ARIADNE+: Large scale demonstration of fast optical readout for dual-phase LArTPCs at the CERN Neutrino Platform

TL;DR

The paper demonstrates a large-scale optical readout system for dual-phase liquid Argon TPCs using Timepix3 cameras and novel THGEMs, achieving high-resolution 3D imaging without traditional charge readout.

Contribution

It introduces a new optical readout approach with four cameras and innovative THGEMs, enabling fast, high-resolution 3D imaging in large liquid Argon TPCs.

Findings

Successful demonstration on a 2x2m active region

Achieved 1.6ns timing resolution with Timepix3

Implemented novel THGEMs with wavelength shifting and VUV intensifier

Abstract

Optical readout of large scale dual-phase liquid Argon TPCs is an attractive alternative to charge readout and has been successfully demonstrated on a 2x2m active region within the CERN protoDUNE cold box. ARIADNE+ uses four Timepix3 cameras imaging the S2 light produced by 16 novel, patent pending, glass THGEMs. ARIADNE+ takes advantage of the raw Timepix3 data coming natively 3D and zero suppressed with a 1.6ns timing resolution. Three of the four THGEM quadrants implement readout in the visible light range through wavelength shifting, with the fourth featuring a VUV light intensifier, thus removing the need for wavelength shifting altogether. Cosmic ray reconstruction and energy calibration was performed. Presented is a summary of the detector setup and experimental run, preliminary analysis of the run data and future outlook for the ARIADNE program.