# Publications associated with T2K

## Development of a Quality Assurance Process for the SoLid Experiment

Journal of Instrumentation IOP Publishing (2019)

Y Abreu, Y Amhis, G Ban, W Beaumont, S Binet, M Bongrand, D Boursette, BC Castle, H Chanal, K Clark, B Coupé, P Crochet, D Cussans, AD Roeck, D Durand, M Fallot, L Ghys, L Giot, K Graves, B Guillon, D Henaff, B Hosseini, S Ihantola, S Jenzer, S Kalcheva, LN Kalousis, M Labare, G Lehaut, S Manley, L Manzanillas, J Mermans, I Michiels, S Monteil, C Moortgat, D Newbold, J Park, V Pestel, K Petridis, I Piñera, L Popescu, D Ryckbosch, N Ryder, D Saunders, M-H Schune, M Settimo, L Simard, A Vacheret, G Vandierendonck, SV Dyck, PV Mulders, NV Remortel, S Vercaemer, M Verstraeten, B Viaud, A Weber, F Yermia

The SoLid experiment has been designed to search for an oscillation pattern induced by a light sterile neutrino state, utilising the BR2 reactor of SCK$\bullet$CEN, in Belgium. The detector leverages a new hybrid technology, utilising two distinct scintillators in a cubic array, creating a highly segmented detector volume. A combination of 5 cm cubic polyvinyltoluene cells, with $^6$LiF:ZnS(Ag) sheets on two faces of each cube, facilitate reconstruction of the neutrino signals. % The polyvinyltoluene scintillator is used as an $\overline{\nu}_e$ target for the inverse beta decay of ($\overline{\nu}_e + p \rightarrow e^{+}+n$), with the $^6$LiF:ZnS(Ag) sheets used for associated neutron detection. Scintillation signals are read out by a network of wavelength shifting fibres connected to multipixel photon counters. Whilst the high granularity provides a powerful toolset to discriminate backgrounds; by itself the segmentation also represents a challenge in terms of homogeneity and calibration, for a consistent detector response. The search for this light sterile neutrino implies a sensitivity to distortions of around $\mathcal{O}$(10)\% in the energy spectrum of reactor $\overline{\nu}_e$. Hence, a very good neutron detection efficiency, light yield and homogeneous detector response are critical for data validation. The minimal requirements for the SoLid physics program are a light yield and a neutron detection efficiency larger than 40 PA/MeV/cube and 50 \% respectively. In order to guarantee these minimal requirements, the collaboration developed a rigorous quality assurance process for all 12800 cubic cells of the detector. To carry out the quality assurance process, an automated calibration system called CALIPSO was designed and constructed.

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