The impact of helium exposure on the PMTs of the SuperNEMO experiment
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The performance of Hamamatsu 8” photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) of the type used in the SuperNEMO neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment (R5912-MOD), is investigated as a function of exposure to helium (He) gas. Two PMTs were monitored for over a year, one exposed to varying concentrations of He, and the other kept in standard atmospheric conditions as a control. Both PMTs were exposed to light signals generated by a 207Bi radioactive source coupled to a plastic scintillator, which provided consistent large input PMT signals similar to those that are typical of the SuperNEMO experiment. The energy resolution of PMT signals corresponding to 1 MeV energy scale determined from the 207Bi decay spectrum, shows a negligible degradation with He exposure; however the rate of after-pulsing shows a clear increase with He exposure, which is modelled and compared to diffusion theory. A method for reconstructing the partial pressure of He within the PMT and a method for determining the He breakdown point, are introduced. The implications for long-term SuperNEMO operations are briefly discussed.
Source: Journal of Instrumentation
Authors: X. Aguerre, A.S. Barabash, A. Basharina-Freshville, M. Bongrand, Ch. Bourgeois, D. Bre,ton, R. Breier, J. Busto, C. Cerna, M. Ceschia, E. Chauveau, A. Chopra, L. Dawson, D. Duchesneau, J.J. Evans, D. Filosofov, X. Garrido, C. Girard-Carillo, M. Granjon, M. Hoballah, R. Hodák, G. Horner, M.H. Hussain, A. Islam, A. Jérémie, S. Jullian, J. Kaizer, A. Klimenko, O. Kochetov, F. Koňařík, S.I. Konovalov, T. Křižák, S. Kovalenko, A. Lahaie, K. Lang, Y. Lemière, P. Li, J. Maalmi, M. Macko, F. Mamedov, C. Marquet, F. Mauger, A. Mendl, B. Morgan, I. Nemchenok, M. Nomachi, V. Palušová, C. Patrick, T. Pavicic, F. Perrot, M. Petro, F. Piquemal, P. Povinec, S. Pratt, M. Proga, W.S. Quinn, Y.A. Ramachers, C.L. Riddle, N. Rukhadze, R. Saakyan, R. Salazar, J. Sedgbeer, Yu. Shitov, L. Simard, F. Šimkovic, A. Smolnikov, S. Söldner-Rembold, I. Štekl, J. Suhonen, H. Tedjditi, J. Thomas, V. Timkin, V.I. Tretyak, Vl.I. Tretyak, G. Turnbull, V.I. Umatov, Y. Vereshchaka, D. Waters
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bordeaux, Laboratoire de Physique des deux infinis Bordeaux, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules, University of Edinburgh, University College London, Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-Curie, Comenius University Bratislava, Aix-Marseille Université, Centre de physique des particules de Marseille, Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules, University of Manchester, Czech Technical University in Prague, The University of Texas at Austin, École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen, Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Caen, Université de Caen Normandie, Charles University, University of Warwick, The University of Osaka, Idaho National Laboratory, Imperial College London, University of Jyväskylä, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Institute for Nuclear Research
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,290
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Research Foundation of Ukraine, Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Agentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
OpenAlex ID: W4411368343