Timing Properties of Blue-emitting Scintillating Fibers

TL;DR

This study compares the timing performance, light yield, and decay times of blue-emitting scintillating fibers from different manufacturers for particle detection applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of the timing properties and light attenuation of specific scintillating fibers over short lengths, highlighting their suitability for tracking detectors.

Findings

Kuraray fibers show higher light yield than Saint-Gobain.

Attenuation lengths vary significantly between fiber types.

Timing resolution is sufficient for particle tracking applications.

Abstract

Scintillating fibers are widely used in particle detectors, mainly for tracking. We have studied the properties and have compared the performance of different blue-emitting 250~$\mu$m diameter round double-clad scintillating fibers from Kuraray and Saint-Gobain. Here we focus on the properties of the fibers over short lengths ($< 50~{\rm cm}$), in particular on their timing performances. We report on the light yield and attenuation, scintillation light decay time and the achievable time resolution.