The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is designed to conduct a broad exploration of the three-flavour model of neutrino physics with unprecedented details in the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy and CP violating parameters.
The experiment will rely on an intense neutrino beam from Fermilab on several far detectors located in the SURF underground laboratories at 1300 km distance. The selected LAr-TPC technology combines fine-grained tracking with total absorption calorimetry to provide a detailed view of any particle interaction. In particular the extremely large LAr purity and the very low electronic noise allows for longer drifts and less readout planes.
The Vertical Drift (VD) concept exploits these features. It consist of horizontal readout planes made of perforated and segmented PCB's, interleaved by a cathode plane and surrounded by the Field cage. The detector takes advantage of the former Dual-Phase assembly and installation concept in the NP02 cryostat. The validation of the concept and the adopted technical solutions require a vigorous R&D program. This is culminating in several tests of the full size detector elements, being performed at the CERN-NP.
In the seminar, the VD concept and its detector components will be presented together with the related technological issues. An important R&D effort is presently pursued by several DUNE institutions: the first encouraging results will be reported.
Burkhard Schmidt (EP-DT)
