PS/SPS User Meeting
Minutes of Meeting
The template for the minutes of meeting for the weekly PS & SPS users meeting can always be found using this link: https://codimd.web.cern.ch/0aHs5uqmSPuII76-SaaQdg
Please pre-fill them before the meeting with a summary of your activities!
PS-SPS Users Meeting for Week 19 held on 8th May 2025
Coordinator for this week : M. Jäkel
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Current PS / SPS User schedule v1.1.1
(Version 1.1.2 for H2) -
Injector schedule (v1.1) for 2025 is available here: https://edms.cern.ch/document/3057281/latest
EuroLabs : Application are open. Please submit your requests.
News from the PS & SPS Physics Coordinator
M.R. Jäkel, P. Martinengo
Proton Run 2025
- Physics Start p+ EA & nTOF Wednesday 19.03.2025
- Physics start Isolde Friday 28.03.2025
- SPS NA Physics start EHN1 Monday 14.4.2025
- SPS NA Other Physics start Thursday 17.4.2025
- LHC start delayed by ≈ 1 week
Newly vacant beam slots :
- PS T10 - W21-22
- SPS H4 - W40 (beam restrictions apply)
- SPS H6 - W33
- SPS H8 - W23
Please contact SPS.Physics.Coordinator@cern.ch if you want to apply for any of theses slots.
Reminder: Beam time exceeding the limits of 2 weeks PS beam time and 1 week SPS beam time per year need the approval of one of these CERN committees: SPSC, LHCC, DRDC, INTC, RB or IEFC. Consider joining a DRD collaboration, if you require more beam time.
Target intensities:
See below or via ASM (accessible from within the CERN network).
| T2 | T4 | T10 | T6 | Date | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 45 | 21 | 50 | 30.04. | 18 |
| 100 | 45 | 21 | 10 | 07.05. | 19 |
| 100 | 38 | 21 | 50 | 14.05. | 20 |
| 100 | 38 | 21 | 50 | 21.05 | 21 |
| 100 | 38 | 21 | 150 | 28.05. | 22 |
News from the Facilities Operations Meeting (FOM)
Pressure rise in T2 TBID observed after increase in intensity sent to T2.
- TE/VSC has rechecked the BIS interlock directly connected to pump for 1e-6 mbar. It has been agreed among all experts to reestablish the 100 units on T2 and monitor the behaviour of the device.
Upcoming SPS MDs next weeks :
https://be-dep-ea.web.cern.ch/content/md-planning-north-area
Dedicated SPS MDs - if not anounced differently - are taking place from 8:00 to 18:00
PS Machine Report (Denis Cotte)
A fairly good week for the PS with a beam availability of 92%.
The main source of beam interruptions came from the Booster and Linac4.
There were a few short interruptions due to RF issues (mainly 10 MHz cavity trips) and power converters (mostly cooling faults and POPS trips).
A position scan on the nTOF target was performed on Monday afternoon.
Two accesses for IRRAD/CHARM took place this week: on May 5th for the large optics beam, and the usual one on Wednesday.
SPS Machine Report (C. Zannini)
- HiRadMat beam delivered as requested
- SFTPRO intensity adjusted according to request
- Currently running with 100 units on T2.
- Vaccum rise when only SFTPRO is in the supercycle on the downstream window
- Crystal alignement successfully performed on Tuesday
- No dedicated MD on Wednesday next week
- Th-Th availability 91.9%
- BA81 patrol lost due to CV unscheduled intervention on sump DP544 on Wednesday (~1h downtime)
Safety (James Devine)
Please don’t forget to fill out your ISIEC form. If you
General reminders:
- Warmer weather is coming, long trousers (or leggings) are required in all areas where safety shoes are required. Here is the memo from HSE, in English and French. T-shirts are permitted depending upon the type of activity (i.e. if you aren’t at risk of cutting your arms), but exposed shoulders (vest/singlet tops) are not permitted in beam line zones.
- Safety clearances are valid for 3 weeks (ISIEC), provided you don’t change your setup. If you change your setup please contact us for another inspection. If you run for more than 3 weeks (main + parasitic etc) please contact us to see if a longer duration safety clearance (ISD) is appropriate.
TT42 Main: n_TOF (Alice Manna, Paolo M Milazzo)
Smooth data taking in all experimental areas.
EAR1: Study of the 87Sr(n, g).
Array of a C6D6 liquid scintillators as detectors.
EAR2: end of the 124Sn(n, gamma) data taking and start of the 92,100Mo(n,gamma). Same experimental set-up (segmented total energy detectors, liquid scintillators).
NEAR: Study of radiation hardness for a diamond detector
Protons received per week
East Area Beam Status (N. Charitonidis)
On call phone number: 67500.
T9: Good operation. No issues to report.
T10: Good operation. Setup with beam instrumentation went smoothly yesterday for SHIP LS SBT.
T11: No user.
