RESUMEN
Abstract NUMEN proposes cross sections measurements of Heavy-Ion double charge exchange reactions as an innovative tool to access the nuclear matrix elements, entering the expression of the life time of Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ). A key aspect of the projectis the use at INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) of the Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) for the acceleration of the required high resolution and low emittance heavy-ion beams and of MAGNEX large acceptance magnetic spectrometer for the detection of the ejectiles. The experimental measurements of double charge exchange reactions induced by heavy ions present a number of challenging aspects, since such reactions are characterized by very low cross sections. First experimental results give encouraging indication on the capability to access quantitative information towards the determination of the Nuclear Matrix Elements for 0νββ decay.
Resumen NUMEN propone mediciones de secciones eficaces de reacciones de intercambio de carga doble de iones pesados como una herramienta innovadora para acceder a los elementos de la matriz nuclear, entrando en la expresión del tiempo de vida de la desintegración beta doble sin neutrino (0νββ). Un aspecto clave del proyecto es el uso en INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) del ciclotrón superconductor (CS) para la aceleración de los haces de iones pesados de alta resolución y baja emitancia requeridos y del espectrómetro magnético de gran aceptación MAGNEX para la detección de los residuos eyectados. Las mediciones experimentales de reacciones de intercambio de carga doble inducidas por iones pesados presentan una serie de aspectos desafiantes, ya que tales reacciones se caracterizan por secciones eficaces muy bajas. Los primeros resultados experimentales dan una indicación alentadora sobre la capacidad de acceder a información cuantitativa para la determinación de los Elementos de la Matriz Nuclear para la descomposición de 0νββ.
RESUMEN
This paper describes the design and characterization of a charged particle imaging system composed of a position sensitive detector and residual range detector. The position detector consists of two identical overlying and orthogonal planes each of which consists of two layers of pre-aligned and juxtaposed scintillating fibres. The 500µm square section fibres are optically coupled to two Silicon Photomultiplier arrays using a channel reduction system patented by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare. The residual range detector consists of sixty parallel layers of the same fibres used in the position detector each of which is optically coupled to a Silicon Photomultiplier array by wavelength shifting fibres. The sensitive area of the two detectors is 9×9cm(2). Characterising the position sensitive and the residual range detectors to reconstruct the radiography, is fundamental to validating the detectors' designs. The proton radiography of a calibrated target in imaging conditions is presented. The spatial resolution of the position sensitive detector is about 150µm and the range resolution is about 170µm. The performance of the prototypes were tested at CATANA proton therapy facility (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Catania) with energy up to 58MeV and rate of about 10(6) particles per second. The comparison between the simulations and measurements confirms the validity of this system.
