the feasibility of a TOF-PET MRI compatible probe with unprecedented features and performance, not only innovative for prostate radiotracer imaging but possibly also for other organs.

The Review of Scientific Instruments, Mar 1, 2010

Triggered by the need of a detection system to be used in experiments of nuclear fusion in laser-... more Triggered by the need of a detection system to be used in experiments of nuclear fusion in laser-generated plasmas, we developed an imaging technique for the measurement and calibration of the scintillation light yield of scintillating materials. As in such experiments, all the reaction products are generated in an ultrashort time frame, the event-by-event data acquisition scheme is not feasible. As an alternative to the emulsion technique (or the equivalent CR39 sheets) we propose a scintillating screen readout by means of a high performance charge coupled device camera. Even though it is not strictly required in the particular application, this technique allows the absolute calibration of the scintillation light yield.

Beam imaging in the injection line of the INFN-LNS superconducting cyclotron

Review of Scientific Instruments, 2016

A cheap and efficient diagnostic system for beam monitoring has been recently developed at INFN-L... more A cheap and efficient diagnostic system for beam monitoring has been recently developed at INFN-LNS in Catania. It consists of a high sensitivity CCD camera detecting the light produced by an ion beam hitting the surface of a scintillating screen and a frame grabber for image acquisition. A scintillating screen, developed at INFN-LNS and consisting of a 2 μm BaF2 layer evaporated on an aluminium plate, has been tested by using (20)Ne and (40)Ar beams in the keV energy range. The CAESAR ECR ion source has been used for investigating the influence of the frequency and magnetic field tuning effects, the impact of the microwave injected power, and of the focusing solenoids along the low energy beam transport on the beam shape and current. These tests will allow to better understand the interplay between the plasma and beam dynamics and, moreover, to improve the transport efficiency along the low energy beam line and the matching with the superconducting cyclotron, particularly relevant in view of the expected upgrade of the machine.

Sensors, 2021

In the framework of the MICADO (Measurement and Instrumentation for Cleaning And Decommissioning ... more In the framework of the MICADO (Measurement and Instrumentation for Cleaning And Decommissioning Operations) European Union (EU) project, aimed at the full digitization of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste management, a set of 32 solid state thermal neutron detectors named SiLiF has been built and characterized. MICADO encompasses a complete active and passive characterization of the radwaste drums with neutrons and gamma rays, followed by a longer-term monitoring phase. The SiLiF detectors are suitable for the monitoring of nuclear materials and can be used around radioactive waste drums possibly containing small quantities of actinides, as well as around spent fuel casks in interim storage or during transportation. Suitable polyethylene moderators can be exploited to better shape the detector response to the expected neutron spectrum, according to Monte Carlo simulations that were performed. These detectors were extensively tested with an AmBe neutron source, and the r...

Nature Communications, 2020

Second-order processes in physics is a research topic focusing attention from several fields worl... more Second-order processes in physics is a research topic focusing attention from several fields worldwide including, for example, non-linear quantum electrodynamics with high-power lasers, neutrinoless double-β decay, and stimulated atomic two-photon transitions. For the electromagnetic nuclear interaction, the observation of the competitive double-γ decay from 137mBa has opened up the nuclear structure field for detailed investigation of second-order processes through the manifestation of off-diagonal nuclear polarisability. Here, we confirm this observation with an 8.7σ significance, and an improved value on the double-photon versus single-photon branching ratio as 2.62 × 10−6(30). Our results, however, contradict the conclusions from the original experiment, where the decay was interpreted to be dominated by a quadrupole-quadrupole component. Here, we find a substantial enhancement in the energy distribution consistent with a dominating octupole-dipole character and a rather small q...

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2015

A novel technique for the rejection of gamma background from charged-particle spectra was demonst... more A novel technique for the rejection of gamma background from charged-particle spectra was demonstrated using a CVD diamond detector with a 6 Li neutron converter installed at a thermal neutron beamline of the TRIGA research reactor at the Atominstitut (Vienna University of Technology). Spectra of the alpha particles and tritons of 6 Li(n,T) 4 He thermal neutron capture reaction were separated from the gamma background by a new algorithm based on pulse-shape analysis. The thermal neutron capture in 6 Li is already used for neutron flux monitoring, but the ability to remove gamma background allows using a CVD diamond detector for thermal neutron counting. The pulse-shape analysis can equally be applied to all cases where the charged products of an interaction are absorbed in the diamond and to other background particles that fully traverse the detector.

