Time projection chambers for the T2K experiment

The T2K experiment will study neutrino oscillation properties by directing a high intensity neutrino beam produced at J-PARC in Tokai, Japan, towards the large super-Kamiokande detector located 295 km away, in Kamioka, Japan. The experiment includes a sophisticated near detector complex, 280 m downstream of the neutrino production target. A key element of the near detectors is the ND280 tracker consisting of two active scintillator-bar target systems surrounded by three large time projection chambers (TPCs) for charged particle tracking. The tracker will provide high statistics samples for studying charged current neutrino interaction rates and kinematics prior to oscillation, so as to better understand backgrounds in the far detector. The tracker is surrounded by the UA1/Nomad dipole magnet and the TPCs will measure the charge, momentum, particle type (through ionization energy loss in the gas) of particles passing through them. Novel features of these TPCs include the rectangular box design, constructed from composite panels, the use of bulk micromegas detectors for gas amplification, electronics readout based on a new ASIC, and a photoelectron calibration system. This paper describes the design and construction of the TPCs, the readout electronics, the gas handling system and shows the performance of a completed TPC as deduced from measurements with particle beams, cosmic rays, and the calibration system.