Precision pulse shape simulation for proton detection at the Nab experiment

TL;DR

This paper presents a detailed simulation of pulse shapes for proton detection in the Nab experiment, aiming to control timing systematic biases at the nanosecond level for precise neutron decay measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive semiconductor and quasiparticle transport simulation to accurately model pulse shapes and systematic effects in proton detection.

Findings

Precise pulse shape simulations for proton detection.

Identification of systematic effects affecting timing accuracy.

Potential measurement schemes to mitigate biases.

Abstract

The Nab experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, aims to measure the beta-antineutrino angular correlation following neutron $\beta$ decay to an anticipated precision of approximately 0.1\%. The proton momentum is reconstructed through proton time-of-flight measurements, and potential systematic biases in the timing reconstruction due to detector effects must be controlled at the nanosecond level. We present a thorough and detailed semiconductor and quasiparticle transport simulation effort to provide precise pulse shapes, and report on relevant systematic effects and potential measurement schemes.