Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> Compared to the interaction of electromagnetic particles in matter, that of hadrons is less well measured and there is a need to improve hadron calorimeter performance. One promising method is dual readout, in which both Cherenkov and scintillation light must be detected. Precision crystals like lead tungstate (PWO), where Cherenkov and scintillation light are produced in the same volume, have been of interest for hadronic calorimeters. However, the most recent type of these crystals, the new PWO-II, has never been evaluated in detail. In this article, we perform measurements of the relative contribution of Cherenkov light generated in PbWO <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> crystals using cosmic muons. The measurement method is based on the differences in the angular distributions of Cherenkov and scintillation radiations. Light yield generated by cosmic muons passing through the midpoint of a crystal were detected from both Left (L) and Right (R) sides of the crystal. Noticeable dependence of the left-right asymmetry versus the angular orientation of the crystal relative to the incident muons was observed. Based on this angular asymmetry, the contribution of Cherenkov radiation is measured to be at a level of 20–25% relative to the total detected light output. The measured asymmetry is qualitatively well described by the simulation. More studies are needed to confirm these initial observations. </jats:p>