A novel, steerable, low-energy proton source for detector characterization

Nicholas Macsai; August Mendelsohn; David Harrison; Russell Mammei; Michael Gericke; Leah Broussard; Erick Smith; Grant Riley; Glenn Randall; Mark Makela

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2026.171336

A novel, steerable, low-energy proton source for detector characterization

Nicholas Macsai
, August Mendelsohn
, David Harrison
, Russell Mammei
, Michael Gericke
, Leah Broussard
, Erick Smith
, Grant Riley
, Glenn Randall
, Mark Makela

Neutron Symmetries

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We report on the conversion of the Manitoba II mass spectrometer into a versatile low-energy proton beam facility. This infrastructure is adaptable to any detector-under-test (DUT), and has proven itself effective with the characterization of silicon detectors used in subatomic beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) searches, namely the Nab experiment. A pencil beam of mono-energetic protons can be produced in a range from 25 keV to 35 keV, achieving a beam current of ∼1 × 10^-18 A. Electrostatic steering plates were constructed to direct the Gaussian-profile proton beam over a 117 mm diameter area-of-interest with full-width at half-maxima (FWHM) ranging from 0.6 mm to 1.26 mm. This work discusses the modifications and subsequent tests to confirm the beam specifications met the demands of the aforementioned detectors.

Original language	English
Article number	171336
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	1086
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171336
State	Published - Jun 2026

Funding

We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), [contracts SAPPJ-2019-00043, SAPPJ-2022-00024, SAPPJ-2025-00045]. This research was sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics [contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 and 9233218CNA000001 under proposal LANLEEDM] and in part by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, Office of Science Graduate Student Research program.

Keywords

Fundamental neutron physics
Neutron betadecay
Proton accelerator
Silicon detectors

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10.1016/j.nima.2026.171336

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Macsai, N., Mendelsohn, A., Harrison, D., Mammei, R., Gericke, M., Broussard, L., Smith, E., Riley, G., Randall, G., & Makela, M. (2026). A novel, steerable, low-energy proton source for detector characterization. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 1086, Article 171336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171336

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abstract = "We report on the conversion of the Manitoba II mass spectrometer into a versatile low-energy proton beam facility. This infrastructure is adaptable to any detector-under-test (DUT), and has proven itself effective with the characterization of silicon detectors used in subatomic beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) searches, namely the Nab experiment. A pencil beam of mono-energetic protons can be produced in a range from 25 keV to 35 keV, achieving a beam current of ∼1 × 10-18 A. Electrostatic steering plates were constructed to direct the Gaussian-profile proton beam over a 117 mm diameter area-of-interest with full-width at half-maxima (FWHM) ranging from 0.6 mm to 1.26 mm. This work discusses the modifications and subsequent tests to confirm the beam specifications met the demands of the aforementioned detectors.",

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author = "Nicholas Macsai and August Mendelsohn and David Harrison and Russell Mammei and Michael Gericke and Leah Broussard and Erick Smith and Grant Riley and Glenn Randall and Mark Makela",

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Macsai, N, Mendelsohn, A, Harrison, D, Mammei, R, Gericke, M, Broussard, L, Smith, E, Riley, G, Randall, G & Makela, M 2026, 'A novel, steerable, low-energy proton source for detector characterization', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 1086, 171336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171336

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AU - Macsai, Nicholas

AU - Mendelsohn, August

AU - Harrison, David

AU - Mammei, Russell

AU - Gericke, Michael

AU - Broussard, Leah

AU - Smith, Erick

AU - Riley, Grant

AU - Randall, Glenn

AU - Makela, Mark

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AB - We report on the conversion of the Manitoba II mass spectrometer into a versatile low-energy proton beam facility. This infrastructure is adaptable to any detector-under-test (DUT), and has proven itself effective with the characterization of silicon detectors used in subatomic beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) searches, namely the Nab experiment. A pencil beam of mono-energetic protons can be produced in a range from 25 keV to 35 keV, achieving a beam current of ∼1 × 10-18 A. Electrostatic steering plates were constructed to direct the Gaussian-profile proton beam over a 117 mm diameter area-of-interest with full-width at half-maxima (FWHM) ranging from 0.6 mm to 1.26 mm. This work discusses the modifications and subsequent tests to confirm the beam specifications met the demands of the aforementioned detectors.

KW - Fundamental neutron physics

KW - Neutron betadecay

KW - Proton accelerator

KW - Silicon detectors

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M1 - 171336

ER -

A novel, steerable, low-energy proton source for detector characterization

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