Speaker
Description
Plastic scintillators are widely used in particle physics experiments. Additive manufacturing techniques allow the production of parts with free shapes and, depending on the application, direct integration with other detector components. This opens up new possibilities for the development of, for example, trigger and veto systems or 3D-segmented detectors like high-granularity calorimeters utilizing structured scintillators with diffuse reflective subdivisions. ARBURG Plastic Freeforming (APF) devices feature the processing of several different granulates at the same time including in-line drying, melting points up to 350°C and high-frequency droplet discharging. The usage of granulates to 3D-print plastic scintillators has the advantage that original materials produced without plasticizers or polymerization starters can be used. However, it must be investigated whether the materials degrade under the high process temperatures to which they are exposed. Achieving high transparency and surface quality are further challenges, as with other techniques. Using the APF process, we have 3D-printed scintillator samples made from granulate based on polystyrene. We have used both commercial granulate with POPOP and p-terphenyl wavelength-shifting additives as well as self-made granulate with PPO and bis-MSB. With these samples we have performed several measurements to evaluate their performance with regard to transparency, fluorescence behavior, decay time and light-yield. We present the results by comparison with reference scintillators and polymethylmethacrylate samples.
| Collaboration / Activity | DFG EXC 2118/1, PRISMA+ |
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