[en] Textile cotton wastes were treated with γ rays and 18% NaOH and 70% ZnCl₂ solutions and were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. The untreated and treated samples were characterized both before and after hydrolysis by means of parameters concerning molecular structure (degree of polymerization), supermolecular structure (x-ray diffraction), accessibility, and reactivity (moisture regain, enzyme adsorption, and solubility in FeTNa). These parameters were correlated to kinetic parameters of the hydrolysis reaction. The V/sub max/ and K/sub m/ values were evaluated from Lineweaver-Burk plots at different temperatures. The V/sub max//K/sub m/ ratio, analogous to the specificity constant, proved to be less sensitive to experimental errors and more suitable for a comparison of the kinetic behavior of the samples. The modifications of both supermolecular structure and morphology of cellulose were of primary importance to attain high yields and rates of hydrolysis. Furthermore, the structural and morphologic parameters chosen to characterize the samples can be correlated to the kinetic parameters of enzymatic hydrolysis, in particular to K/sub m/ values

[en] Starting from 2018, the LHCb detector will be upgraded to operate at higher luminosity and extend its potential for new discoveries. The Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors are one of the key components for particle identification of the LHCb detector and the upgraded specifications will require a redesign of the optoelectronic readout chain. In the present work, we describe the experimental setup and the results of the tests carried out with a particle beam to assess and validate the performance of the optoelectronic readout system.

[en] The H12700 is a novel 64-channel 52 × 52 mm"2 square Multi-Anode PhotoMultiplier Tube (MaPMT) produced by Hamamatsu. Its characteristics make this device suitable for high energy physics applications, such as in Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors. Hamamatsu provides the H12700 tube with an embedded socket connecting the anodes to the output pins and including an active voltage divider. A second device version, the R12699, is also available and differs from the former by the absence of the socket. This paper describes a complete characterization of both models, starting from the standard operating parameters (single photon spectra, average gain, anode uniformity and dark current value), investigating in detail the cross-talk effect among neighbouring pixels and considering the behaviour in critical environment conditions, such as in presence of a static magnetic field up to 100 Gauss, at different operating temperatures and after long exposure to intense light

[en] Measuring low noise of electronic devices with a spectrum analyzer requires particular care as the instrument could add significant contributions. A Low Noise Amplifier, LNA, is therefore necessary to be connected between the source to be measured and the instrument, to mitigate its effect at the LNA input. In the present work we suggest a technique for the implementation of the LNA that allows to optimize both low frequency noise and white noise, obtaining outstanding performance in a very broad frequency range

[en] The CLARO-CMOS is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for fast photon counting with pixellated photodetectors such as multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (Ma-PMT), micro-channel plates (MCP), and silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). The first prototype has four channels, each with a charge sensitive amplifier with settable gain and a discriminator with settable threshold, providing fast hit information for each channel independently. The design was realized in a long-established, stable and inexpensive 0.35 μm CMOS technology, and provides outstanding performance in terms of speed and power dissipation. The prototype consumes less than 1 mW per channel at low rate, and less than 2 mW at an event rate of 10 MHz per channel. The recovery time after each pulse is less than 25 ns for input signals within a factor of 10 above threshold. Input referred RMS noise is about 7.7 ke⁻ (1.2 fC) with an input capacitance of 3.3 pF. With this value of input capacitance a timing resolution down to 10 ps RMS was measured for pulser signals of a few million electrons, corresponding to the single photon response for these detectors.

[en] This paper reports on the time resolution of two photodetectors operated as single photon counters at high rate: a Hamamatsu R13742-103-M64 "conventional" (based on metal dynodes) multi-anode photomultiplier tube (MaPMT) and a Hamamatsu R10754-07-M16 microchannel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT). The MCP-PMT shows a time resolution (transit time spread, or jitter) of $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$70 ps FWHM ($\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$30 ps RMS) at low photon rates, but saturates above $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$100 kHz/mm${}^2$. The MaPMT can handle photon counting rates up to the highest tested, 10 MHz/mm${}^2$. Its time resolution is $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$250 ps FWHM ($\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$110 ps RMS) when only the pixel center is illuminated, but pixel edge effects degrade the resolution to $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$400 ps FWHM ($\sim <!--\; ???\; -->$170 ps RMS) when the entire pixel area is illuminated.