Radioactive Ion Beams at INFN Laboratories

The LNS and the LNL are the two laboratories of INFN devoted to the research on nuclear physics. ... more The LNS and the LNL are the two laboratories of INFN devoted to the research on nuclear physics. Since the 1995 the LNS are involved in the design and construction of the Radioactive Ion Beam facilities called EXCYT. In the early of 2000 the LNL starts a project for second generation RIB facilities called SPES. In the 2004 at the

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2008

In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization perform... more In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization performed on STMicroelectronics new photosensor technology based on silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD). On the prospective of the design and the manufacturing of large-area silicon photomultipliers to be used as photodetectors for nuclear medicine imaging applications, we have modified our previous SPAD technology by means of the integration of a high-value quenching resistor to the photodiode. Moreover, an appropriate antireflective coating layer and the reduction of the quasi-neutral region thickness above the thin junction depletion layer have been introduced in the process flow of the device to enhance its spectral response in blue and near ultraviolet wavelength ranges. High gain, low leakage currents, low dark noise, very good quantum detection efficiency in blue-near UV ranges and a good linearity of the photodiode response to the incident luminous flux are the main characterization results.

A foil-based secondary emission monitor (SEM) was developed for beam profile measurements at the ... more A foil-based secondary emission monitor (SEM) was developed for beam profile measurements at the Ultra-low energy Storage Ring (USR) that will be installed at the future Facility for Low-energy Antiproton and Ion Research (FLAIR) in Darmstadt, Germany. Simulations of the optimised design of the monitor are presented. Furthermore, its usability for the low energy antiproton (p) beam profile monitoring is discussed.

Physical Review C, 2020

The 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He ground state cross section was measured for the first time using monoenerget... more The 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He ground state cross section was measured for the first time using monoenergetic γ rays with energies between 4.4 and 10 MeV at the High Intensity Gamma-ray Source. The reaction is important for the primordial Li problem and for testing our understanding of the mirror α-capture reactions 3 H(α, γ) 7 Li and 3 He(α, γ) 7 Be. Although over the last 30 years most measurements of the 3 H(α, γ) 7 Li reaction have concentrated in an energy range below E γ = 3.65 MeV, measurements at higher energies could potentially restrict the extrapolation to astrophysically important energies. The experimental arrangement for measuring the 7 Li(γ , t) 4 He reaction included a large-area silicon detector array and several beam characterization instruments. The experimental astrophysical S factor of 3 H(α, γ) calculated from the present data was fitted using the R-matrix formalism. The results are in disagreement with previous experimental measurements in the same energy range but the extrapolated S factor agrees with the potential model calculation and lower energy experimental data.

Proceedings of XLIX International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics — PoS(Bormio 2011), 2011

We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste reposit... more We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste repositories. Such a system is distributed, fine-grained, robust, reliable, and must be based on low-cost components. It could, in principle, open new perspectives on the modality of waste packaging and storage. In particular we propose to employ a new family of cheap and powerful micro sensors to be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single drum.

An online monitoring system for nuclear waste storage

2009 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications, 2009

I. INTRODUCTION Among the many issues related to the disposal of short and medium term radioactiv... more I. INTRODUCTION Among the many issues related to the disposal of short and medium term radioactive waste, there is the storage inside suitable sites where a high level of safety must be guaranteed. In order to detect possible leaks of radioactive material and to efficiently ...

The sum-peak method is one of the methods used for absolute activity measurement of radionuclides... more The sum-peak method is one of the methods used for absolute activity measurement of radionuclides emitting gamma-ray photons in coincidence. This method is based on the use of acquired pulse-height distribution data only, without knowledge of the detector efficiencies. In this paper it is shown that by using Monte Carlo techniques for angular correlation corrections, pile-up peaks for corrections of accidental coincidences, low-level discriminator corrections, the activity of the 60Co source can be measured with accuracy and reproducibility below 5% by using spectral data only.

Verilog-a modeling of Silicon Photo-Multipliers

2016 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2016

Silicon detectors for the neutron flux and beam profile measurements of the n_TOF facility at CERN

International Journal of Modern Physics: Conference Series, 2016

In applications like Nuclear Physics or Astrophysics as well as in medical instrumentation (i.e. ... more In applications like Nuclear Physics or Astrophysics as well as in medical instrumentation (i.e. Positron Emission Tomography), devices capable of detecting and counting photons originating from faint sources at the maximum speed possible and with a Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) as good as possible in a wide spectral range is of great importance. Only detectors with an internal mechanism that provides a high multiplication of charge carriers are suitable for these applications. Photodiodes operating in Geiger avalanche mode, nowadays show excellent characteristics to be used as photon counting detectors and in few years from now will substitute the photomultipliers tubes in almost all scientific instruments. Depending on the manufacturer, these photodiodes are named in different ways, i.e.: Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs) or Multi Pixel Photon Counters (MPPCs), recently these devices in literature are simply named Geiger Avalanche Photodiodes (G-APDs). To understand the real applicability in the selected field, a very accurate experimental setup and a well defined methodology in measuring the electro-optical characteristics are needed in order to quantify the parameters with very high accuracy. Photon detector characterisation is of fundamental importance when developing scientific instrumentation specifically devoted for accurate photon flux measurements. The characterisation is used to optimize the sensor's performances. That means, for example, choosing the best set of electro-optical parameters in such a way to optimize the operating conditions of the detector itself. Characterising a detector allows also to supply the manufacturers with the feedback necessary to improve the detector's performances. Here we describe the single avalanche photodiode operating in Geiger mode (SPAD) and the multielement (SiPM) as well as their characterization in terms of noise, time resolution, and photon-detection efficiency (PDE). A detailed description of the experimental set up is also presented. Finally the achieved results from the characterisation are discussed.

