[en] In a previous paper we discussed the advantages in using linear optical transmission systems based on quantum well diodes in modern high energy physics experiments. In this paper, after a short summary of the quantum well theory, the electronics section of the above optical transmission system is presented. In particular the basic configuration of a transimpedance amplifier and the arrangement of an optical remote control system for the amplifier gain and bandwidth tuning are discussed

[en] At the 3 MV Tandetron accelerator of the LABEC laboratory of INFN in Florence, an external beam facility is fully dedicated to measurements of elemental composition of atmospheric aerosol. The experimental set-up hitherto used for this kind of applications has been upgraded with the replacement of a traditional Si(Li) detector for the detection of medium–high Z elements with a silicon drift detector (SDD) with a big active area (80 mm²) and 450 μm thickness, with the aim of obtaining better minimum detection limits (MDL) and reduce measuring times. The Upilex extraction window has been replaced by a more resistant one (Si₃N₄). A comparison between the old Si(Li) and the new SDD for aerosol samples collected on different substrata like Teflon, Kapton and Nuclepore evidenced the better performances of the SDD. It allows obtaining better results (higher counting statistics, lower MDLs) even in shorter measuring times, thus allowing very fast analysis of both daily and hourly samples

[en] An application of digital sampling techniques is presented which can greatly simplify experiments involving sub-nanosecond time-mark determinations and energy measurements with nuclear detectors, used for Pulse Shape Analysis and Time of Flight measurements in heavy ion experiments. In this work a 100 M Sample/s, 12 bit analog to digital converter has been used: examples of this technique applied to Silicon and CsI(Tl) detectors in heavy-ions experiments involving particle identification via Pulse Shape analysis and Time of Flight measurements are presented. The system is suited for applications to large detector arrays and to different kinds of detectors. Some preliminary results regarding the simulation of current signals in Silicon detectors are also discussed. (authors)

[en] The design and implementation of linear electronics based on small-size, low-power charge preamplifiers and shaping amplifiers, used in connection with Si-detector telescopes employed in heavy ion experiments, are presented. Bench tests and 'under beam' performances are discussed. In particular, the energy calibration and the linearity test of the overall system (Si-detector and linear and digital conversion electronics) has been performed with a procedure which avoids the pulse height defect problems connected with the detection of heavy ions. The procedure, basically, consists of using bursts of MeV protons, releasing up to GeV energies inside the detector, with low ionization density

[en] At the 3 MV Tandetron accelerator of the LABEC laboratory of INFN (Florence, Italy) an external beam facility is fully dedicated to PIXE-PIGE measurements of the elemental composition of atmospheric aerosols. All the elements with Z > 10 are simultaneously detected by PIXE typically in one minute. This setup allows us an easy automatic positioning, changing and scanning of samples collected by different kinds of devices: long series of daily PM (Particulate Matter) samples can be analysed in short times, as well as size-segregated and high time-resolution aerosol samples.

sp0010^>Thanks to the capability of detecting all the crustal elements, PIXE-PIGE analyses are unrivalled in the study of mineral dust: consequently, they are very effective in the study of natural aerosols, like, for example, Saharan dust intrusions. Among the detectable elements there are also important markers of anthropogenic sources, which allow effective source apportionment studies in polluted urban environments using a multivariate method like Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF).

sp0015^>Examples regarding recent monitoring campaigns, performed in urban and remote areas, both daily and with high time resolution (hourly samples), as well as with size selection, are presented. The importance of the combined use of the Particle Induced Gamma Ray emission technique (PIGE) and of other complementary (non-nuclear) techniques is highlighted.

No abstract available

[en] CMOS image sensors are widely used in several applications such as mobile handsets webcams and digital cameras among others. Furthermore they are available across a wide range of resolutions with excellent spectral and chromatic responses. In order to fulfill the need of cheap systems as beam monitors and high resolution image sensors for scientific applications we exploited the possibility of using commercial CMOS image sensors as X-rays and proton detectors. Two different sensors have been mounted and tested. An Aptina MT9v034, featuring 752 × 480 pixels, 6μm × 6μm pixel size has been mounted and successfully tested as bi-dimensional beam profile monitor, able to take pictures of the incoming proton bunches at the DeFEL beamline (1–6 MeV pulsed proton beam) of the LaBeC of INFN in Florence. The naked sensor is able to successfully detect the interactions of the single protons. The sensor point-spread-function (PSF) has been qualified with 1MeV protons and is equal to one pixel (6 mm) r.m.s. in both directions. A second sensor MT9M032, featuring 1472 × 1096 pixels, 2.2 × 2.2 μm pixel size has been mounted on a dedicated board as high-resolution imager to be used in X-ray imaging experiments with table-top generators. In order to ease and simplify the data transfer and the image acquisition the system is controlled by a dedicated micro-processor board (DM3730 1GHz SoC ARM Cortex-A8) on which a modified LINUX kernel has been implemented. The paper presents the architecture of the sensor systems and the results of the experimental measurements

[en] An electrostatic chopper has been installed in the LABEC laboratory (Sesto Fiorentino) along one of the beamlines of the new Tandetron accelerator. The chopper allows us the creation of a pulsed beam, from a continuous one, with a variable and finely controllable number of particles in each pulse. The facility can be tuned to obtain an average of one ion per pulse. This feature allows us the study of the basic processes of particle-target interactions, useful when performing ion beam analysis. Increasing the beam current, bunches up to thousands of ions can be obtained with a total energy being always an integer multiple of the one of the single ion. This configuration can be employed e.g. in a detector energy calibration

[en] The new Tandetron accelerator in Florence, with many different beamlines, has required a new organization of all the control signals of the used equipment (slow control). We present our solution, which allows us the control of all the employed instruments simultaneously from a number of different workplaces. All of our equipment has been designed to be Ethernet based and this is the key to accomplish two very important requirements: simultaneous remote control from many computers and electrical isolation to achieve a lower noise level. The control of the instruments requires only one Ethernet network and no particular interfaces or drivers on the computers

[en] The response of a CdWO₄ crystal scintillator to protons, α particles, Li, C, O and Ti ions with energies in the range 1–10 MeV was measured. The non-proportionality of CdWO₄ for low energy electrons (4–110 keV) was studied with the Compton Coincidence Technique. The energy dependence of the quenching factors for ions and the relative light yield for low energy electrons was calculated using a semi-empirical approach. Pulse-shape discrimination ability between γ quanta, protons, α particles and ions was investigated.