Efficiency studies for a tracking detector based on square 1.5 m long scintillating fibers read out by SiPM

A tracking detector based on 1.5 m long scintillating fibers is being developed for the electron arm of the KAOS spectrometer at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. Measurements on light attenuation, particle detection efficiencies and accidental coincidence rates with a prototype set-up using 2x2mm2 fibers read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are presented. The highest efficiency at the lowest accidental coincidence rate was reached for high trigger thresholds at the largest SiPM bias voltages. The influence of signal attenuation and dispersion on detection efficiencies is discussed. The results are in good agreement with a Monte Carlo model that was used to predict detector characteristics for different fiber geometries.