Hadron calorimeter module prototype for baryonic matter studies at Nuclotron

TL;DR

This paper presents the design, construction, and testing of a hadron calorimeter prototype for baryonic matter research at Nuclotron, including beam tests and Monte Carlo simulations for energy response.

Contribution

It introduces a new calorimeter prototype with specific layered structure and provides experimental and simulation data for its performance in high-energy proton detection.

Findings

Successful beam testing with muons at U-70 accelerator.

Monte Carlo simulations indicate effective energy resolution for 2-16 GeV protons.

Different photo multiplier and light guide configurations tested.

Abstract

The prototype of the hadron calorimeter module consisting of 66 scintillator/lead layers with the 15x15 cm^2 cross section and 5 nuclear interaction lengths has been designed and produced for the zero degree calorimeter of the BM@N experiment. The prototype has been tested with high energy muon beam of the U-70 accelerator at IHEP. The results of the beam test for different types of photo multipliers and light guides are presented. The results of the Monte-Carlo simulation of the calorimeter response and energy resolution are presented for the 2-16 GeV protons.