The CAST Time Projection Chamber
Abstract
One of the three X-ray detectors of the CAST experiment searching for solar axions is a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with a multi-wire proportional counter (MWPC) as a readout structure. Its design has been optimized to provide high sensitivity to the detection of the low intensity X-ray signal expected in the CAST experiment. A low hardware threshold of 0.8 keV is safely set during normal data taking periods, and the overall efficiency for the detection of photons coming from conversion of solar axions is 62 %. Shielding has been installed around the detector, lowering the background level to 4.10 x 10^-5 counts/cm^2/s/keV between 1 and 10 keV. During phase I of the CAST experiment the TPC has provided robust and stable operation, thus contributing with a competitive result to the overall CAST limit on axion-photon coupling and mass.
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0702189,
title = {The CAST Time Projection Chamber},
author = {D. Autiero and B. Beltran and J. M. Carmona and S. Cébrian and E. Chesi and M. Davenport and M. Delattre and L. Di Lella and F. Formenti and I. G. Irastorza and H. Gomez and M. Hasinoff and B. Lakić and G. Luzón and J. Morales and L. Musa and A. Ortiz and A. Placci and A. Rodriguez and J. Ruz and J. A. Villar and K. Zioutas},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0702189},
year = {2016}
}
Comments
19 pages, 11 figures and images, submitted to New Journal of Physics