Studies of the effect of charged hadrons on lead tungstate crystals

TL;DR

This paper investigates how charged hadrons affect lead tungstate crystals used in high-energy physics calorimetry, providing data and models to predict performance degradation under high radiation and particle flux conditions.

Contribution

It offers new experimental data on charged hadron effects on lead tungstate crystals and introduces predictive methods for their performance in high-radiation environments.

Findings

Charged hadrons cause measurable damage to lead tungstate crystals.

Results enable prediction of crystal performance degradation based on particle flux.

Data supports improved design and operation of calorimeters in high-energy physics experiments.

Abstract

Scintillating crystals are used for calorimetry in several high-energy physics experiments. For some of them, performance has to be ensured in difficult operating conditions, like a high radiation environment, very large particle fluxes and high collision rates. Results are presented here from a thorough series of measurements concerning mainly the effect of charged hadrons on lead tungstate. It is also shown how these results can be used to predict the effect on crystals due to a given flux of particles.