A Few-Degree Calorimeter for the future Electron-Ion Collider

Measuring the region $0.1<Q^2<1.0$ GeV${}^2$ is essential to support searches for gluon saturation at the future Electron-Ion Collider. Recent studies have revealed that covering this region at the highest beam energies is not feasible with current detector designs, resulting in the so-called $Q^2$ gap. In this work, we present a design for the Few-Degree Calorimeter (FDC), which addresses this issue. The FDC uses SiPM-on-tile technology with tungsten absorber and covers the range of $-4.6<\eta <-3.6$. It offers fine transverse and longitudinal granularity, along with excellent time resolution, enabling standalone electron tagging. Our design represents the first concrete solution to bridge the $Q^2$ gap at the EIC.