Particle Identification via Pulse Shape Analysis for Large-Area Silicon Detectors of the CHIMERA Array

Mass and atomic-number identification (ID) of reaction products is a fundamental requirement of any nuclear reaction study. An effective particle-ID method is demonstrated, based on pulse shape analysis/discrimination (PSD) applied to large-area' single-element silicon detectors. This technique uses commercial electronic modules and achieves atomic number resolution rivaling that typically obtained with multi-element (Delta E - E) detector telescopes. The method is applied to the CHIMERA detector system without compromising its time-of-flight (TOF) resolution. In-beam tests of the PSD method have been performed with large-area, 300-mu m thick CHIMERA silicon detectors, measuring particles from the F-19 + C-12 reaction at Tandem energies. Performance of a simple PSD set up is discussed, for front and rear particle injection.