[en] An ASIC named CLARO-CMOS was designed for fast photon counting with MaPMTs, MCPs and SiPMs. The prototype was realized in a .35 μm CMOS technology and has four channels, each with a fast amplifier and a discriminator. The main features of the design are the high speed of operation and the low power dissipation, below 1 mW per channel. This paper focuses on the use of the CLARO for SiPM readout. The ASIC was tested with several SiPMs of various sizes, connected to the input of the chip both directly and through a coaxial cable about one meter long. In the latter case the ASIC is still fully functional although the speed of response is affected by the cable capacitance. The threshold could be set just above the single photoelectron level, and with 1 ×1 mm² SiPMs the discrete photoelectron peaks could be well resolved.

[en] Bolometric experiments searching for rare events usually require an extremely low radioactive background to prevent spurious signals from mimicking those of interest, spoiling the sensitivity of the apparatus. In such contexts, radioactive sources cannot be used to produce a known signal to calibrate the measured energy spectrum during data taking. In this paper we present an instrument designed to generate ultra-stable and very precise calibrating pulses, which can be used to stabilize the response of bolometers during data taking. The instrument is characterized by the presence of multi-outputs, a completely programmable pulse width and amplitude and a dedicated daisy-chained optical trigger line. It can be fully controlled and monitored remotely via CAN bus protocol. An energy resolution of the order of 20 eV FWHM at 1 MeV (2 eV FWHM at 10 keV) and a thermal stability of the order of 0.1 ppm/^oC have been achieved. The device can also provide an adjustable power to compensate the low frequency thermal fluctuations that typically occur in cryogenic experiments.

[en] This paper presents a low noise amplifier for large arrays of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) operated in cryogenic environments, especially liquid argon (87 K) and liquid nitrogen (77 K) . The goal is for one amplifier to read out a total photosensitive surface of tens of cm${}^2$ while retaining the capability to resolve single photoelectron signals. Due to the large capacitance of SiPMs, typically a few nF per cm${}^2$, the main contributor to noise is the series (voltage) component. A silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) was selected as the input device of the cryogenic amplifier, followed by a fully differential operational amplifier, operated in an unconventional feedback configuration. The input referred voltage noise of the circuit at 77 K is just below 0.4 nV/√Hz white (above 100 kHz) and 1 nV/√Hz at 10 kHz. The value of the base spreading resistance of the HBT at 77 K was determined from noise measurements at different bias currents. Power consumption of the full circuit is about 2.5 mW . The design gives the flexibility to optimally compensate the feedback loop for different values of the input capacitance, and obtain a gain-bandwidth product in the GHz range. The signal-to-noise ratio obtained in reading out SiPMs is discussed for the case of a 300 kHz low pass filter and compared with the upper limit that would derive from applying optimum filtering algorithms.

[en] Catalytic selective reduction of NO to N₂ was studied comparing a series of Cu-based catalysts (ca. 8wt.%) supported over amorphous pure and modified silicas: SiO₂, SiO₂-Al₂O₃, SiO₂-TiO₂, SiO₂-ZrO₂. The catalysts were prepared by the chemisorption-hydrolysis method which ensured the formation of a unique copper phase well dispersed over all supports, as confirmed by scanning electron micrographs (SEMs). Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) analyses confirmed the presence of dispersed copper species which underwent complete reduction at a temperature of about 220C, independently of the support. It was found that the support affects the extent of NO reduction as well as the selectivity to N₂ formation. Maximum N₂ yield was found in the range 275-300C. The catalyst prepared over SiO₂-Al₂O₃ was the most active and selective with respect to the other silicas. Competitiveness factors (c.f.'s) as high as 13-20% in the temperature range 200-250C could be calculated. For all catalysts, the temperature of the N₂ peak maximum did not correspond to that of the maximum C₂H₄ oxidation to CO₂, suggesting the presence of two different sites for the oxidation and the reduction activity. On the catalyst prepared on SiO₂-Al₂O₃, a kinetic interpretation of catalytic data collected at different contact times and temperatures permitted evaluating the ratio between kinetic coefficients as well as the difference between activation energies of NO reduction by C₂H₄ and C₂H₄ oxidation by O₂