The HERMES dual-radiator ring imaging Cherenkov detector

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Vol. 479; no. 2; pp. 511 - 530
• Main Authors: Akopov, N, Aschenauer, E.C, Bailey, K, Bernreuther, S, Bianchi, N, Capitani, G.P, Carter, P, Cisbani, E, De Leo, R, De Sanctis, E, De Schepper, D, Djordjadze, V, Filippone, B.W, Frullani, S, Garibaldi, F, Hansen, J.-O, Hommez, B, Iodice, M, Jackson, H.E, Jung, P, Kaiser, R, Kanesaka, J, Kowalczyk, R, Lagamba, L, Maas, A, Muccifora, V, Nappi, E, Negodaeva, K, Nowak, W.-D, O'Connor, T, O'Neill, T.G, Potterveld, D.H, Ryckbosch, D, Sakemi, Y, Sato, F, Schwind, A, Shibata, T.-A, Suetsugu, K, Thomas, E, Tytgat, M, Urciuoli, G.M, Van de Kerckhove, K, Van de Vyver, R, Yoneyama, S, Zohrabian, H, Zhang, L.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2002
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9002(01)00932-9

The construction and use of a dual radiator Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector is described. This instrument was developed for the HERMES experiment at DESY which emphasises measurements of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering. It provides particle identification for pions, kaons, and protons in the momentum range from 2 to 15 GeV , which is essential to these studies. The instrument uses two radiators, C 4F 10, a heavy fluorocarbon gas, and a wall of silica aerogel tiles. The use of aerogel in a RICH detector has only recently become possible with the development of clear, large, homogeneous and hydrophobic aerogel. A lightweight mirror was constructed using a newly perfected technique to make resin-coated carbon-fiber surfaces of optical quality. The photon detector consists of 1934 photomultiplier tubes (PMT) for each detector half, held in a soft steel matrix to provide shielding against the residual field of the main spectrometer magnet.