Scientific article
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Introducing a Markov chain-based time calibration procedure for multi-channel particle detectors: application to the SuperFGD and ToF detectors of the T2K experiment

ContributorsCollaboration
Published inJournal of instrumentation, vol. 20, no. 10, P10030
Publication date2025
First online date2025-10-15
Abstract

Inter-channel mis-synchronisation can be a limiting factorto the time resolution of high performance timing detectors withmultiple readout channels and independent electronics units. Inthese systems, time calibration methods employed must be able toefficiently correct for minimal mis-synchronisation between channelsand achieve the best detector performance. We present an iterativetime calibration method based on Markov Chains, suitable fordetector systems with multiple readout channels. Starting fromcorrelated hit pairs alone, and without requiring an externalreference time measurement, the method solves for fixed per-channeloffsets, with precision limited only by the intrinsic single-channelresolution. A mathematical proof that the method is able to find thecorrect time offsets to be assigned to each detector channel inorder to achieve inter-channel synchronisation is given, and it isshown that the number of iterations to reach convergence within thedesired precision is controllable with a single parameter. Numericalstudies are used to confirm unbiased recovery of trueoffsets. Finally, the application of the calibration method to theSuper Fine-Grained Detector (SuperFGD) and the Time of Flight (TOF)detector at the upgraded T2K near detector (ND280) shows goodimprovement in overall timing resolution, demonstrating theeffectiveness in a real-world scenario and scalability.

Keywords
  • Pattern recognition
  • Cluster finding
  • Calibration and fitting methods
  • Performance of High Energy Physics Detectors
  • Neutrino detectors
  • Scintillating fibres
  • Light guides
Citation (ISO format)
Collaboration. Introducing a Markov chain-based time calibration procedure for multi-channel particle detectors: application to the SuperFGD and ToF detectors of the T2K experiment. In: Journal of instrumentation, 2025, vol. 20, n° 10, p. P10030. doi: 10.1088/1748-0221/20/10/P10030
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Journal ISSN1748-0221
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Creation21/10/2025 07:10:19
First validation27/10/2025 09:59:07
Update time27/10/2025 09:59:07
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