Evaluation of the performance of event reconstruction algorithms in the JSNS experiment using a Cf calibration source

Lee, D. H.*; 百々 拓; 羽賀 勝洋; 原田 正英; 長谷川 勝一; 春日井 好己; 木下 秀孝; 増田 志歩; 明午 伸一郎; 酒井 健二; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1072, p.170216_1 - 170216_6, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170216

JSNS investigates short-baseline neutrino oscillations using a 24-meter baseline and a 17-tonne Gd-loaded liquid scintillator target. Accurate event-reconstruction algorithms are crucial for analyzing experimental data. The algorithms undergo meticulous validation through calibration with a Cf source. This paper outlines the methodology and evaluates the reconstruction performance, focusing on neutrino interactions up to approximately 50 MeV for sterile neutrino searches. Both Cf and Michel electron events are studied to evaluate reconstruction accuracy. The analysis concludes that the uncertainty of the fiducial volume, with an appropriate correction, is much less than the requirement of JSNS requirement (10%). Furthermore, the energy resolution is measured to be 3.3 0.1% for the Michel electron endpoint and 4.3 0.1% for the n-Gd peak in the central region.

First measurement of missing energy due to nuclear effects in monoenergetic neutrino charged-current interactions

Marzec, E.*; 百々 拓; 羽賀 勝洋; 原田 正英; 長谷川 勝一; 春日井 好己; 木下 秀孝; 増田 志歩; 明午 伸一郎; 酒井 健二; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 134, p.081801_1 - 081801_9, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.081801

We present the first measurement of the missing energy due to nuclear effects in monoenergetic, muon neutrino charged-current interactions on carbon, originating from decay at rest (), performed with the J-PARC Sterile Neutrino Search at the J-PARC Spallation Neutron Source liquid scintillator based experiment. Toward characterizing the neutrino interaction, ostensibly or C N, we define the missing energy as the energy transferred to the nucleus () minus the kinetic energy of the outgoing proton(s), , and relate this to visible energy in the detector, . The missing energy, which is naively expected to be zero in the absence of nuclear effects (e.g., nucleon separation energy, Fermi momenta, and final-state interactions), is uniquely sensitive to many aspects of the interaction, and has previously been inaccessible with neutrinos. The shape-only, differential cross section measurement reported, based on a pure double-coincidence kaon decay-at-rest signal (621 total events), provides detailed insight into neutrino-nucleus interactions, allowing even the nuclear orbital shell of the struck nucleon to be inferred. The measurement provides an important benchmark for models and event generators at hundreds of MeV neutrino energies, characterized by the difficult-to-model transition region between neutrino-nucleus and neutrino-nucleon scattering, and relevant for applications in nuclear physics, neutrino oscillation measurements, and Type-II supernova studies.

Neutron flux and energy resolution of direct-geometry disk-chopper spectrometer AMATERAS at J-PARC

楡井 真実; 古府 麻衣子; 中島 健次; 菊地 龍弥*; 河村 聖子; 村井 直樹; 原田 正英; 稲村 泰弘

Journal of Neutron Research, 26(2-3), p.75 - 82, 2024/09

https://doi.org/10.3233/JNR-230013

We investigated neutron flux at a sample position and energy resolution of a direct-geometry disk-chopper spectrometer AMATERAS under various chopper conditions and compared them with simulations and calculations. The measured flux was comparable to other similar spectrometers with high flux. The resolution when using a pulse-shaping chopper was in close agreement with the analytical calculations, including the thickness of the disk chopper, the sample size, and the penetration depth into the detector. It is found that the chopper, placed at the intermediate distance of the primary spectrometer, works as a pulse shaper that optimizes the flux and resolution below the incident energy of 10 meV.

Neutron transmission imaging system with a superconducting kinetic inductance detector

Vu, TheDang*; 宍戸 寛明*; 相澤 一也; 奥 隆之; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 小嶋 健児*; 宮嶋 茂之*; 曽山 和彦; 小山 富男*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 2776, p.012009_1 - 012009_9, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2776/1/012009

We optimized the design and operating conditions of our superconducting neutron detector to improve spatial resolution. We obtained the best spatial resolution of 10 m when a Gd Siemens star pattern was mounted at close contact with the detector in the cryostat. We compared the effect of a different sample-detector distance on a spatial resolution when the samples were placed either at cryogenic temperature or at room temperature. We found the appearance of clear Bragg dips by the measurements of natural FeS single crystals and succeeded in mapping the distribution of differently-oriented crystals by choosing several Bragg dips of the FeS crystals to compose the transmission images.

Neutron transmission CB-KID imager using samples placed at room temperature

石田 武和*; Vu, TheDang*; 宍戸 寛明*; 相澤 一也; 奥 隆之; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 小嶋 健児*; 宮嶋 茂之*; 小山 富男*; et al.

Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 214(3-4), p.152 - 157, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-023-03030-9

We built a new cryostat to apply a current-biased kinetic inductance detector (CB-KID) for conducting neutron transmission imaging of room temperature samples under pulsed neutrons. A Wood's metal alloy of melting temperature 75.2C was placed at room temperature to inspect the measurement system at J-PARC. Since one of the four phases of Wood's metal is a fine Cd-rich needle phase (width 25 m and length 5 mm), it is suitable for observing fine mosaic structure selectively by neutron imaging. The spatial resolution of the CB-KID imager was estimated as 10 m by using a Gd Siemens-star pattern. The CB-KID system is useful to conduct transmission imaging for various materials rather easily at room temperature.

Orientation mapping of YbSn single crystals based on Bragg-dip analysis using a delay-line superconducting sensor

宍戸 寛明*; Vu, TheDang*; 相澤 一也; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; 宮嶋 茂之*; et al.

