https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-07266-0
Regular Article
Design and development of optical modules for the BUTTON-30 detector
1
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, Edinburgh, UK
2
Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
3
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 94550, Livermore, CA, USA
4
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA
5
Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK
6
Department of Physics, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZE, Merseyside, UK
7
United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory, CA14 3YQ, Cumbria, UK
8
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, Sheffield, UK
9
STFC, Boulby Underground Laboratory, TS13 4UZ, Boulby Mine, Redcar-and-Cleveland, UK
10
Brookhaven National Laboratory, 11973 NY, Upton, USA
11
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Program, University of Florida, 32611-6400, Gainesville, FL, USA
12
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK
13
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
14
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
15
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, WA 99352, Richland, USA
16
AWE Aldermaston, RG7 4PR, Reading, Berkshire, UK
17
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Davis, 95616, Davis, CA, USA
18
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, 92697-4575, Irvine, CA, USA
19
EDF Energy UK, TS25 2BZ, Hartlepool, UK
20
Department of Physics, Durham University, DH1 3LE, Durham, UK
21
Science for Nuclear Diplomacy, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schlossgartenstr. 7, 64289, Darmstadt, Germany
22
Health Physics, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, G12 0XH, Glasgow, UK
a
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Received:
12
November
2025
Accepted:
28
December
2025
Published online:
23
January
2026
Abstract
BUTTON-30 is a neutrino detector demonstrator located in the STFC Boulby underground facility in the north-east of England. The main goal of the project is to deploy and test the performance of the gadolinium-loaded water-based liquid scintillator for neutrino detection in an underground environment. This will pave the way for a future large-volume neutrino observatory that can also perform remote monitoring of nuclear reactors for nonproliferation. This paper describes the design and construction of the watertight optical modules of the experiment.
Present address: Science for Nuclear Diplomacy, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schlossgartenstr. 7, 64289, Darmstadt, Germany
Present address: Health Physics, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0XH, UK
© The Author(s) 2026
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