Calibration and characterization of the IceCube photomultiplier tube

• Published in: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
• Main Authors: Abbasi, R., Abdou, Y., Abu-Zayyad, T., Adams, J., Aguilar, J. A., Ahlers, M., Andeen, K., Auffenberg, J., Bai, X., Baker, Mark D., Barwick, S. W., Bay, R., Bazo Alba, J. L., Beattie, K., Beatty, J. J., Bechet, S., Becker, J. K., Becker, K.-H., Benabderrahmane, M. L., Berdermann, J., Berghaus, P., Berley, D., Bernardini, E., Bertrand, D., Besson, D. Z., Bissok, M., Blaufuss, E., Boersma, D. J., Bohm, C., Botner, O., Bradley, L., Braun, J., Buitink, S., Carson, M., Chirkin, D., Christy, B., Clem, J., Cohen, S., Colnard, C., Cowen, D. F., D'Agostino, M. V., Danninger, M., De Clercq, C., Demirörs, L., Depaepe, O., Descamps, F., Desiati, P., De Vries-Uiterweerd, G., DeYoung, T., Díaz-Vélez, J. C.
• Other Authors: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2010
• Subjects: [SDU.ASTR.HE]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena [astro-ph.HE]; [PHYS.ASTR.HE]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena [astro-ph.HE]; [SDU.ASTR.CO]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics [astro-ph.CO]; [PHYS.ASTR.CO]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Cosmology and Extra-Galactic Astrophysics [astro-ph.CO]; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://hal.in2p3.fr/in2p3-00706865; https://doi.org/10.1016/J.NIMA.2010.03.102

Over 5000 PMTs are being deployed at the South Pole to compose the IceCube neutrino observatory. Many are placed deep in the ice to detect Cherenkov light emitted by the products of high-energy neutrino interactions, and others are frozen into tanks on the surface to detect particles from atmospheric cosmic ray showers. IceCube is using the 10-in. diameter R7081-02 made by Hamamatsu Photonics. This paper describes the laboratory characterization and calibration of these PMTs before deployment. PMTs were illuminated with pulses ranging from single photons to saturation level. Parameterizations are given for the single photoelectron charge spectrum and the saturation behavior. Time resolution, late pulses and afterpulses are characterized. Because the PMTs are relatively large, the cathode sensitivity uniformity was measured. The absolute photon detection efficiency was calibrated using Rayleigh-scattered photons from a nitrogen laser. Measured characteristics are discussed in the context of their relevance to IceCube event reconstruction and simulation efforts.