CosmicWatch: The Desktop Muon Detector(v3X)

Fuente: arXiv
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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Axani, Spencer, Sarfraz, Masooma, Garcia, Miles, Owens, Collin, Frankiewicz, Katarzyna, Conrad, Janet M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Axani, Spencer
Sarfraz, Masooma
Garcia, Miles
Owens, Collin
Frankiewicz, Katarzyna
Conrad, Janet M.
author_facet Axani, Spencer
Sarfraz, Masooma
Garcia, Miles
Owens, Collin
Frankiewicz, Katarzyna
Conrad, Janet M.
contents The CosmicWatch Desktop Muon Detector (v3X) is a compact, low-cost, and portable device designed for detecting ionizing radiation, including cosmic-ray muons. Building on previous iterations, the v3X introduces significant hardware and firmware improvements that enhance sensitivity, usability, and data acquisition capabilities. The detector integrates a plastic scintillator and silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), custom designed electronics for signal processing, onboard data storage, OLED display, environmental sensors, and USB connectivity. With a total component cost under \$100 and a build time suitable for high school students, the v3X is ideal for education, outreach, and introductory research applications in particle and astroparticle physics. This paper details the design, performance, and potential use cases of the v3X, supported by example measurements demonstrating its functionality.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_12111
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle CosmicWatch: The Desktop Muon Detector(v3X)
Axani, Spencer
Sarfraz, Masooma
Garcia, Miles
Owens, Collin
Frankiewicz, Katarzyna
Conrad, Janet M.
Instrumentation and Detectors
The CosmicWatch Desktop Muon Detector (v3X) is a compact, low-cost, and portable device designed for detecting ionizing radiation, including cosmic-ray muons. Building on previous iterations, the v3X introduces significant hardware and firmware improvements that enhance sensitivity, usability, and data acquisition capabilities. The detector integrates a plastic scintillator and silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), custom designed electronics for signal processing, onboard data storage, OLED display, environmental sensors, and USB connectivity. With a total component cost under \$100 and a build time suitable for high school students, the v3X is ideal for education, outreach, and introductory research applications in particle and astroparticle physics. This paper details the design, performance, and potential use cases of the v3X, supported by example measurements demonstrating its functionality.
title CosmicWatch: The Desktop Muon Detector(v3X)
topic Instrumentation and Detectors
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.12111