University of Campinas, Brazil
Arapuca is a Brazilian word – it’s an indigenous Guarani word that means ‘a trap to catch birds.’ Our ARAPUCA is a technology used for photon detection, and it’s an idea my husband and I had as we returned from the lab to our house about three years ago. We did some calculations and simulations, and then some trap tests. The light from particle interactions can enter the box, reflect around, and eventually hit the photosensor. This technology is already installed in the DUNE test detector, ProtoDUNE, and I’m responsible for the installation in the Short-Baseline Near Detector at Fermilab and am working on production in Brazil. We’re doing studies of different geometries to improve the efficiency, and it seems to be getting more efficient. I have spent a lot of time in my scientific career working on scintillation light, so I’m enjoying this.