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VCI2025 - The 17th Vienna Conference on Instrumentation
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Europe/Vienna
Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology
Gusshausstraße 27-29, 1040 Wien
Albert Hirtl
(TU Wien),
Brigitte De Monte,
Christoph Schwanda
(Austrian Academy of Sciences),
Florian Reindl
(Vienna University of Technology (AT)),
Manfred Jeitler
(Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)),
Manfred Krammer
(CERN),
Marko Dragicevic
(HEPHY Vienna),
Markus Friedl
(Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)),
Thomas Bergauer
(Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))
Description
The 17th Vienna Conference on Instrumentation will take place between 17th and 21st February 2025. This conference series is organized by the Institute of High Energy Physics (HEPHY) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW) and the Technical University Vienna (TU Wien).
Venue: TU Wien, Faculty for Electrical Engineering (address: Gußhausstraße 25-29, 1040 Wien)
Surveys
VCI2025 Survey
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08:30
Registration & Coffee
Registration Desk is open from 08:00 – 18:00
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Plenary Welcome & Future Facilities EI7
EI7
Convener: Manfred Krammer (CERN)-
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Opening by the Chairperson of VCISpeaker: Manfred Krammer (CERN)
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Welcome - from the Vice Rector of the TU WienSpeaker: Peter Ertl (TU Wien)
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Welcome - from the President of the Austrian Academy of SciencesSpeaker: Heinz Faßmann (OEAW)
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Welcome - from the Director of the Institute of High Energy PhysicsSpeaker: Jochen Schieck (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))
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Practical informationSpeaker: Thomas Bergauer (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))
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Detector requirements for future circular Higgs, electroweak and top factories
The proposed ultra-high luminosity, circular electron-positron colliders,
FCC-ee and CEPC, feature a very rich and diverse physics programme including
i) precise measurements of Higgs boson couplings;
ii) a ultra-precise electroweak programme promising indirect sensitivity to
New Physics up to the 70-TeV scale;
iii) a next-generation heavy-flavour programme with statistics exceeding that
of Belle II by more than one order of magnitude;
and iv) direct searches for feebly Beyond-Standard-Model particles over a wide
parameter space.Very advanced detector designs are required to fully exploit this diverse
physcis programme. Key requirements include excellent resolutions on the
measurement of momentum, energy, and impact parameters; exquisite particle
identification capabilities over a wide momentum range including foton/pi0
separation; sensitivity to far-displaced vertices in the tracking (and
possibly the calorimeter) volume; and very precise asolute and relative
normalisation. The talk will pressent an overview of the detector requirements
and of the status of the detector design efforts.Speaker: Mogens Dam (University of Copenhagen (DK)) -
7
The electron-ion collider - A world wide unique collider to unravel the mysteries of visible matter
Understanding the properties of nuclear matter and its emergence through the underlying partonic structure and dynamics of quarks and gluons requires a new experimental facility in hadronic physics known as the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). The EIC will address some of the most profound questions concerning the emergence of nuclear properties by precisely imaging gluons and quarks inside protons and nuclei such as their distributions in space and momentum, their role in building the nucleon spin and the properties of gluons in nuclei at high energies. This presentation will introduce the EIC, and give an introduction to the experimental equipment and how it fulfills the requirements of the EIC science. At the end a short summary about the status of the EIC project will be given.
Speakers: Elke-Caroline Aschenauer (jefferson Lab), elke-caroline Aschenauer
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1
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Plenary Mechanics & Space EI7
EI7
Convener: Joachim Josef Mnich (CERN)- 8
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AMS-L0 upgrade: construction and beam test results
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a particle-physics experiment that measures cosmic ray components in low-earth orbit. With its permanent magnet and instrumentation, AMS analyzes cosmic rays across a rigidity range from 1 GV to several TVs. Since its installation on the International Space Station in 2011, AMS has been discerning antimatter from matter. It will continue to collect data until the station decommissioning scheduled for 2030.
By 2026, the collaboration will enhance the AMS silicon tracker with AMS-L0. This upgrade will increase by 300% the acceptance in many analysis channels while identifying nuclei before their fragmentation. AMS-L0 involves installing an additional tracking layer above the existing instrument to provide particle input coordinates and charge measurements over $4~m^2$.
