SiPM+2010

· Mackenzie & Preston · Kyle Daily · QuarkNet at Notre Dame · Mark Vigneault · Randy Ruchti · Studies of light emission from scintillating liquids and wave shifting fibers · Optical fiber emission profiling · To characterize light emission from scintillating liquids and wave shifting fibers, and to compare it with those of scintillating plastic tiles. · To find the optimal size for a SiPM so that it captures all of the light from a wave shifting fiber with the least amount of noise. · We constructed a small particle detector to sense the light generated in scintillating liquids and tiles. The trials were performed both with and without a wave shifting fiber and both were viewed on an oscilloscope and later analyzed using computer software. · We used image capturing software, Scan Magic, and MATLAB to map out the two dimensional cross section of the light output of wave shifting fibers. We then generated three dimensional graphs to represent the relative light intensities of the images produced. · So far, we have discovered that the MATLAB program provides a better means of analyzing the fiber profiling data than Scan Magic. · We have also learned the amount of physical precision required when performing any type of experiment. · We have learned how to interpret things on the scope and have just recently became involved in the testing of the scintillating liquids.
 * Students**
 * Name of teacher on Research Team:**
 * QuarkNet Center Name:**
 * Mentor Names:**
 * Project Title: SiPM**
 * Purpose of our research:**
 * How the problem was studied:**
 * What was discovered (Progress):**

SiPM **__Monday 6/21/10__**: Today we traced the wires from the two tiles, the trigger, and the SiPM in the exeriment and made a circuit diagram. We also observed the GaSP tube on the digital scope and looked at graphs on the computer of data taken from previous years.
 * Logsheet 01**


 * __Tuesday 6/22/10__**: Today we learned how to save images and data from the digital scope onto the computer. We also learned how to power up the SiPM and how to work the devices on the electronic rack. We also were taught the safety precautions we should take when performing the experiment so that no one is hurt and no equipment is damaged in the process. Lastly, we ran the experiment using a Hamamatsu SiPM.


 * __Wednesday 6/23/10__**: Today we learned more about how to control the digital scope and re-wired the input channels on the scope. We then ran wires that connected our equipment to the experiment being done by the CRD group. We also tested the SenSL SiPM instead of the Hamamatsu SiPM because the SenSL has its own cooling board and produces less noise on the digital scope.


 * __Thursday 6/24/10__**: Today we learned how to use ScanMagic, and Preston and I started an optical fibre profiling experiment. The first trial took up basically the entire time we were working.


 * __Friday 6/25/10__**: Today Preston and I repeated the optical fibre profiling experiment in order to obtain more data in order to make more accurate conclusions about the experiment. We then learned how to analyze the data on excel and began to do so.

**Logsheet 02** SiPM

**__Monday 6/28/10:__** Today we investigated software for three dimensional analysis of fiber profiles. We also finished analyzing and recording the data from our previous fiber profiling experiment.


 * __Tuesday 6/29/10:__** Today we ran another trial of the fiber profiling experiment. I made another circuit diagram and Preston and Kyle figured out how to produce a 3-D image of the fiber profile.


 * __Wednesday 6/30/10:__** Today we finished the trial we started yesterday and analyzed the results. We recognized that there were some flaws in our experiment and fixed them. After this, we began another trial using only the waveshifting fiber.


 * __Thursday 7/1/10__**: Today we completed the trial we started on Wednesday and analyzed the data. We noticed that the results were still pretty inconsistent and started brainstorming possible ways to make the experiment more accurate. We decided to lock the box everytime, assuming that their was a minor light leak. We then completed another trial.
 * __Friday 7/2/10:__** Today we analyzed the data from the trial we completed yesterday and some inconsistencies still remained. So, we changed the input channel of Camera 1 thinking that this would solve the problem. We then started another trial, and the results still showed inconsistencies. We have not yet figured out how to fix the problem completely.

**Logsheet 03** SiPM

**__Tuesday 7/6/10:__** We tested a new set up for our fiber profiling experiment and analyzed the data. The results from this new set up were much more consistent with what we had in mind.


 * __Wednesday 7/7/10:__** Today we ran another trial with the new set up in order to compare the results from the previous trial. The results from this trial were also fairly consistent and when compared with the previous trial the proved to be much more similar than they were with the old set up. Finally, we tested a new scintillating liquid.


 * __Thursday 7/8/10:__** Today we learned how to process the data from the fiber profiling experiment using a program on matlab that kyle wrote. Randy then came in and talked to us about the specifics of the other experiment using the ludlum liquids. This experiment had been getting some random high peaks in the data and we had to brainstorm ideas as to why it was happening. We then observed more runs of the experiment.
 * __Friday 7/9/10:__** Today we analyzed our data from all the previous experiments using MATLAB . We then began to organize our data and work on the set up for the other experiment.

**Logsheet 04** SiPM

__**Monday 7/12/2010**__: Today we ran another fiber profiling trial using a Y11 fiber instead of a DSB2 fiber. We then analyzed our data and trouble shot camera problems for the remainder of the time.

__**Tuesday 7/13/10**__: Today we ran another fiber profiling experiment using four leds. We then analyzed this data and did a second trial and analyzed that data. We brainstormed ways to make our experiment more accurate. Randy also came in and talked more to us about the scintillating tile experiment. __**Wednesday 7/14/10**__: Today we ran a trial where we turned the camera on and off five different times, taking a picture each time it was turned back on. In this experiment we did not change the distance. We then compared the consistency of the five pictures in terms of maximum intensity, average maximum intensity, and center. After this, we ran another trial of the same experiment and analyzed the results. We then did the same thing but turned the led on and off and left the camera on the entire time. We ran this experiment twice also.

__**Thursday 7/15/2010**__: Fermilab trip

__**Friday 7/16/2010**__: Today we ran one last trial of the camera on/off experiment and of the led on/off experiment. We then analyzed the results.

**Logsheet 05** SiPM __**Monday 7/19/2010:**__ Today we did five trials in which we took five pictures in a row without changing anything. This experiment was done in order to see if the camera was causing any problems in our data. We then analyzed the results. After this, we ran a very lengthy experiment in which we moved the led group up and down the fiber. We started at 15 cm and ended at 85 cm, and at each distance we took five pictures. The only variable changed during this experiment was the distance. We then analyzed the results for all five pictures at 15 cm and every distance 10 cm away from that.


 * __Tuesday 7/20/2010:__** Today we ran a trial with a DSB 2 fiber in which we ran the led group up and down the length of the fiber. In this experiment we also have a clear fiber that is our control fiber. We then analyzed the data of both the DSB 2 fiber and the clear fiber and compared the results.


 * __Wednesday 7/21/2010:__** Today we ran a second trial using the DSB2 fiber and the clear fiber. We then analyzed these results and compared them to the previous trial.


 * __Thursday 7/22/2010:__** Today we did an experiment that tested the effects of tape wrapped around the fiber on the overall light output. We then analyzed our data and found that the light intensity decreased when the tape was added to the fiber. We also put a small crimp in a different waveshifting fiber and tested how that effected the light output. The crimp in the fiber made the light intenstity decrease by a huge factor.


 * __Friday 7/23/2010:__** Today we ran two trials in which we connected (spliced) a clear waveshifting fiber and a Y11 fiber. We then analyzed the data.