Proton induced radiation damage studies on plastic scintillators for the Tile calorimeter of the atlas detector

1.2.
 
Research aims and objectives 
The Primary aim of this study is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how 
radiation damage from proton irradiation occurs in current “radiation hard” 
plastic scintillators which are typically employed in present d ay high energy 
detectors. The research aims to understand how this radiation damage affects the 
scintillator on a structural level and how this in turn affects the optical properties 
of the scintillator.
The study further aims to perform a comparative ass essment of the radiation 
hardness between several plastic scintillators available to the study which are 
typically employed within high energy detection systems today. This comparative 
analysis will then aid in the decision making of which scintillator gra de will be 

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used to replace the current Gap scintillators of the Tile Calorimeter in the ATLAS 
detector during the Phase 2 upgrade in 2018.
The information gathered in this study will also aid in improving the future of 
the plastic scintillator industry. If plastic scintillator design can be improved to 
accommodate for these damage mechanisms, future plastics could exhibit more 
resilience against radiation as will be required for future high energy collider and 
detector systems.
In order to realise these aims, the following objectives have been set: 
(1)
Study and analyse the change in light transmission as a function of 
proton irradiation dose in each sample type.
(2)
Identify the loss to light yield as a function of damage by studying the 
response of the scintillators to a radioactive Sr
90
source. 
(3)
Study the effect of damage to the fluorescence capability of the 
scintillators upon UV laser excitation.
(4)
Identify the change to bonding structure in each sample as a function 
of proton dose exposure using Raman spectroscopy (A technique based 
on the Raman Effect, described in section 4.2.2).
(5)
Study the damage recovery to both the structural and optical properties 
of the scintillators.
(6)
Perform a comparative of the radiation hardness between the different 
scintillators under study.