Feb 13 – 16, 2012
CERN
Europe/Zurich timezone

FAMOUS - A Prototype Silicon-Photomultiplier-Telescope for the Fluorescence Detection of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays

Not scheduled
1m
500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium

CERN

CERN, Geneva
400
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poster

Speaker

Maurice Stephan (RWTH Aachen University)

Description

Due to their high photon detection efficiency, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) promise to increase the sensitivity of today’s fluorescence telescopes which use photomultiplier tubes to detect light originating from extensive air showers. On the other hand drawbacks like a small sensitive area, a strong temperature dependence, a high noise rate and a reduced dynamic range have to be managed. We present plans for FAMOUS, a prototype fluorescence telescope using SiPMs and a special light collecting optical system of Winston cones to increase the sensitive area. The prototype will make use of a Fresnel lens with imaging properties which fulfill all functional requirements for the application within the detector. For several different types of SiPMs, we measured the photon detection efficiency and its dependence on the incident angle of light. Further measurements include noise effects of the SiPM as well as its temperature dependencies, and we offer methods how to overcome these challenges. Moreover, we will present the R&D in compact modular electronics using photon counting techniques. Since the main background to the fluorescence signal derives from the night-sky brightness, a single-pixel-SiPM-telescope measured the photon flux of the night-sky. This allows the evaluation of the performance of the optical telescope design by means of a full detector simulation.

Primary authors

Christine Meurer (RWTH Aachen University) Johannes Schumacher (RWTH Aachen University) Luis Mendes (LIP Laboratorio de Instrumentaco e Fisica Experimental de Particulas) Lukas Middendorf (RWTH Aachen University) Mario Pimenta (LIP Laboratorio de Instrumentaco e Fisica Experimental de Particulas) Markus Lauscher (RWTH Aachen University) Maurice Stephan (RWTH Aachen University) Miguel Ferreira (LIP Laboratorio de Instrumentaco e Fisica Experimental de Particulas) Pedro Assis (LIP Laboratorio de Instrumentaco e Fisica Experimental de Particulas) Pedro Brogueira (LIP Laboratorio de Instrumentaco e Fisica Experimental de Particulas) Thomas Hebbeker (RWTH Aachen University) Tim Niggemann (RWTH Aachen University)

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