ND-Cube: An active-target detector for radioactive beam experiments and detector development*

Active-target detectors have enabled the studies that can take advantage of their tracking capabilities and include studies with radioactive beams and reactions with low-energy decay products. We have developed an active-target detector, the ND-Cube, to enable such studies at the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. The ND-Cube has a rectangular geometry that has an active volume of approximately 19 x 25 cm$^2$ and currently uses a Micromegas micropattern gas detector for electron amplification and detection. GET electronics are used for the read-out electronics. The ND-Cube will also be used as a platform for the development of active-target detector features and characterization such as \textit{in situ} drift velocity measurements and space charge characterization. The ND-Cube is also unique in that the majority of its components were designed and built by undergraduate researchers. The first test measurements with the ND-Cube will be presented as well as its first planned science measurements using radioactive beams.