Large photocathode 20-inch PMT testing methods for the JUNO experiment

TL;DR

This paper describes the development of testing methods for large 20-inch PMTs used in the JUNO neutrino experiment, including mass testing procedures, a scanning system for photocathode uniformity, and magnetic field compensation techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive testing framework for JUNO's large PMTs, including mass testing, photocathode uniformity scanning, and magnetic field mitigation methods.

Findings

Successful design of mass testing containers for 144 PMTs simultaneously

Development of a scanning system to evaluate photocathode PDE variation

Preliminary performance results of Hamamatsu R12860 PMTs

Abstract

The 20kt Liquid Scintillator (LS) JUNO detector is being constructed by the International Collaboration in China, with the primary goal of addressing the question of neutrino mass ordering (hierarchy). The main challenge for JUNO is to achieve a record energy resolution, ~3% at 1MeV of energy released in the LS, which is required to perform the neutrino mass hierarchy determination. About 20 000 large 20-inch PMTs with high Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) and good photocathode uniformity will ensure an approximately 80% surface coverage of the JUNO detector. The JUNO collaboration is preparing equipment for the mass tests of all PMTs using 4 dedicated containers. This approach allows us to test 144 PMTs in parallel. The primary measurement in the container will be the PMT response to illumination of its photocathode by a low-intensity uniform light. Each of the 20 000 PMTs will undergo the container test. Additionally, a dedicated scanning system was constructed for sampled tests of PMTs that allows us to study the variation of the PDE over the entire PMT photocathode surface. The core of the scanning station is a rotating frame with 7 LED sources of calibrated short light flashes that are placed along the photocathode surface covering zenith angles from the top of a PMT to its equator. The collection efficiency of a large PMT is known to be very sensitive to the Earth Magnetic Field (EMF), therefore, understanding the necessary level of EMF suppression is crucial for the JUNO Experiment. A dark room with Helmholtz coils compensating the EMF components is available for these tests at a JUNO facility. The Hamamatsu R12860 20-inch PMT is a candidate for the JUNO experiment. In this article the container design and mass-testing method, the scanning setup and scanning method are briefly described and preliminary results for performance test of this PMT are reported.