Properties of Silicon PhotoMultipliers measured at LNS-INFN

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section a Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, Oct 1, 2010

During the last years the EXotics with CYclotron and Tandem (EXCYT) facility has been developed a... more During the last years the EXotics with CYclotron and Tandem (EXCYT) facility has been developed at LNS—INFN in Catania, in order to produce radioactive ion beams in the energy range accessible to the 15 MV Tandem Van de Graaf accelerator, with intensity around 10 5 particles per second (pps). In order to guarantee quick and precise beam transport procedures, the facility has been equipped with a high sensitivity beam diagnostics, well designed for very low intensity beams. In this paper we describe the features and the experimental results of the device developed for the low energy beam line (10-300 keV) of the facility. Such a multisensor device is mainly based on particle detectors and allows to collect the needed parameters in real time. In particular it can measure the X- Y transverse beam profile and intensity, and can identify the radioisotopes present in the beam.

Characterization of detectors for the Italian Astronomical Quantum Photometer Project

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 09500340802677068, Oct 7, 2010

In the framework of a national collaboration to bring Quantum Optics concepts to Astronomy, we ar... more In the framework of a national collaboration to bring Quantum Optics concepts to Astronomy, we are involved in finding suitable detectors for this novel application. At 'INAF Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania' and 'INFN – Laboratori Nazionali del Sud' laboratories, measurements of ...

In this paper we prove that the choice of a suitable treatment of the scintillator surfaces, alon... more In this paper we prove that the choice of a suitable treatment of the scintillator surfaces, along with suitable photodetectors electronics and specific algorithms for raw data analysis, allow to achieve an optimal tradeoff between energy, time and DOI resolution, thus strongly supporting the feasibility of a prostate TOF- PET probe, MRI compatible, with the required features and performance. In numbers this means a detector element of 1.5mm x 1.5mm x 10mm, achieving at the same time energy resolution around 11.5%, time-of- flight resolution around 150 ps and DOI resolution even below 1 mm. We stress that such a time resolution allows to increase significantly the Noise Equivalent Counting Rate, and consequently improve the image quality and the lesion detection capability. These individual values correspond to the best obtained so far by other groups, but we got all of them simultaneously. In our opinion this proof of principle paves the way to the feasibility of a TOF-PET MRI compatible probe with unprecedented features and performance, not only innovative for prostate radiotracer imaging but possibly also for other organs.

The Review of Scientific Instruments, Mar 1, 2010

Triggered by the need of a detection system to be used in experiments of nuclear fusion in laser-... more Triggered by the need of a detection system to be used in experiments of nuclear fusion in laser-generated plasmas, we developed an imaging technique for the measurement and calibration of the scintillation light yield of scintillating materials. As in such experiments, all the reaction products are generated in an ultrashort time frame, the event-by-event data acquisition scheme is not feasible. As an alternative to the emulsion technique (or the equivalent CR39 sheets) we propose a scintillating screen readout by means of a high performance charge coupled device camera. Even though it is not strictly required in the particular application, this technique allows the absolute calibration of the scintillation light yield.

Beam imaging in the injection line of the INFN-LNS superconducting cyclotron

Review of Scientific Instruments, 2016

A cheap and efficient diagnostic system for beam monitoring has been recently developed at INFN-L... more A cheap and efficient diagnostic system for beam monitoring has been recently developed at INFN-LNS in Catania. It consists of a high sensitivity CCD camera detecting the light produced by an ion beam hitting the surface of a scintillating screen and a frame grabber for image acquisition. A scintillating screen, developed at INFN-LNS and consisting of a 2 μm BaF2 layer evaporated on an aluminium plate, has been tested by using (20)Ne and (40)Ar beams in the keV energy range. The CAESAR ECR ion source has been used for investigating the influence of the frequency and magnetic field tuning effects, the impact of the microwave injected power, and of the focusing solenoids along the low energy beam transport on the beam shape and current. These tests will allow to better understand the interplay between the plasma and beam dynamics and, moreover, to improve the transport efficiency along the low energy beam line and the matching with the superconducting cyclotron, particularly relevant in view of the expected upgrade of the machine.