East Area Users Tour de Table
T8 Main: IRRAD_CHARM (F. Ravotti / S. Fiore / G. Pezzullo)
Good week - intensity delivered to T8 ~2E16 p/w (see below) because of early beam stop and change of beam properties (larger spot / lower intensity) needed to setup the LHCb experiment in IRRAD performed afterwards on Tuesday evening. Many thanks to all the CCC operators for their helps and availability and especially to give us the possibility to run most of the experiment directly from the CCC.
Beam stability was very good over the week: more than 92% on both axes. In CHARM: EP-DT pressure sensors test started and BE-CEM components test continue. In IRRAD, we finished with Sci-Fi upgrade fibermat irradiation on Wednesday early morning. Everything was removed yesterday mornign and all the post irradiation measurements could start immediately. Many thanks to the RP team for their availability!
Yesterday moreover we finished as well with some of the samples of the TimeSPOT experiment and installed other samples for the LHCb upgrade experiment.
T9 Main: WCTE (Blair Jamieson)
Made progress towards higher rate running – tested a new binary file writer which should allow data collection at about 6x the rate (yet to be confirmed). Further offline work is being done to update the data monitoring for that new format. We continue data taking lower rate data with different beam momenta(finised off -240,-250,-260, +350, +360, +370 MeV/c running). Yesterday we changed over aerogel threshold counters to start collecting data at ±400, 410, and 420 MeV/c. Yesterday we also prepared for a calibration day (today).
Sample event display from +360 MeV data.
Finalizing HSE approval for Gd loading. Pressure test will take place next Monday and we hope to be able to start the loading sometime between May 14 and 19.
T10 Outgoing Main: ALICE_ITS3 (Paolo Martinengo)
detector removed from the area yester morning
excellent beam conditions and availability
T10 Main: SHIP LS-SBT (Annika Hollnagel)
Measurements for SHiP LS-SBT with two full-size detector prototype cells.
Main Objectives:
- Direct comparison of two full-size LS-SBT prototype cells
- Test of new readout & DAQ (FASTIC, SAMPIC)
Setup:
| Cell A | Cell B |
|---|---|
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| AlMg4,5 (polished) | Stainless steel with Alanod |
- Prototype cell A: AlMg4,5, polished inner surface (specular reflector), same as in 2024/11 (benchmark)
- Prototype cell B: stainless steel clad with Alanod foil (specular reflector)
- No changes to general cell design & mechanics (already very advanced)
- Slightly advanced light sensor mechanical coupling
- No changes to liquid scintillator (re-using purified LS from 2024/11, no ageing observed)
Current status:
- Detectors set up on DESY tables
- Beam telescope set up and operational
- Slow Control & DAQ set up & running
…but still waiting for the Liquid Scintillator to arrive. :(
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-> Tests of DAQ and detector calibration until Friday 2025-05-09
-> Tests of updated Cherenkov detectors & measurement of beam contamination
-> LS delivery now scheduled to arrive at CERN Prevessin on Friday (time tbd), but this will then also require internal transport to CERN Meyrin AND crane operation afterwards… (maybe no beam needed on the weekend)
-> Possible extension of beam time by up to a week?
-> Difficult due to person power… maybe rather until extend until Friday 2025-05-23?
Many thanks for your amazing support! :)
North Area Beam Status (N. Charitonidis)
On call phone number: 67500.
H2/H4: Good operation. After agreement with TE/VSC, SY/STI and BE/OP, 100 units are now back on T2.
H6: Good operation generally, until yesterday. A PPX access door (not the main one) in PPE146 was not staying locked - thanks to A. Rummler for reporting. EN-AA and DSO advised last night. Able to re-arm the door and tested it. EN-AA will inspect today. May require ~1hr of access.
H8: Good operation.
M2: Installation work was being completed this week so the intensity on target was reduced. Muon beam to be checked with the users once ready.
P42/K12: No issues, good operation.
TT66 Incoming Main: HIRADMAT (DPA)
The DPA experiment was sucesfully completed. The StrawRad experiment will continue on Thursday and Friday after (or between) the LHC scrubbing run.
TT41 Main: AWAKE (M. Bergamaschi)
- First Proton run finished on 03/10/2025, many LHC injections limited extractions to AWAKE.
- This week, photocathode replacement on e-beam gun and diagnostics maintance
- Second proton run starting the 12/05/2025
TELMAX Main: PAX (Please insert your name)
North Area Users Tour de Table
H2 Outgoing Main: LHCB (Mikhail Barnyakov)
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Goal: R&D on long live photocathodes for MCP detectors
- Several ideas, here we want to measure time resolution and relative quantum efficiency.
- Active area of prototype: 25 mm diameter.
- Standard MCP and prototype photocathodes piled in a custom stack inside a small vacuum chamber.
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Smooth data taking
- Satsfing beam availability and stability.
- We started with 50 GeV electrons and finally moved to 150 GeV pions. Excellent focusing on the small prototype area.
- We tested several photocathode configurations, changed the distance between their elements, and performed voltage scans.