The two silicon micro-strip planes that make up the layer are stacked back-to-back and arranged 45 degrees to each other. Each plane is divided into quarters with an active area of $1~m^2$.We will briefly outline the design and construction of one of the AMS-L0 quarter planes. We will next delve into the characterization conducted by particle beam exposition of the single constructing element of AMS-L0. Finally, we will present the results of ions identification up to $Z=29$ (Nickel) and spatial resolution of $11~\mu m$.
Speaker: Mattia Barbanera (Universita e INFN, Perugia (IT)) -
10
The SAND detector of the DUNE experiment
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment, being built with the goal of determining the neutrino mass ordering, the possible CP-violating phase in the neutrino mixing matrix as well as the observation of proton decay and the detection of supernova neutrinos.
The System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND) is one of the three components of the DUNE Near Detector complex. Its primary goals are to monitor the neutrino beam, perform measurements to control systematic uncertainties for the oscillation analysis, precision measurements of neutrino cross- sections and short-baseline neutrino physics.
SAND is composed of a 0.6T solenoid and an electromagnetic calorimeter made of alternating lead/scintillating fibers layers, both refurbished from the KLOE experiment. The Straw Target Tracker (STT) occupies the majority of the internal volume. It is composed of alternating planes of thin graphite/polymer targets and straw tube planes, providing multiple nuclear targets for the measurement of $\nu$-p and $\nu$-C cross-sections. A 1-ton active target for $\nu$-Ar interactions, known as GRAIN, is located in front of the STT. GRAIN will use a novel readout technique based on imaging of the scintillation light with SiPM-based cameras.
All of the SAND detectors, including their baseline design and alternative solutions, will be discussed in this contribution.Speaker: Dr Nicolo Tosi (INFN Bologna, Bologna (IT))
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15:40
Coffee
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Plenary Experiment upgrades EI7
EI7
Convener: Joachim Josef Mnich (CERN)-
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Design and construction of the Outer Tracker for the CMS Phase-2 Upgrade
The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) is expected to deliver an integrated luminosity of 3000-4000~fb$^{-1}$ after 10 years of operation with peak instantaneous luminosity reaching about 5-7.5$\times10^{34}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$. During Long Shutdown 3, several components of the CMS detector will undergo major changes, called Phase-2 upgrades, to be able to operate in the challenging environment of the HL-LHC. The current CMS tracker will be replaced. The Phase-2 Outer Tracker (OT) will have high radiation tolerance, higher granularity, and the capability to handle higher data rates. Moreover, the OT will provide tracking information to the Level-1 trigger, for the first time at hadron colliders, allowing trigger rates to be kept at a sustainable level without sacrificing physics potential. For this, the OT will be made of modules with two closely spaced silicon sensors read out by front-end ASICs, which can correlate hits in the two sensors creating short track segments (stubs), used for tracking in the L1 track finder. The modules come in two flavors: strip-strip (2S) and pixel-strip (PS), containing different sensor configurations and multiple ASICs. This contribution will present the design of the Phase-2 OT, the first results with pre-production devices, and the quality assurance procedures used to ensure the functionality of the modules: from fulfilling the precision specification of the module assembly procedure to ensuring the proper communication among the module's ASICs.
Speaker: Irene Zoi (Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (US)) -
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The ATLAS ITk Strip Detector System for the Phase-II LHC Upgrade
ATLAS is currently preparing for the HL-LHC upgrade, with an all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk) that will replace the current Inner Detector. The ITk will feature a pixel detector surrounded by a strip detector, with the strip system consisting of 4 barrel layers and 6 endcap disks. After completion of final design reviews in key areas, such as Sensors, Modules, Front-End electronics and ASICs, a large scale prototyping program has been completed in all areas successfully. We present an overview of the Strip System, and highlight the final design choices of sensors, module designs and ASICs. We will summarize results achieved during prototyping and the current status of production and pre-production on various detector components, with an emphasis on QA and QC procedures.
Speaker: Carlos Lacasta Llacer (IFIC/CSIC-UV) -
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ALICE ITS3 - A bent wafer-scale monolithic pixel detector
ALICE is upgrading its inner three silicon tracker layers with a bent wafer-scale monolithic pixel detector (ITS3).
