Characterization of plastic scintillators using magnetic resonance techniques for the upgrade of the Tile Calorimeter in the ATLAS detector

In this study we look at radiation damage and its adverse effects on plastic scintillators housed within the Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) of the ATLAS detector. The study focuses on determining how the interaction of ionizing radiation with plastic scintillators effects their efficacy and desired properties such as high light output and fast decay time. Plastic scintillators form an integral part of the ATLAS trigger system and their optimal functionality is paramount to the success of ATLAS. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) provides insight into the electronic structure of the plastics and can characterize the damage caused by ionizing radiation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations will be performed in order to simulate the EPR signal. Preliminary EPR results investigate four different types of plastic scintillators. These include three polyvinyl-toluene based Eljen technologies: EJ200, EJ208 and EJ260, and one polystyrene based Dubna sample. It has been observed that the Dubna sample, identical on the current scintillator used in the ATLAS detector, undergoes more structural damage when compared to the Eljen samples. (paper)