arXiv subjects

L. von der Werth

Publications and source records attributed to L. von der Werth.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

P-ONE-1: the first detector line of the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

Neutrino telescopes instrument optically transparent media with three-dimensional arrays of photosensors to detect Cherenkov radiation induced by neutrino interactions within or near the instrumented volume. The small cross-sections of the weak interaction and the low neutrino fluxes above TeV energies require vast detector volumes, which only natural media on Earth can realistically provide. Spurred by the detection of the first neutrino sources by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a new generation of neutrino telescopes is emerging to increase the global instrumented volume and detection sensitivity. The Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) aims to install such a telescope in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, building on established neutrino telescope design targets in collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). This article presents the design, integration, and testing of the first P-ONE line, P-ONE-1, in preparation for its deployment and integration into ONC's deep-sea observatory NEPTUNE. Alongside the detector design and integration methods, we detail in-air and in-water system-level validation performed at several test sites in Canada, culminating in the successful construction of P-ONE-1 and its preparation for deployment.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Characterization of the R14374-10 photomultiplier tube for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

The Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) is a planned cubic-kilometer-scale neutrino telescope that will be deployed in the Pacific Ocean, leveraging deep-sea infrastructure operated by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). The first detector line will deploy 320 3-inch Hamamatsu R14374-10 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to detect Cherenkov light produced by charged particles propagating through water, as well as light from calibration sources and optical backgrounds. This article presents the systematic characterization of all PMTs to be integrated into the first detector line prior to deployment, ensuring compliance with all detector acceptance criteria. All PMTs satisfy the specified performance criteria: the average transit-time spread (TTS) was measured to be $1.73\pm 0.15\,$ns, and the average charge resolution at a gain of \num{5e6} was $0.43\pm 0.03\,$pC; the average after-pulse rate was measured to be around 6$\,\%$. The integrated P-ONE data acquisition (DAQ) system was also tested and cross-validated against a laboratory digitization system. The second part of the paper presents an in-depth characterization of a subset of six PMTs, focusing on the key properties required for detector simulations, including linearity, after-pulse rate, quantum efficiency, and relative collection efficiency. PMT linearity was measured at a gain of \num{5e6} using the complete P-ONE readout electronics, and the response was found to remain linear for signals up to 150 photoelectrons. After-pulse contributions from $\text{Cs}^{+}$, $\text{He}^{+}$, and other ions were identified in the subset. The peak quantum efficiency was measured to be $27.0\pm0.7\,\%$ at 395\,nm. Using measurements of the relative detection efficiency, the collection efficiency was found to differ by a wavelength-independent offset of 10--15$\%$ across the measured wavelength range.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Optical calibration systems of the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

This work presents the design and performance characterization of the optical calibration systems produced for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE), which target gain, energy and time calibration in the detector. These systems include novel light-pulse driver circuitry based on gallium nitride field-effect transistor technology and its application to directional and isotropic, self-monitoring optical calibration instruments. A total of 330 directional light pulsers and two isotropic, 17-inch calibration modules (P-CALs) were produced for the first P-ONE line. We present the designs and performance of both the directional and isotropic calibration devices and perform detailed optical characterizations of both full-production batches. In a wavelength range of $365 - 520\,$nm, our developed driver circuits achieve emission intensities up to $10^{11}\,$photons and pulse widths as small as $1.4\,$ns, respectively. Light-pulse drivers and self-monitoring electronics in the P-CAL were characterized using the same experimental setup, and the instrument's optical-isotropy design was optimized in combination with a dedicated GEANT4-based simulation framework. The optimized P-CAL achieves a simulated isotropy grade of $1.00 \pm 0.01$ across the entire $4π\,$solid angle range. These simulation investigations were explicitly confirmed by dedicated measurements in both air and water using two independent experimental setups, and we report the results. With this, a detailed performance estimate for deployed P-CAL modules in P-ONE was possible.

physics.ins-det↗