Each layer comprises two sensors, 27 cm long, 50 µm thick and bent to concentric half-layers around the beam pipe (radii: 19, 25, 32 mm) supported by carbon foam stiffeners. The sensors with 40 mW/cm² consumption and a material budget of 0.07% X0 per layer are air-cooled.
Fabrication of 27 cm long sensors, requires stitching at foundry level connecting identical reticle-sized sensor elements, bypassing the need for flexible printed circuits.
Pixel test structures on a 300 mm, 65 nm TPSCo technology were validated with a resolution of 5 µm, an efficiency of > 99%, a fake hit rate of < 10^-2/pixel/s and a radiation load of 10^15 1 MeV neq cm^-2. These findings were further corroborated with 26 cm long Monolithic Stitched Sensor prototypes, confirming the stitching and integration process in laboratory and beam tests.
Prototype silicon sensors thinned to ≤ 50 µm were successfully bent to the ITS3's required radii while retaining full functionality. Mechanical engineering models with 50 µm thick dummy sensors demonstrated a mechanical stability of ± 0.5 μm under an 8 m/s airflow, consistent with the sensor’s power consumption and the interconnection scheme. The design of the final full-function sensor prototype (MOSAIX) with a pixel size of 22.8 x 20.8 µm2 is underway.
The contribution will report on the R&D phase, the final sensor design and detector integration.Speaker: Alex Kluge (CERN) -
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Upgrade of the Belle II Vertex Detector with depleted monolithic CMOS active pixel sensors
The Belle II experiment currently records data at the SuperKEKB e+e- collider, which holds the world luminosity record of 4.7x10^34 cm-2.s-1 and plans to push up to 6x10^35 cm-2 s-1. In such luminosity range for e+e- collisions, the inner detection layers should both cope with a hit rate dominated by beam-induced parasitic particles and provide minute tracking precision. A R&D program has been established to develop a new pixelated vertex detector (VTX), based on the most recent CMOS pixel detection technologies. The VTX design matches the current vertex detector radial acceptance, from 14 mm up to 140 mm. It includes 5 to 6 layers for an overall material budget lower than 3 % of X0. All layers are equipped with the same depleted monolithic active pixel sensors, OBELIX, adapted from the TJ-Monopix2 sensor originally developed for the ATLAS experiment. This contribution will review the latest results on the in beam characterization after irradiation of the TJ-Monopix2 forerunner sensor and on the detection modules early prototyping.
Speaker: Roua Boudagga (CPPM, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille, France)
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18:30
Welcome Reception
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08:30
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08:30
Registration
Registration Desk is open from 08:30 – 17:00
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Plenary Electronics EI7
EI7
Convener: Markus Friedl (HEPHY Vienna)-
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Electronics Challenges for HL-LHC and Next-Generation Particle DetectorsSpeaker: Francois Vasey (CERN)
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Results and perspectives of the IGNITE project on CMOS 28-nm technology ASICs
The IGNITE project develops technical solutions for the next generation of trackers at colliders. It plans to implement an integrated module, comprising sensor, electronics, and fast readout, aimed at fast 4D-tracking. System pixels are required to have pitch around 50 µm and time resolution below 30 ps. In the present paper we present measurement results concerning the performance of the first-born prototype ASIC (Ignite0), which explores circuital solutions for Analog Front End and Time-to-Digital Converter circuits. After measurements, the AFE and TDC show time resolution around 20 ps rms in nominal conditions. Such prototype structures have been tested before being integrated in a subsequent design, containing a 64x64 pixel matrix for the readout of pixelated sensors. We also present the design criteria and expected performance of the Ignite32 (32x32 pixels) and Ignite64 (64x64 pixels). ASIC.
Speaker: Adriano Lai (Universita e INFN, Cagliari (IT)) -
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4D Tracking Vertex Locator at the LHCb experiment.
LHCb plans an Upgrade II detector for 2034 to operate at luminosities of 1.5x10$^{34}cm^{-2}s^{-1}$, accumulating over 300 fb$^{-1}$. This will result in about 42 interactions per crossing, producing approximately 2000 charged particles within acceptance.
The higher luminosity requires a new VErtex LOcator (VELO) with enhanced capabilities to handle increased data rates, radiation levels, and occupancies. New techniques are needed to assign b hadrons to their primary vertices and perform real-time pattern recognition, involving a new 4D hybrid pixel detector with advanced rate and timing capabilities.
