AI Insight
Researchers at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics developed and tested a Micromegas-based active-target Time Projection Chamber called SAT-TPC, designed for nuclear astrophysics experiments. The detector was characterized using two gas mixtures, Ar-CO2 (90:10) and Ar-iC4H10 (95:5), with energy resolution measured for radioactive sources Fe-55 and Am-241, and alpha-particle tracks successfully reconstructed in terms of direction and trajectory length. Simulations combining Geant4, Garfield++, and COMSOL showed good agreement with experimental results, validating the detector's performance models.
Why it matters
Active-target TPCs are valuable tools for studying low-cross-section nuclear reactions relevant to stellar nucleosynthesis, and a validated detector of this type expands experimental capabilities for nuclear astrophysics research in institutions with limited access to large-scale facilities.
arXiv:2602.21238v2 Announce Type: replace
Abstract: A Micromegas-based active-target detector named SAT-TPC (Saha Active Target TPC) has been designed and fabricated at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics. The SAT-TPC was tested with Ar-CO2 (90:10) and Ar-iC4H10 (95:5) at atmospheric pressure. The Micromegas detector was first characterized in a small test chamber to optimize the ratio between the drift and amplification fields to maximise electron transparency. After establishing the optimal operating parameters, the same Micromegas detector was employed as the readout plane of the SAT-TPC prototype. The energy resolution for 55Fe and 241Am was estimated. A straightforward analysis of {alpha}-particle tracks has been carried out, demonstrating the pad plane’s capability to accurately reconstruct the direction and length of trajectories. A hydrodynamic model based on Geant4, Garfield++ and COMSOL was used to emulate the reconstructed {alpha}-tracks in the active gas volume. The results show good agreement with simulations, confirming the accuracy of the models employed for {alpha}-particles in Ar-CO2 (90:10) and Ar-iC4H10(95:5) gas.
Source: Development of Micromegas-based Time Projection Chamber for Nuclear Astrophysics Studies