Collaboration and Resources

Our group is composed of a subset of the current BNL Muon (g-2) Collaboration. We have considerable collective technical experience in the following critical areas:

1.

Calorimeter and fast timing detector construction.

2.

PMT gain and timing tests for precision experiments; design and construction of custom bases with fast switching circuits.

3.

Electronics design and construction of waveform digitizers, clock distribution networks, and multihit TDCs,

4.

Large calibration systems using a pulsed nitrogen laser distribution and a LED based system; early-to-late gain and timing shift algorithms, to establish system timing accuracy over a large rate change.

5.

Data acquisition system development using distributed computing within the VME standard.

6.

Development of a fast electrostatic kicker which has similar features to what is needed for PSI.

7.

Numerous documented studies and direct experience with running a high-precision timing experiment. Many of the systematic concerns are very similar between the (g-2) experiment and the muon lifetime experiment.

8.

Development of modern, ROOT and C++ based analysis software which can be largely used for the muon lifetime experiment.

The Electronics Design Facility at Boston University is manned by expert engineers who have built numerous custom devices for particle physics experiments. We will rely heavily on them to aid in the design of the new WFD. The Scintillator and Mechanical workshops at Illinois have built many calorimeter and hodoscope systems, support structures, and quartz-fiber distribution systems. They have built several prototype detectors for our LOI and for this proposal development. Our role in the development of the chopped beam line must be negotiated with the PSI management. We are prepared to employ expert resources if needed to aid in any design ideas or testing. Many similar challenges were overcome by members of our team in conjunction with the Brookhaven accelerator staff.

Because (g-2) is no longer in a construction stage, we believe it is an appropriate time for us to begin developing the hardware necessary for the muon lifetime experiment. We have proposed a schedule for the experiment which takes into account our future running commitments with (g-2), and with the time we estimate to be necessary for our respective electronics and mechanical workshops to carry out the production of the experimental components.

Two of our subgroups are funded from the U.S. National Science Foundation within the Nuclear Physics office. Each of these groups will submit renewal requests in the coming year. These proposals will include a joint request for support for construction of the µLan detector and electronics. Preliminary conversations with NSF have been positive concerning the submission of this proposal and the funding of the experiment. Naturally acceptance of this proposal is critical in order for both of our groups to go forward with full funding proposals to the NSF.

The shift in venue for this experiment from BNL to PSI has prevented our host BNL colleagues from continuing on with this proposal. They were not slated to build any of the critical components but would have been instrumental in developing a new surface muon beam at BNL and the pulsed operation of the AGS. At PSI, we seek additional collaborators who might play a similar role in helping integrate the experiment with the lab and in having a close hand in the pulsed beam operation.

We anticipate that the division of responsibilities will run loosely along the following lines.

• Electronics Design and Construction: Boston
• Detector Design and Construction: Illinois
• Target Development: Illinois
• Data Acquisition: Minnesota
• Monte Carlo Simulations: Boston, Illinois
• Data Analysis: Boston, Illinois