[en] We present a study of the characteristics of a hybrid image intensifier tube based on a thinned backside Electron Bombarded CCD (EBCCD) with better performance in spatial resolution, single photoelectron detection and gain stability than the conventional intensified systems based on a Micro Channel Plate followed by a CCD. Single photon detection sensitivity has been studied and a procedure to correct the gain non-uniformity of the EBCCD has been developed. The EBCCD, operating at 14 kV, has an average gain of ∼3000 electrons/photoelectron and a noise of the order of 100 electron/pixel. These characteristics make the EBCCD a very attractive device for many applications in high-energy physics, astrophysics and biomedicine. A possible application in a neutrino oscillation experiment is presented

[en] We have performed a hyperon-proton scattering experiment with a scintillating fiber active target. The Σ^-p, Λp and Σ⁺p scattering have been studied with the same experimental setup. In this paper, we present the differential cross sections of the Σ^-p elastic scattering in the momentum region from 400 to 700 MeV/c. This is the first measurement of the Σ^-p elastic scattering in the momentum region where the P- and higher waves contributions are important. The present data are in good agreement with the one boson exchange model (Bonn-Juelich model A) and the quark cluster model (FSS of Kyoto-Niigata model)

[en] A hybrid image-intensifier tube, suitable for extremely low-light imaging, has been tested. This device is based on an Electron-Bombarded CCD chip (EBCCD) with 1024x1024 sensitive pixels. The tube, which has a photocathode diameter of 40 mm, is gateable and zoomable, with an image magnification varying from 0.62 to 1.3. The high gain (about 4000 collected electrons per photoelectron at the operational voltage of 15 kV) and the relatively low noise (180 electrons per pixel at 10 MHz pixel-readout frequency), allows single-photoelectron signals to be separated from noise with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 10. By applying an appropriate threshold on the signal amplitude, the background can almost be eliminated, with a loss of few percent in single-photoelectron counting. High inner gain, low-noise, single-photoelectron sensitivity, and high spatial resolution make the EBCCD imaging tube a unique device, attractive for many applications in high-energy physics, astrophysics and biomedical diagnostics. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

[en] We have developed large high-resolution tracking detectors based on glass capillaries filled with organic liquid scintillator of high refractive index. These liquid-core scintillating optical fibres act simultaneously as detectors of charged particles and as image guides. Track images projected onto the readout end of a capillary bundle are visualized by an optoelectronic chain consisting of a set of image-intensifier tubes followed by a photosensitive CCD or by an EBCCD camera. Two prototype detectors, each composed of ∼10⁶ capillaries with 20-25 μm diameter and 0.9-1.8 m length, have been tested, and a spatial resolution of the order of 20-40 μm has been attained. A high scintillation efficiency and a large light-attenuation length, in excess of 3 m, was achieved through special purification of the liquid scintillator. Along the tracks of minimum-ionizing particles, the hit densities obtained were ∼8 hits/mm at the readout window, and ∼3 hits/mm at ∼1 m away. The level of radiation resistance of the prototype detectors is at least an order of magnitude higher than that of other tracking devices of comparable performance