Modeling of a MeV-scale Particle Detector Based on Organic Liquid Scintillator

TL;DR

This paper introduces LSMC, a new simulation tool based on Geant4 for modeling liquid scintillator detectors, demonstrated through the design and optimization of a compact neutrino detector prototype.

Contribution

The paper presents LSMC, a universal Monte Carlo simulation tool tailored for LS-based detectors, enhancing configuration ease and output comprehensiveness.

Findings

LSMC effectively models LS detectors with detailed physical processes.

Application to a Baksan prototype demonstrates optimization capabilities.

Provides a flexible, user-friendly simulation framework.

Abstract

The detectors based on the liquid scintillator (LS) monitored by an array of photo-multiplier tubes (PMT) are often used in low energy experiments such as neutrino oscillation studies and search for dark matter. Detectors of this kind operate in an energy range spanning from hundreds of keV to a few GeV providing a few percent resolution at energies above 1 MeV and allowing to observe fine spectral features. This article gives a brief overview of relevant physical processes and introduces a new universal simulation tool LSMC (Liquid Scintillator Monte Carlo) for simulation of LS-based detectors equipped with PMT arrays. This tool is based on the Geant4 framework and provides supplementing functionality for ease of configuration and comprehensive output. The usage of LSMC is illustrated by modeling and optimization of a compact detector prototype currently being built at Baksan Neutrino Observatory.