These lead glass blocks were part of a CERN detector called OPAL (one of the four experiments at the LEP particle detector). OPAL uses some 12 000 blocks of glass like this to measure particle energies in the electromagnetic calorimeter. This detector measured the energy deposited when electrons and photons were slowed down and stopped.

OPAL was one of the four experiments installed at the LEP particle accelerator from 1989 - 2000. The Silicon Tungsten Luminometer was part of OPAL's calorimeter which was used to measure the energy of particles. Most particles end their journey in calorimeters. These detectors measure the energy deposited when particles are slowed down and stopped.

1 half cylinder piece is available for loan. The OPAL forward Detector Calorimeter was made in 4 half cylindrical pieces. Two full cylinders were placed round the LEP beam pipe about 3m downstream of the interaction point. The detector was used primarily to measure the luminosity of LEP (rate of interactions) and also to trigger on 2-photon events. In addition it formed an essential part of the detector coverage which OPAL needed to carry out searches for new particles such as the Higgs boson. The detector is made of scintillators sandwiched between lead sheets. The light from the scintillators passes via bars of wavelength shifter and light guides on its way to be measured by photomultipliers. There is a layer of gas filled tube chambers within the calorimeter. These provide a measure of the position of the particles interacting in the calorimeter.

RCVD lens n°4

Engineering model used for the construction of the OPAL detector at the LEP accelerator.Scale=1/10

Wire chamber

30cm diameter hydrogen bubble chamber for the SC (synchro-cyclotron)