Development of HPD Clusters for MAGIC-II

TL;DR

This paper reports on the development and testing of hybrid photon detector clusters for the MAGIC-II telescope, aiming to enhance sensitivity and lower energy thresholds in gamma-ray observations.

Contribution

It introduces a new HPD cluster design with high quantum efficiency for MAGIC-II, including performance measurements and prototype development.

Findings

HPDs show high quantum efficiency

Prototype clusters have been developed and tested

Potential for increased sensitivity in MAGIC-II

Abstract

MAGIC-II is the second imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope of the MAGIC observatory, which has recently been inaugurated on Canary island of La Palma. We are currently developing a new camera based on clusters of hybrid photon detectors (HPD) for the upgrade of MAGIC-II. The photon detectors feature a GaAsP photocathode and an avalanche diode as electron bombarded anodes with internal gain, and were supplied by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (R9792U-40). The HPD camera with high quantum efficiency will increase the MAGIC-II sensitivity and lower the energy threshold. The basic performance of the HPDs has been measured and a prototype of an HPD cluster has been developed to be mounted on MAGIC-II. Here we report on the status of the HPD cluster and the project of eventually using HPD clusters in the central area of the MAGIC-II camera.