55293 - Interaction Radiation Matter and Particle Revelation

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to give students a wide knowledge on the particles interaction with matter and the of the various techniques to detect particles and to identify them. Moreover, practice in the laboratory  will allow students to become familiar with some basic detectors, electronic instrumentation, DAQ system, data analysis and writing a report on the experimental work done.

Course contents

The first semester -- 6 CFU (lectures) -- Elementary particles interaction with matter. Energy loss. Bethe-Bloch formula. The "range" of particles. Bremstrahlung. Photons: photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, pair production. Single and multiple scattering. Neutron interactions.

 -- Outline of radioactivity. Radiation effects in the biological matter. Important quantities in dosimetry. Application of radioactivity in medicine, industry, archeology: examples.

-- General features of particle detectors. Sensitivity, energy resolution, efficiency of a detector.

-- Scintillators detectors. Organic and inorganic scintillators. Working principles. Light  guide. Photomultipliers. Analisys of the signal.The scintillator mas trigger system, Time Of Flight and events veto.

-- Electonic modules to process signals from detectors. Standards. Analog and digital signals. Discriminators. Coincidences. Scalers. ADC. TDC.

-- Ionization detectors. Ionization phenomenology and gas transport. The proportional counter.
The MWPC. The drift chamber. The TPC and TEC. The RPCs.

-- The Cerenkov detectors. Working principles. Applications.

-- The Transition Radiation Detectors.

The second semester -- 2 CFU (lez. frontali)

-- The calorimeters: electromagnetics and hadronics. The showers. Energy measurement.

-- Techniques to measure position and time.

-- Techniques for particles identification.

-- Detectors systems for the experiments in Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics.
-- Metodo Montecarlo. Richiami di teoria della probabilità : probabilità, variabili aleatorie, funzioni di distribuzione. Risoluzione. Unfolding. Campionamento. Integrazione Montecarlo. Esempi pratici.
The secondo semester -- 3 CFU (laboratorio)
-- Laboratory practice. Setting-up of a telescope for cosmic rays and radioactive sources. Data aquisition and analysis.

Montecarlo simulation programs exercizes.

 

Readings/Bibliography

W.R. Leo, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments, Springer-Verlag

K. Kleinknecht, Detectors for Particle Radiation, Cambridge University Press

G.F. Knoll, Radiation Detection and Measurement, J. Wiley & Sons

F. Sauli, Multiwire proporrtional chambers, Cern-Yellow Report (Copy available in the Physics Department Library together with other useful material about other subjects)

 

Teaching methods

Lectures, practice in laboratory, data analysis.

Assessment methods

A written report on the activity done in the lab is required.

Oral examination.

Teaching tools

Lecture will be integrated with exercizes and seminars on particular arguments. The laboratory practice will allow students to better understand the arguments done  in the lectures. A written report on the activity done in the lab will allow students to better and deeper understand the experimental activity they have done.

Office hours

See the website of Gabriella Sartorelli