Prototype front-end ASICs are under design in 28 nm technology, including large processing power and rapid analog response, which requires fast rise times and high power consumption, yet limited by vacuum operation and cooling constraints. The ASIC must handle extreme hit rates and added timing information. The sensor must provide time measurements with 35 ps resolution and resist to 2.5x10$^{16}$ 1 MeV n$_{eq}$ cm$^{-2}$, while keeping the and spatial resolution below 12 µm.
The mechanical design will minimize material and achieve an integrated module with thinned sensors and ASICs combined with lightweight cooling.
This presentation will highlight promising technologies for the HL-LHC upgrade, emphasizing timing precision for vertexing in next-generation detectors. Recent beam test results on time measurements and possible R\&D scenarios will be presented.
Speaker: Efren Rodriguez Rodriguez (CERN)
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16
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10:40
Coffee
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Plenary Timing EI7
EI7
Convener: Markus Friedl (HEPHY Vienna)-
19
Compensated LGAD – An innovative pathway towards the extreme fluences
Future high-energy and high-intensity colliders will require precise particle tracking in space and time up to very high fluences, above 10$^{17}$ 1 MeV equivalent n/cm$^2$. To design future tracker detectors that can operate in such extreme radiation conditions, radiation-tolerant sensors with 4D tracking capabilities must be manufactured.
We will present a pioneering silicon sensor concept that profits from the saturation of the radiation effects observed at high fluences. It uses thin substrates, intrinsically less affected by irradiation, and internal multiplication of the signal up to the target fluences.
This breakthrough is possible thanks to a new concept of the implant responsible for signal multiplication in Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) obtained through the compensation of p- and n-type dopants. This strategy is more resilient to radiation, as both acceptor and donor atoms will undergo deactivation with irradiation, but if accurately engineered, their difference will remain constant. Therefore, the compensated LGADs will empower the 4D tracking ability up to extreme fluences.
The first batch of compensated LGADs was released by FBK at the end of 2022. Sensor characterisation and signal analysis before and after irradiation will be presented. Possible improvements to the present design will be introduced. The path to extend the validity of the present models to very high fluences will be discussed.
Speaker: Valentina Sola (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) -
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Radiation-resistant silicon sensors with internal gain for the ATLAS High-Granularity Timing Detector at the High-Luminosity LHC
The increase of the particle flux (pile-up) at the high-luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) with an instantaneous luminosity up to $\mathcal{L} \approx 7.5\times10^{34}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ will have a severe impact on the ATLAS detector reconstruction and trigger performance. The High-Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD) will be installed in the forward region for pile-up mitigation and luminosity measurements. Two double-sided layers, based on Low-Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) and custom ASICs, will provide a time resolution of better than 50 ps per track throughout the HL-LHC period. The chosen radiation-hardened LGAD technology provides suitable gain to reach the required signal-to-noise ratio, and a granularity of 1.3 × 1.3 mm$^2$. At total of 3.7M channels will cover more than 6 m$^2$ of silicon. As part of the Quality Control (QC) during the sensor production, a comprehensive measurement programme is pursued, consisting of electrical and functional tests on sensors and dedicated test structures (QC-TS) before and after radiation exposure. This contribution introduces the requirements and the technical design of the overall detector system and describes the design of the LGAD sensors and the QC-TS, as well as the QC strategy during the sensor production. Electrical measurements and test-beam performance results for the recently concluded pre-series production of LGAD sensors and QC-TS are presented.
Speaker: Xiao Yang (CERN) -
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Progress on the construction of the CMS Barrel Timing Layer and results from large scale system tests
The CMS Mip Timing Detector (MTD) is a vital part of the CMS upgrade for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), which will start operations in 2030. The HL-LHC will achieve $3000\;\textrm{fb}^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity over 10 years, pushing the boundaries of precision measurements and rare process searches. To manage the significant increase in pile-up interactions, the MTD incorporates the Barrel Timing Layer (BTL), composed of 166,000 LYSO crystals and 332,000 custom Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), offering a time resolution of 30-60 picoseconds to improve event reconstruction.
Recent large-scale system tests have demonstrated the full functionality of the end-to-end acquisition chain with up to 4600 detector channels, using production versions of both front-end and back-end electronics. The prototyping phase has also validated the detector's timing resolution, expected to be 30 ps at the start of operations, with strategies in place to mitigate radiation damage. Full assembly is projected to complete by mid-2025.
