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For the High-Luminosity (HL-LHC) phase, the upgrade of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN will include a novel MIP Timing Detector (MTD). The central part of MTD, the barrel timing layer (BTL), is designed to provide a measurement of the time of arrival of charged particles with a precision of 30 ps at the beginning of HL-LHC, progressively degrading to 60 ps while operating in an extremely harsh radiation environment for over a decade. In this paper we present a comparative analysis of the time resolution of BTL module prototypes made of LYSO:Ce crystal bars read out by silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs). The timing performance measured in beam test campaigns is presented for prototypes with different construction and operation parameters, such as different SiPM cell sizes (15, 20, 25 and 30 $\rm \mu m$), SiPM manufacturers and crystal bar thicknesses. The evolution of time resolution as a function of the irradiation level has been studied using non-irradiated SiPMs as well as SiPMs exposed up to $2\times 10^{14}~n_{eq}/cm^2$ fluence. The key parameters defining the module time resolution such as SiPM characteristics (gain, photon detection efficiency, radiation induced dark count rate) and crystal properties (light output and dimensions) are discussed. These results have informed the final choice of the MTD barrel sensor configuration and offer a unique starting point for the design of future large-area scintillator-based timing detectors in either low or high radiation environments.

The CMS detector will be upgraded for the HL-LHC to include a MIP Timing Detector (MTD). The MTD will consist of barrel and endcap timing layers, BTL and ETL respectively, providing precision timing of charged particles. The BTL sensors are based on LYSO:Ce scintillation crystals coupled to SiPMs with TOFHIR2 ASICs for the front-end readout. A resolution of 30-60 ps for MIP signals at a rate of 2.5 Mhit/s per channel is expected along the HL-LHC lifetime. We present an overview of the TOFHIR2 requirements and design, simulation results and measurements with TOFHIR2 ASICs. The measurements of TOFHIR2 associated to sensor modules were performed in different test setups using internal test pulses or blue and UV laser pulses emulating the signals expected in the experiment. The measurements show a time resolution of 24 ps initially during Beginning of Operation (BoO) and 58 ps at End of Operation (EoO) conditions, matching well the BTL requirements. We also showed that the time resolution is stable up to the highest expected MIP rate. Extensive radiation tests were performed, both with x-rays and heavy ions, showing that TOFHIR2 is not affected by the radiation environment during the experiment lifetime., Comment: Editor: J. Varela

The barrel section of the novel MIP Timing Detector (MTD) will be constructed as part of the upgrade of the CMS experiment to provide a time resolution for single charged tracks in the range of $30-60$ ps using LYSO:Ce crystal arrays read out with Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). A major challenge for the operation of such a detector is the extremely high radiation level, of about $2\times10^{14}$ 1 MeV(Si) Eqv. n/cm$^2$, that will be integrated over a decade of operation of the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). Silicon Photomultipliers exposed to this level of radiation have shown a strong increase in dark count rate and radiation damage effects that also impact their gain and photon detection efficiency. For this reason during operations the whole detector is cooled down to about $-35^{\circ}$C. In this paper we illustrate an innovative and cost-effective solution to mitigate the impact of radiation damage on the timing performance of the detector, by integrating small thermo-electric coolers (TECs) on the back of the SiPM package. This additional feature, fully integrated as part of the SiPM array, enables a further decrease in operating temperature down to about $-45^{\circ}$C. This leads to a reduction by a factor of about two in the dark count rate without requiring additional power budget, since the power required by the TEC is almost entirely offset by a decrease in the power required for the SiPM operation due to leakage current. In addition, the operation of the TECs with reversed polarity during technical stops of the accelerator can raise the temperature of the SiPMs up to $60^{\circ}$C (about $50^{\circ}$C higher than the rest of the detector), thus accelerating the annealing of radiation damage effects and partly recovering the SiPM performance.

We study classical scalar fields in asymptotically Lifshitz spacetimes. By evading Derrick's theorem requiring the scalar potential to explicitly depend on the background coordinates, we induce a diffeomorphism invariance breaking and settle a first-order formalism to find spatially localized solutions in the probe field limit. By inserting a backreaction equipped with a cosmological constant and a Maxwell term coupled to a dielectric function in the model, we find a Lifshitz black hole solution., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, corrected typos, accepted in PRD

The MIP Timing Detector will provide additional timing capabilities for detection of minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) at CMS during the High Luminosity LHC era, improving event reconstruction and pileup rejection. The central portion of the detector, the Barrel Timing Layer (BTL), will be instrumented with LYSO:Ce crystals and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) providing a time resolution of about 30 ps at the beginning of operation, and degrading to 50-60 ps at the end of the detector lifetime as a result of radiation damage. In this work, we present the results obtained using a 120 GeV proton beam at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility to measure the time resolution of unirradiated sensors. A proof-of-concept of the sensor layout proposed for the barrel region of the MTD, consisting of elongated crystal bars with dimensions of about 3 x 3 x 57 mm$^3$ and with double-ended SiPM readout, is demonstrated. This design provides a robust time measurement independent of the impact point of the MIP along the crystal bar. We tested LYSO:Ce bars of different thickness (2, 3, 4 mm) with a geometry close to the reference design and coupled to SiPMs manufactured by Hamamatsu and Fondazione Bruno Kessler. The various aspects influencing the timing performance such as the crystal thickness, properties of the SiPMs (e.g. photon detection efficiency), and impact angle of the MIP are studied. A time resolution of about 28 ps is measured for MIPs crossing a 3 mm thick crystal bar, corresponding to an MPV energy deposition of 2.6 MeV, and of 22 ps for the 4.2 MeV MPV energy deposition expected in the BTL, matching the detector performance target for unirradiated devices.

