Muon Bulb：灯泡内的宇宙射线探测器

中文摘要 AI 辅助

宇宙射线μ子是最丰富的高能粒子之一，到达地球表面，在海平面处通量约为每分钟每平方厘米一个μ子，然而它们对肉眼完全不可见，这为公众参与粒子物理带来了持续挑战。我们提出了Muon Bulb，一种自包含的宇宙射线μ子探测器，构建于标准商用LED灯泡的外壳内，设计用于在宇宙射线μ子通过时产生生动且即时的可见光闪烁。该探测器集成了一个塑料闪烁体片，耦合到硅光电倍增管（SiPM），以高效探测由电离μ子产生的闪烁光子。SiPM信号由紧凑的模拟前端处理，该前端包含放大器和前沿鉴别器，将真实的μ子诱导脉冲与背景区分开。经过验证的触发信号传递给ESP32/RP2350微控制器，该微控制器驱动内部LED，使灯泡实时可见地闪烁。读出还支持无线数据传输，用于实时监测μ子事件率和通量测量。Muon Bulb旨在作为高影响力的科普仪器，适用于科学博物馆、天文馆、K-12教室和公共科学节，无需专门基础设施。其无线能力支持网络化课堂活动，其中多个Muon Bulb可同时操作，允许学生协作测量μ子通量并参与真实的数据驱动科学探究。Muon Bulb将商用家居用品转变为粒子物理的强大工具，使不可见的宇宙对每个人可见。

英文摘要

Cosmic-ray muons are among the most abundant high-energy particles reaching Earth's surface, with a flux of approximately one muon per square centimeter per minute at sea level, yet they remain entirely invisible to the naked eye, posing a persistent challenge for public engagement in particle physics. We present the Muon Bulb, a self-contained cosmic ray muon detector built within the enclosure of a standard commercial LED bulb, designed to produce a vivid and immediate visible light flash upon the passage of a cosmic-ray muon. The detector integrates a plastic scintillator tile coupled to a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) for efficient detection of scintillation photons produced by ionizing muons. The SiPM signal is processed by a compact analog front-end comprising an amplifier and a leading-edge discriminator, which isolates genuine muon-induced pulses from background. Validated trigger signals are passed to an ESP32/RP2350 microcontroller, which drives an internal LED, causing the bulb to flash visibly in real time. The readout additionally enables wireless data transmission for real-time monitoring of muon event rates and flux measurements. The Muon Bulb is designed to serve as a high-impact outreach instrument across science museums, planetariums, K-12 classrooms and public science festivals without requiring specialized infrastructure. Its wireless capability enables networked classroom activities where multiple Muon Bulbs can be operated simultaneously, allowing students to collaboratively measure muon flux and engage in genuine data-driven scientific inquiry. The Muon Bulb transforms a commercial house hold item into a powerful tool for particle physics, making the invisible universe visible to everyone.

发表机构

• University of Pittsburgh（匹兹堡大学）

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