First results of the CALICE SDHCAL technological prototype

TL;DR

This paper reports on the successful testing of the CALICE SDHCAL prototype, demonstrating high efficiency, linear response, and good energy resolution across a range of energies, with semi-digital mode performing better at higher energies.

Contribution

First experimental results of the CALICE SDHCAL prototype showing its performance and potential for future hadronic calorimetry applications.

Findings

Efficiency exceeds 90% for all layers

Linear response within 5% across 5-80 GeV

Semi-digital mode outperforms digital mode above 30 GeV

Abstract

The CALICE Semi-Digital Hadronic Calorimeter (SDHCAL) prototype, built in 2011, was exposed to beams of hadrons, electrons and muons in two short periods in 2012 on two different beam lines of the CERN SPS. The prototype with its 48 active layers, made of Glass Resistive Plate Chambers and their embedded readout electronics, was run in triggerless and power-pulsing mode. The performance of the SDHCAL during the test beam was found to be very satisfactory with an efficiency exceeding 90% for almost all of the 48 active layers. A linear response (within 5%) and a good energy resolution are obtained for a large range of hadronic energies (5-80GeV) by applying appropriate calibration coefficients to the collected data for both the Digital (Binary) and the Semi-Digital (Multi-threshold) modes of the SDHCAL prototype. The Semi-Digital mode shows better performance at energies exceeding 30GeV