What is it about?
Ultra-pure glass is a material used in high energy physics detectors, where it is often exposed to high levels of ionising radiation. To determine its suitability for long term use in these environments a study was carried out to measure the impact, if any, that this radiation has on the optical properties of the material.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
As future generations of high energy physics experiments look at higher energy for rarer events they require more from their detectors. One of the aspects that will determine the success of a detector system will be its ability to withstand conditions in these extreme environments, and this paper highlights the benefits of using an ultra-pure form of glass in high radiation environments, without appreciable degradation in performance.
Perspectives
This was the first paper i worked on and still has some legs on it, even a decade on from the work being carried out. The upgrades to the LHC and potential future collider experiments will require detectors that can withstand large radiation doses over their lifetimes and still keep on swinging, and as such this study can inform the designers of these experiments of the benefits of looking at Fused Silica as an optical material in these extreme environments.
Dr Euan N Cowie
University of Glasgow
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Radiation hardness study on fused silica, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, September 2008, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2008.07.098.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
