CLAS12 RICH: New Hybrid Geometry for Strangeness Studies

TL;DR

The paper introduces a new hybrid geometry for the RICH detector in the CLAS12 experiment, enhancing particle identification for strangeness studies in electron-nucleon scattering.

Contribution

It presents innovative optical system technology for the RICH detector, reducing photo-detection area and improving particle separation capabilities.

Findings

Successful characterization of the optical surface for simulation accuracy

Enhanced kaon-proton and pion separation in 3-8 GeV/c range

Improved particle identification for strangeness physics

Abstract

The Jefferson Lab CLAS12 detector will provide a world-leading facility for the study of electron-nucleon scattering. The CLAS12 physics program is very broad and includes studies on quarks dynamics as well as studies on the meson and baryon spectroscopy with quasi-real photoproduction in a large variety of final states. The particle identification will be complemented by a ring imaging Cherenkov detector (RICH), that will provide separation of kaons from protons and pions in the momentum range between 3 and 8 GeV/c allowing the study of pion and kaon electroproduction in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering as well as studying double and triple strange baryons. In this article, we will focus on the new technologies developed for the RICH, especially on the complex optical system, that allows to reduce the photo-detection area. Particular attention is given to the characterization of the surface in relationship with the simulation capability of GEANT4.