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Some preliminary result:
dimd.web.cern.ch/uploads/upload_d715992743ad8344bd0417cac0f974a8.png)
Time difference between the prototype and the referense MCPs. After subtraction of the contribution of reference MCPs the time resolution 9.7 ps. -
Next steps:
- LHCb_ECAL has just booked week 19, which was unassigned. Several componets of our setup are borrowed from the LHCb_ECAL one.
- We will continue taking data untill Friday morning within the LHCb_ECAL slot to perform additional measurements we just figured out. No relevant changes to the setup. No new beam file needed. Safety group was informed.
- Final Radio Protection measurement booked on Friday morning.
H2 Incoming Main: LHCB_ECAL (Loris Martinazzoli)
- Smooth transition from current LHCb users (shared components)
- Thanks to the coordination and the infrastructure team for the help!
- Planning to characterise several ECAL prototypes and configurations.
- Mainly e−− from 20-100 GeV
- Some runs with pions and muons
- ISIEC submitted
H4 Main: NA64e (Vladimir Poliakov)
Previous week, April 30 - May 8:
- All beam detectors in H4 line were removed. Thanks BE-EA group, especially Sylvain, Michael and Nicos.
- Nice beam quality, slightly better than 2024.
- Calibration of em-calorimeter with 100 GeV electrons.
- Muon calibration of 4 hadron calorimeters and 2 veto hadron calorimeters.
- Calibration LYSO SRD detector and Veto counters with 100GeV electrons and hadron.
- Alignment of all tracking detectors, 7 MM and 9 Straw stations, with 100 GeV hadron beam.
- Start data taking at May 5 with 6.5x10^6 intensity.
- We are recorded around 8000 spills and 3.2x10^10 electrons on target.
Next week:
- Test new beam line setting with Nicos.
- Continue data taking.
- Increase intensity up to 9x10^6 electrons per spill.
H6 Main: ATLAS_ITK_PIXEL (Andre Rummler)
Setup worked fine with the triplet modules. Preparation work with replacement chiller before the test beam allowed to start on time. Measurements with perpendicular inclination taken and yesterday remounted to 15°.
H6 Main: CMS MTD ETL ETRO Federico Siviero
We have ETL ETROC chips bump-bonded to HPK and IME 16x16 LGADs sensors, non irradiated. All working, We will beam test them prior and after thermal cycling. Installed in our “suitcase” setup and positioned on XSCA table.
We were delayed because of missing cables (box sent from US with missing material), aiming for safety inspection today, data taking tonight.
H6 Main: ATLAS_BCM_PRIME (Ignacio Asensi)
Yesterday we installed our DUT in the MALTA telescope. And we also passed the Safety Inspection. So far, we have not been able to take data and we have to do some minor adjustments to the setup. We are planning to the setup today around 13h.
H6 Incoming Main: CMS MTD ETL ETRO Federico Siviero
H8 Main: SHIP CAL (Sebastian Ritter)
Sorry for missing last weeks meeting. With the moving in we simply missed the memo…
- Progress:
- Very good conditions so far. First half of programm done.
- Pointing studies with muons and electrons at various energies and angels.
- Calibration of ECAL with muons.
- Uniformity measurements with muon scan.
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Upcoming
- Finally got our HCAL to CERN yesterday.
- Setting up this morning.
- Integration with ECAL this afternoon.
- Main challenge for us: separating muons and pions with Cherenkov detector for tagged PID data. (advice very welcome!)
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Moving out next Wednesday
- Order of action and time plan needs to be determined.
- Lots of modifications in the area (floor removed, scaffolding etc…)
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Many thanks to everyone for their flexibility and that you work things out with us on such short notice every time!
H8 Incoming Main: CMS PPS (Please insert your name)
K12-P42 Main: NA62 (Renato Fiorenza)
We had a few issues with cooling equipment. A quick intervention is planned for today afternoon (was planned for yesterday but we had a problem with the access door). We will schedule a 8~10h access for next week to replace a leaking valve.
M2 Main: MUONE (Aldo Arena)
Last week we made calibration measurements with 40GeV Electron for the calorimeter (ECAL). A first/preliminary gain calibration has been done.
This week plan is to finish the installation.
It is going smooth and this morning the AC is being installed.
the last tracker detector will be installed later today, together with interferometric holografic system (HAM).
Yesterday, our chiller broke and we are searching for a solution. We have managed to borrow one for 2 weeks.
Tomorrow, we booked the safety clearance and, after that, we plan to use muon beam (low intensity) and electron beam for the ECAL.
H6 Parasitic: CMS MTD ETL ETRO Federico Siviero
Succesfully installed two telescopes within our cold box, mounted on the PI stage between AIDA tracker planes. We are measuring LGAD prototypes from different vendors (new sensors). First goal is to measure time resolution, then we will move to efficiency (use of tracker).
Safety inspection passed yesterday, data taking starting soon (before lunch).
H8 Parasitic: STRAW_TRACKER_RD (Please insert your name)
M2 Parasitic: AMBER (Please insert your name)
AoB
Minutes by the respective speakers, edited by M. Jäkel, M. Malkin, and M. Schwinzerl