Crystal calorimeter for partricle physics

ORiEnted calOrimeter (DRD6-OREO)

A Next Generation Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The future of high-energy particle detection is here with the development of a highly compact and ultra-fast electromagnetic (e.m.) calorimeter. This groundbreaking innovation leverages the unique properties of oriented lead tungstate (PWO-UF) crystals to provide unprecedented performance in particle detection and measurement.

Electromagnetic crystal calorimeters

Scintillating crystals are widely used in calorimeters to measure the energy of electromagnetic interacting particles. Interacting with the atoms of the crystals, the impinging particle generates an electromagnetic shower of new particles through bremsstrahlung and pair-production. The energy of the shower is finally collected and this gives the information of the initial particle's energy.

An innovative electromagnetic crystal calorimeter

If the crystals are formed by a high-Z material and the particle direction is oriented with a small relative angle with the crystal axes, the particle's shower is accelerated and compacted in a smaller radiation length with respect to the random orientation. With this idea, our researcher has developed an innovative electromagnetic calorimeter made of an array of ultra-fast PWO crystals.

Advanced Simulation with Geant4

To optimize the design of the new calorimeter, researchers developed a sophisticated Geant4 model. This model simulates the development of electromagnetic showers within the oriented PWO crystals. By incorporating the unique properties of the crystals, the model helps in defining the optimal geometry for the calorimeter. This leads to a significant reduction in the depth required to contain electromagnetic showers, making the device more compact and efficient compared to current technologies.

Wide Range of Applications

The compact and ultra-fast oriented PWO calorimeter has broad applications in both high-energy and astroparticle physics. In high-energy physics, it can be used in forward calorimeters, which are essential for detecting particles in collider experiments. It also serves as an effective solution for compact beam dumps, which are crucial in the search for light dark matter.

In the field of astroparticle physics, the calorimeter's compact size and high performance make it ideal for space-borne gamma-ray telescopes. These telescopes require lightweight and efficient detectors to fully contain electromagnetic showers initiated by particles with energies ranging from a few GeV to several TeV.