2–6 Feb 2026
TIFR, Mumbai
Asia/Kolkata timezone

R&D on aerogels with refractive indexes less or equal to 1.008 to be used in the RICH detectors for particle identification at momenta above 20 GeV/c

5 Feb 2026, 16:30
15m
TIFR, Mumbai

TIFR, Mumbai

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
Oral Particle Identification Parallel Session-III

Speaker

KATTSIN, Aleksandr (Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics)

Description

The physics programs of the future circular electron-positron colliders with high energies such like CEPC (Circular Electron Positron Collider) in China and FCCee (Future Circular Collider electron-positron) in Europe consist of experiments at the Z-pole energy region where production about 10$^{12}$ Z-bosons is expected. Such number of the Z-bosons will allow us to perform precise investigations of many flavour physics phenomena and search for new physics phenomena in this energy range. To perform such physics program a dedicated PID system with reliable pi/K-separation up to momentum P=25-30GeV/c is required. Several concepts of RICH detectors based on highly transparent ultra-light aerogels (refractive index less or equal to 1.008) are considered with help of simulations in the GEANT4 framework. Results of the simulation demonstrate the possibility to provide pi/K-separation at the level better than 3 STDEV up to momentum 25 GeV/c. Requirements to photon detectors parameters are evaluated from the simulation results. Several samples of aerogel with refractive indexes less or equal to 1.008 were produced, their optical parameters were investigated with help of testbench at lab and beam tests at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics in 2025. The results of the simulation are presented. Results of the measurements of ultra-light aerogel optical parameters are given as well as results of the first beam test with relativistic electrons of the RICH prototype based on ultra-light aerogels.

Position researcher
Affiliation Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics
Country Russia

Author

KATTSIN, Aleksandr (Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics)

Co-author

Dr BARNYAKOV, Alexander (Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics)

Presentation materials