The design and commissioning of the MICE upstream time-of-flight system

TL;DR

This paper details the design, construction, and testing of the upstream time-of-flight system for the MICE experiment, achieving high timing resolution for particle identification and synchronization.

Contribution

It presents the first comprehensive design, construction, and performance evaluation of the MICE upstream time-of-flight detectors.

Findings

Achieved detector timing resolutions of ~50-60 ps.

Successfully tested components and system performance with beam at RAL.

Demonstrated effective particle identification and timing precision.

Abstract

In the MICE experiment at RAL the upstream time-of-flight detectors are used for particle identification in the incoming muon beam, for the experiment trigger and for a precise timing (sigma_t ~ 50 ps) with respect to the accelerating RF cavities working at 201 MHz. The construction of the upstream section of the MICE time-of-flight system and the tests done to characterize its individual components are shown. Detector timing resolutions ~50-60 ps were achieved. Test beam performance and preliminary results obtained with beam at RAL are reported.