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 56(4), p.1108 - 1113, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576723005204

Recent progress in high-power pulsed neutron sources has stimulated the development of the Bragg dip and Bragg edge analysis methods using a two-dimensional neutron detector with high temporal resolution to resolve the neutron energy by the time-of-flight method. A delay-line current-biased kinetic inductance detector (CB-KID) is a two-dimensional superconducting sensor with a high temporal resolution and multi-hit capability. Here, it is demonstrated that a delay-line CB-KID with a B neutron conversion layer can be applied to high-spatial-resolution neutron transmission imaging and spectroscopy up to 100 eV. Dip structures are observed in the transmission spectra of YbSn single crystals, induced by Bragg diffraction and nuclear resonance absorption. The orientation mapping of YbSn crystals is successfully drawn based on the analysis of observed Bragg dip positions in the transmission spectra.

High spatial resolution neutron transmission imaging using a superconducting two-dimensional detector

宍戸 寛明*; 西村 和真*; Vu, TheDang*; 相澤 一也; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 31(9), p.2400505_1 - 2400505_5, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2021.3111396

中性子イメージングは、重金属に対する高透過性、軽元素に対する高感度、同位体と中性子との特異な核反応による同位体選択性などの中性子ビームの特徴を活かした非破壊検査の有力な手段の一つである。本研究では、超伝導検出器である電流バイアス運動インダクタンス検出器(CB-KID)を用いて、パルス中性子源を用いた飛行時間法による波長分解中性子イメージングを行った。遅延時間型CB-KIDを用いて、GdAl単結晶を成長させたGd-Al合金試料の中性子透過像を取得した。その結果、単結晶はAl-Gd合金全体に渡って、形状,分布ともに良好に観察することができた。また、中性子の波長0.03nm以上でGdによる特徴的な中性子の吸収を確認した。さらに、15m 12mという限られた検出面で、同位体と中性子の核反応によって生じるGd共鳴ディップを観測することができた。また、Gdの共鳴ディップを用いてGd選択的イメージングを行ったところ、中性子の波長幅が1pmという限られた範囲で、明確なGd核の元素選択イメージング像を取得することに成功した。

The JSNS detector

味村 周平*; 羽賀 勝洋; 原田 正英; 長谷川 勝一; 春日井 好己; 木下 秀孝; 増田 志歩; 明午 伸一郎; 酒井 健二; 鈴谷 賢太郎; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1014, p.165742_1 - 165742_15, 2021/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165742

The JSNS (J-PARC Sterile Neutrino Search at J-PARC Spallation Neutron Source) experiment aims to search for oscillations involving a sterile neutrino in the eV mass-splitting range. The experiment will search for the appearance of electron antineutrinos oscillated from muon antineutrinos. The electron antineutrinos are detected via the inverse beta decay process using a liquid scintillator detector. A 1MW beam of 3 GeV protons incident on a spallation neutron target produces an intense and pulsed neutrino source from pion, muon, and kaon decay at rest. The JSNS detector is located 24m away from the neutrino source and began operation from June 2020. The detector contains 17 tonnes of gadolinium (Gd) loaded liquid scintillator (LS) in an acrylic vessel, as a neutrino target. It is surrounded by 31 tonnes of unloaded LS in a stainless steel tank. Optical photons produced in LS are viewed by 120 R7081 Hamamatsu 10-inch Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs). In this paper, we describe the JSNS detector design, construction, and operation.

Practical tests of neutron transmission imaging with a superconducting kinetic-inductance sensor

Vu, TheDang; 宍戸 寛明*; 相澤 一也; 小嶋 健児*; 小山 富男*; 及川 健一; 原田 正英; 奥 隆之; 曽山 和彦; 宮嶋 茂之*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1006, p.165411_1 - 165411_8, 2021/08

AA2020-0482.pdf:3.12MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165411

We found that the sizes of the Gd islands determined from the transmission image correlated strongly with those determined from the SEM image. We demonstrated the CB-KID could be used to identify (1) tiny voids in a thermally sprayed continuous GdO film in and (2) various mosaic morphologies and different eutectic microstructures in Wood's metal samples. The fact that the CB-KID system could be used to identify features of samples with a wide distribution of sizes and thicknesses is promising for real application of the device for imaging samples of interest to material scientists. Operating the CB-KID at higher temperatures appreciably improved the efficiency for simultaneously identifying the X and Y positions of hotspots. We also compared the detection efficiency with the PHITS simulations. We now plan to improve the detection efficiency by increasing the thickness of the B neutron conversion layer

Experimental characterization of high-energy component in extracted pulsed neutrons at the J-PARC spallation neutron source

原田 正英; 勅使河原 誠; 大井 元貴; 及川 健一; 高田 弘; 池田 裕二郎

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1000, p.165252_1 - 165252_8, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165252

本研究では、箔放射化法を用いて、J-PARC核破砕中性子源からのパルス中性子ビームの高エネルギー成分を測定した。箔は、0.3MeVから79.4MeVまでのしきいエネルギーを持つAl, Au, Bi, Nb, Tmを用いた。実験はNOBORUで行われ、箔は減速材から13.4mの位置で照射された。照射実験への応用のために、高エネルギーの中性子スペクトルを変化させるBCスリット, Pbフィルター、それらがない場合の3ケースでも反応率を測定した。JENDL-3.2評価済みファイルとJENDLドシメトリーファイルを用いたPHITSコードによる計算データと比較をした。計算値と実験値の比(C/E)を比較したところ、エネルギー依存性がみられ、しきいエネルギーが100MeVまで増えるにつれ、C/Eは減少することが分かった。すべてのC/Eは1.00.2の範囲にあることを確認した。このことから、高エネルギーの中性子計算データは、NOBORUユーザーの実験データの分析に適切であることを示した。