Pixelated PET systems produce higher count rates as they integrate several detecting channels per detector module. An increased data flow from the detectors posses higher needs on the bandwidth requirements. We aim to optimize the bandwidth usage efficiency by filtering on the fly the detected events with non valid energies. PET systems with a SiPM-ASIC readout scheme are being extensively used to get enhanced images on Time-Of-Flight PET scanners. These kind of digital readout systems are specially interesting for the application of on-line processing techniques given the ease of access to each detected event digital information. This study purses the analysis of on-line processing techniques on the DAQ front-end level (on-detector electronics) for pixelated PET systems with SiPM-ASIC readout. In particular, we worked with a tunable on-line energy discriminating stage. For the optimization of its hardwired internal limits we analyzed the system energy space. We explored different solutions dependent or not on the system's energy calibration. Results obtained through the different filter versions confirm the minimal resources consumption of such processing techniques implemented at DAQ front-end level. Our experiences showed how the filtering process reduces the bandwidth needs excluding from the data stream all non valid energy events and thus improving the system sensitivity under saturation conditions. Additionally, these experiments highlight how setting proper energy limits we ensure the preservation of the system performance, which maintains its original energy and time resolution. Under the light of these findings, we see a great potential on the application of on-line processing techniques for Time-Of-Flight PET at the DAQ font-end level (on-detector electronics) and so we envisaged more complex processing methods., Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, journal article

This paper shows a new approach to obtain analytical topological defects of a 2D Myers-Pospelov Lagrangian for two scalar fields. Such a Lagrangian presents higher-order kinetic terms, which lead us to equations of motion which are non-trivial to be integrated. Here we describe three possible scenarios for the equations of motion, named by timelike, spacelike and lightlike respectively. We started our investigation with a kink-like travelling wave Ansatz for the free theory, which led us to constraints for the dispersion relations of each scenario. We also introduced a procedure to obtain analytical solutions for the general theory in the three mentioned scenarios. We exemplified the procedure and discussed the behavior of the defect solutions carefully. It is remarkable that the methodology presented in this study led to analytical models, despite the complexity of the equations of motion derived from the 2D Myers-Pospelov Lagrangian. The methodology here tailored can be applied to several Lagrangians with higher-order derivative terms., Comment: Version to appear in Annals of Physics, 30 pages, 10 figures

We extend recent results on domain wall description of superconductivity in an Abelian Higgs model by introducing a particular Lorentz-violating term. The temperature of the system is interpreted through the fact that the soliton following accelerating orbits is a Rindler observer experiencing a thermal bath. We show that this term can be associated with the {\sl Kondo effect}, that is, the Lorentz-violating parameter is closely related to the concentration of magnetic impurities living on a superconducting domain wall. We also found that the critical temperature decreasing with the impurity concentration as a non single-valued function, for the case $T_K < T_{c0}$, develops a negative curvature and presents deviations from the Abrikosov and Gor'kov theory, a phenomenon already supported by experimental evidence., Comment: Latex, 10 pages, 4 figures; version to appear in PLB

In this paper we focus on the Halmiton-Jacobi method to determine several thermodynamic quantities such as the temperature, entropy and specific heat of two-dimensional Horava-Lifshitz black holes by using the generalized uncertainty principles (GUP). We also address the product of horizons, mainly concerning the event, Cauchy, cosmological and virtual horizons., Comment: 13 pages, no figure, Latex; version to appear in Advances in High Energy Physics

In the present work we shall address the issue of electrical conductivity in superconductors in the perspective of superconducting domain wall solutions in the realm of field theory. We take our set up made out of a dynamical complex scalar field coupled to gauge field to be responsible for superconductivity and an extra scalar real field that plays the role of superconducting domain walls. The temperature of the system is interpreted through the fact that the soliton following accelerating orbits is a Rindler observer experiencing a thermal bath., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Latex. Version to appear in PLB

The study of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays represents one of the most challenging topic in the Cosmic Rays and in the Astroparticle Physics fields. The interaction of primary particles with atmospheric nuclei produces a huge Extensive Air Shower together with isotropic emission of UV fluorescence light and highly directional Cherenkov photons, that are reflected/diffused isotropically by the impact on the Earth's surface or on high optical depth clouds. For space-based observations, detecting the reflected Cherenkov signal in a delayed coincidence with the fluorescence light improves the accuracy of the shower reconstruction in space and in particular the measurement of the shower maximum, giving a strong signature for discriminating hadrons and neutrinos, and helping to estimate the primary chemical composition. Since the Earth's surface is mostly covered by water, the ULTRA (UV Light Transmission and Reflection in the Atmosphere)experiment has been designed to provide the diffusing properties of sea water, overcoming the lack of information in this specific field. A small EAS array, made up of 5 particle detectors, and an UV optical device, have been coupled to detect in coincidence both electromagnetic and UV components. The detector was in operation from May to December, 2005, in a small private harbor in Capo Granitola (Italy); the results of these measurements in terms of diffusion coefficient and threshold energy are presented here., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, PDF format, Proceedings of 30th ICRC, International Cosmic Ray Conference 2007, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, 3-11 July 2007