Speaker: Giorgio Pizzati (Universita & INFN, Milano-Bicocca (IT))
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19
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Calorimetry: 1 EI9
EI9
Convener: Shikma Bressler (Weizmann Institute of Science (IL))-
22
The LHCb PicoCal
The aim of the LHCb Upgrade II is to operate at a luminosity of up to 1.5 x 10$^{34}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ to collect a data set of 300 fb$^{-1}$. The required substantial modifications of the LHCb electromagnetic calorimeter during Long Shutdown 4 (LS4) due to high radiation doses in the central region and increased particle densities are referred to as PicoCal.
Several scintillating sampling ECAL technologies are currently being investigated in an ongoing R&D campaign in view of the PicoCal: Spaghetti Calorimeter (SpaCal) with garnet scintillating crystals and tungsten absorber, SpaCal with scintillating plastic fibres and lead absorber, and Shashlik with polystyrene tiles, lead absorber and fast WLS fibres.
Timing capabilities with tens of picoseconds precision for neutral electromagnetic particles and increased granularity with denser absorber in the central region are needed for pile-up mitigation. Time resolutions of better than 20 ps at high energy were observed in test beam measurements of prototype SpaCal and Shashlik modules. The presentation will also cover results from detailed simulations to optimise the design and physics performance of the PicoCal.Speaker: Aleksandar Bordelius (CERN) -
23
Test-Beam Results of a Dual-Readout Calorimeter for Future Colliders
Future high-energy e⁺e⁻ collider experiments, such as the Future Circular Collider (FCC) and the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC), will prioritize precise measurements of Higgs boson properties while exploring electroweak interactions, quantum chromodynamics and heavy-flavour physics. An excellent calorimetric performance is vital for identifying significant processes through the measurement of invariant masses of final-state objects.
The IDEA detector, as outlined in the FCC and CEPC CDRs, features a dual-readout (DR), fiber-based calorimeter. The design includes rows of scintillating fibers and optical fibers for Cherenkov light measurement, with SiPM readout. This setup enhances energy measurements for hadronic showers while maintaining good resolution for electromagnetic showers, all within a single unsegmented calorimeter. Its lateral segmentation facilitates the separation of closely spaced energy deposits from different particles, and fast optical sensors provide timing information for advanced reconstruction techniques.
The DR community is developing prototypes to demonstrate the design feasibility and scalability and to validate the simulations. This contribution introduces the DR technique and an overview of the prototype construction methods. Results from test-beam campaigns in 2023 (electromagnetic-shower-sized prototype) and 2024 (closer to an hadronic-shower-sized prototype) at CERN SPS are presented.
Speaker: Laura Nasella (Università degli Studi e INFN Milano (IT)) -
24
High-granularity crystal calorimeter developments for future Higgs factories
Precision measurements of the Higgs, W/Z bosons at future lepton colliders require the calorimetry system to achieve unprecedented jet performance. Among Higgs factories, the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC) can provide an early option. The CEPC calorimeter working group has proposed a new electromagnetic calorimeter based on finely segmented scintillating crystals to be compatible with the particle-flow paradigm and also to achieve an optimal EM energy resolution of better than $3~\%/\sqrt{E(GeV)}$ with the homogeneous structure. As a major design, the calorimeter consists of multiple longitudinal layers of long crystal bars that are individually read out by silicon photomultipliers. In every two adjacent layers, crystal bars are in an orthogonal arrangement to gain an effective transverse granularity at the level of $1\times1~cm^2$. Extensive R&D efforts have been carried out to develop a first crystal calorimeter physics prototype and to evaluate the physics performance with a new particle-flow algorithm dedicated to the long-bar configuration. The crystal calorimeter prototype was exposed at testbeam facilities to evaluate the electromagnetic shower performance and to address a few critical issues on system integration. This contribution will introduce the crystal calorimeter design optimisations and latest performance studies in simulation. Highlights of the crystal calorimeter prototype development and preliminary beamtest results will also be presented.
