Abstract: Vavilov-Cerenkov radiation — glow caused by a charged particle in a transparent medium moving at a speed exceeding the phase velocity of light propagation in this medium. Such a glow allows detecting charged particles. The principle of operation of this detector is based on the detection of radiation that occurs when a charged particle moves in a transparent medium with a velocity v greater than the speed of light u in this medium. Since u= c/n, where the speed of light is in vacuum, and n is the refractive index of the medium, the condition for the appearance of Cherenkov radiation has the form v> c/n. Accordingly, for radiators of Cherenkov detectors, the most important characteristic is the index of light refraction. According to the refractive index (1.13-1.007), SiO2 aerogels occupy an intermediate position between liquids (water - 1.33) and gases (freon 114 - 1.00014, CO2 10 atm - 1.0043) [1]. This property of aerogels gives a number of advantages in use in Cherenkov detectors in front of liquids and gases, there is no need for high pressures, and the blocks are compact, convenient and easy to use. To increase the number of registered Cherenkov photons, as well as expand the range of particle identification in the direction of small pulses, it is necessary to obtain aerogel blocks with a refractive index higher than 1.07 without deteriorating the optical properties (scattering length, light absorption length and uniformity of the refractive index in the layer). Here we present a description of various approaches for increasing the refractive index using thermal sintering of blocks [2], the pinhole method (microholes) [3], including the original approach developed by us based on the sol-gel method. 1. A.F. Danilyuk, S.A. Kononov, E.A. Kravchenko, A.P. Onuchin, Phys.-Uspekhi, 58 (2015), pp. 503-511. 2. Danilyuk A.F. et al.. Nucl. Instr. Meth. Phys. Res. A 494 (2002) 491. 3. Tabata M. Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A, 623 (2010) 339. The reported study was funded by RFBR and Novosibirsk region according to the research project № 19-43-543017

Cite: Shalygin A.S. , Nesterov N. , Yakushkin S.S. , Predein A. , Danilyuk A.F. , Martyanov O.N.
Refractive Index is a Key Parameter of Aerogels for Cherenkov Radiators
The Second International Youth Summer School «Aerogels: from laboratory to industry» 21-23 Aug 2019