Study on the performance of electromagnetic particle detectors of LHAASO-KM2A

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2017-02, Vol.845, p.429-433
• Main Authors: Zhang, Zhongquan, Hou, Chao, Cao, Zhen, Chang, Jingfan, Feng, Cunfeng, Hanapia, Erlan, Gong, Guanghua, Liu, Jia, Lv, Hongkui, Sheng, Xiangdong, Zhang, Shaoru, Zhu, Chengguang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electromagnetic particle detector; KM2A; LHAASO; Wide dynamic range
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2016.04.079

The electromagnetic particle detectors (EDs) for one square kilometer detector array (KM2A) of large high altitude air shower observation (LHAASO) are designed to measure the densities and arrival times of secondary particles in extensive air showers (EASs). ED is a type of plastic scintillator detector with an active area of 1m2. This study investigates the design and performance of prototype ED. Approximately 20 photoelectrons are collected by the 1st dynode of a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The prototype ED exhibited good detection efficiency and time resolution. The detection for the wide dynamic particle density varying from 1 to 10000 particles/m2 is realized with the design of the PMT divider for the readout of both the anode and 6th dynode. •Detailed description for the design of ED in LHAASO.•Good performances of prototype ED are obtained according to the measuring results.•Detailed studies on the factors which influence the properties of ED.