Multipurpose particle detector for fixed-target experiments based on plastic scintillators and SiPMs (time resolution)
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Fixed-target experiments in nuclear and particle physics require robust, modular, and high-efficiency detection systems capable of accurately recording particle passage, time of arrival, and the information needed for trigger tasks. This work presents the initial design of a multipurpose particle detector for fixed-target configurations based on plastic scintillators coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The overall concept considers modules built from rectangular scintillator bars with optical readout at both ends using SiPMs in order to maximize light collection and reduce optical losses associated with coupling. The design also addresses relevant experimental aspects such as SiPM thermal stability, treated here at the design level and not characterized in the present prototype, dark-count mitigation, and compatibility with high-speed front-end electronics. The system is complemented by a multichannel signal-conditioning and digitization chain that enables the extraction of amplitude and timing information through discrimination techniques and time analysis. At the current stage of development, only preliminary studies focused on the time resolution of a validation prototype are reported. The initial results show a reproducible response and an adequate operating margin for establishing stable trigger thresholds. Taken together, this approach confirms that the combination of plastic scintillators and SiPMs is a compact, scalable, and low-power alternative for applications in environments with magnetic fields and geometric constraints.
Source: EPJ Web of Conferences
Authors: Galileo Tinoco, Alfredo Raya, Roberto Tapia
Institution: Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo
Language: English
Subfield: Radiation
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7212930688