Würzburg 2018 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 44: Experimentelle Methoden der Astroteilchenphysik II

T 44.2: Talk

Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 16:45–17:00, Z6 - SR 2.013

The Wavelength-Shifting Optical Module for IceCube - Status and Performance — •Peter Peiffer for the IceCube-Gen2 collaboration — Universität Mainz, Deutschland

The Wavelength-shifting Optical Module (WOM) is a single photon sensor developed in the context of the IceCube neutrino telescope. It provides a large photosensitive area with low detector noise and improved UV sensitivity. This is achieved by combining a wavelength-shifter coated tube with two small, low-noise PMTs. Incident UV photons are absorbed by the wavelength-shifter and are re-emitted isotropically. We show that on average ∼40% of the re-emitted light is captured by total internal reflection and guided to the PMTs at the ends of the 90 cm tube. Compared to the IceCube DOM, the noise is a factor 10 lower, while the effective area is up to a factor of 2 higher. This leads to a factor 20 improvement in the S/N ratio. Apart from IceCube, this sensor can also be employed in other experiments, that aim at the detection of UV photons with a high S/N ratio. (e.g. SHiP) In this contribution the performance characteristics of the WOM and an update of the current status of the prototype development are discussed.