Advanced Instrumentation for large facilities in High Energy Physics: LAr purification and Photodetection for LBNF-DUNE

Abstract

This grant proposal is a multidisciplinary integrated initiative between the academy and industry in Brazil to tackle challenging scientific and technological problems associated with advanced instrumentation in high energy physics, particularly associated with mass production, purification and regeneration of liquid Argon (LAr) and precise photodetection for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE) project. LBNF provides the infrastructure for DUNE which is hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermilab in Batavia-IL. Massive LAr cryogenics play a crucial role in LBNF-DUNE. This project is an international flagship study to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos, which are the most abundant matter particles in the universe and, even though they are all around us, we still know very little about them. It's by studying these neutrinos that scientists at LBNF/DUNE will be able to paint a clearer picture of the universe and how it works.Playing a crucial role on LBNF/DUNE project, "Gleb Wataghin" Physics Institute (IFGW) at Unicamp and the companies Akaer/Equatorial Sistemas Ltda came together with Fermilab in a scientific agreement to perform research and development, testing and modeling and prototype construction to overcome challenging scientific and technological problems associated with mass production, purification and regeneration of liquid Argon (LAr) and related cryogenics in large scale facilities, especially when they must be placed deep underground. As such, IFGW/Unicamp led the Phase I of this project supported by FAPESP throughout a combined Special Research Grant (Auxílio Regular de Pesquisa Especial # 2020/01609-2) to IFGW/Unicamp and two Grants for Innovative Research in Small Companies (PIPE) # 2020/00784-5 and 2020/01522-4 for Equatorial Sistemas Ltda.As a result of the Phase 1 of this project, a LAr Purification Test Facility was instaled at IFGW/Unicamp (https://sites.ifi.unicamp.br/experimentos-de-purificacao-de-lar/en/). The LAr purification cryostat at Unicamp (PuLarC) started working on June 18, 2022 and now is part of multiuser facility of the IFGW/Unicamp for testing of new adsorvents materials (https://portal.ifi.unicamp.br/servicos/laboratorio-multiusuarios-lamult/criostato-de-testes-de-purificacao-de-argonio-liquido-pularc). Innovative media were proposed and considering the innovation regarding the adsorptions mechanisms of O2 and N2, two patents (BR102023024694-0 and BR102023026705-0) were filed in 2023. Additionally, this innovative research granted the 2023 National Innovation Award to our team, in the category of Innovative Researcher working with Medium-sized companies.The successful completion of Phase 1 entitled Unicamp/Akaer and their partners to be responsible for the engineering, manufacturing, production and delivery of the main components of the real size LAr purification system of the LNBF-DUNE, an extraordinary protagonism in one the most important internacional science experiments taking place in the world.This partnership is a unique opportunity for development of science and technology in industry and universities in Brazil when participating in an extraordinary and unprecedented experiment at the frontiers of Particle Physics, with possibility of important discoveries with great impact on Particle Physics and about the origin of the Universe. This experiment will be the focus of great attention of the whole scientific community worldwide for decades.The legal bases for this project to be conducted with the leading partnership of Unicamp/Akaer/FRA can be found in the agreement ICRADA - CRADA No. FRA-2016-0017 Annex B signed by Unicamp and FRA and in the agreement 08-P-8095/2020 between Unicamp and Equatorial Sistemas Ltda. intervened by the Unicamp Support Foundation - FUNCAMP. (AU)