Speaker: Yong Liu (Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) -
25
Maximum Information Crystal Calorimetry for future Higgs factories
A novel hybrid dual-readout calorimeter concept consisting of a homogeneous crystal electromagnetic section followed by a fiber-based hadronic section can represent a cost-effective solution to achieve an energy resolution of $3\%/\sqrt{E}$ for EM particles, $27\%/\sqrt{E}$ for neutral hadrons, and 4-5% for 50 GeV jets - a key performance benchmark for physics studies at future e+e- collider experiments.
Such a combined performance in particle reconstruction is the result of boosting the longitudinal and transverse segmentation of the crystals compared to state-of-the-art homogeneous calorimeters and by including the simultaneous readout of the Cherenkov and scintillation light from the same active element using the combination of two independent SiPMs and dedicated optical filters. With these features as well as a state-of-the-art time resolution for electromagnetic showers, this calorimeter concept aims at collecting as much information as possible for use in advanced particle flow dual-readout algorithms.
In this contribution, we present the results of extensive laboratory and beam tests measurements performed in 2024 on single calorimetric cells made of various crystals, SiPMs, and optical filters, which have informed the technological choices for the ongoing construction of a full containment calorimeter prototype.Speakers: Andrea Benaglia (INFN, Milano-Bicocca (IT)), Marco Toliman Lucchini (Università & INFN, Milano-Bicocca (IT))
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22
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Photon Detectors 1 EI8
EI8
Convener: Hartmut Hillemanns (CERN)-
26
A multi-photomultiplier detector for the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment
Hyper-Kamiokande (HK) is a next-generation water Cherenkov detector under construction, featuring a large cylindrical tank measuring 71 meters high and 68 meters in diameter, with a fiducial volume of 188 kilotons. Its physics program includes studying neutrino oscillations, astrophysical neutrinos, and searching for nucleon decay, with a primary focus on investigating leptonic CP violation. To achieve this, HK will be equipped with approximately 20,000 50 cm photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and around 800 multi-photomultiplier (mPMT) modules, which represent a novel technology initially developed for KM3NeT. Each mPMT module consists of 19 small PMTs, 7.7 cm in diameter, housed within a pressure vessel. The mPMT has several advantages such as improved granularity, reduced dark rate, and enhanced directional information, all while offering an almost isotropic field of view and the ability to detect local coincidences. These characteristics will significantly enhance HK’s physics capabilities. Structurally, the mPMT module has an upper section where the PMTs are positioned beneath an acrylic dome, while the underside contains the main electronics mounted on a cooling steel backplate. The module is powered via POE, with each PMT having its own high-voltage board. The final design of the mPMT is almost complete, with mass production set to begin in 2025 and HK scheduled to start data collection in 2027. This contribution outlines the mPMT design, its advantages, and testing results.
Speaker: Alessandro Di Nola (University Federico II and INFN, Naples (IT)) -
27
New detector development and performance evaluation for KamLAND2-Zen experiment
Neutrino-less double-beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay is a rare nuclear process with profound implications for verifying the Majorana nature of neutrinos and determining their masses.The Majorana nature of neutrinos is crucial for understanding neutrino properties and the origin of the matter-dominant universe.
The KamLAND-Zen experiment, located at the Kamioka underground laboratory in Japan, has been at the forefront of the search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decays for more than a decade.The experiment started a search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay of xenon-136 nuclei in 2011 (KamLAND-Zen 400), which was upgraded in 2019 by doubling the number of xenon nuclei and a tenfold reduction in uranium and thorium contamination (KamLAND-Zen 800).A combined analysis of the KamLAND-Zen 400 and 800 dataset has provided the world's most stringent limits on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of 36-156 meV with different nuclear matrix elements.This result establishes KamLAND-Zen as a pioneering effort in the global pursuit to unravel the fundamental properties of the neutrino.
The KamLAND-Zen collaboration has taken the next step forward: The upcoming phase of KamLAND-Zen, KamLAND2-Zen, will employ a new high light-yield liquid scintillator, light collecting mirror and high quantum efficiency photomultipliers.
This oral presentation aims to the process of developing the prototype detector installing these improvements and its performance evaluation by simply reproducing a part of the KamLAND2-Zen.Speaker: Jun Nakane (Tohoku University) -
28
The P-ONE Optical Module
The Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) is a planned cubic kilometer undersea neutrino detector that will be deployed off the coast of Canada. The goal of P-ONE is to study high-energy neutrinos and their production mechanisms in faraway cosmic sources. P-ONE will consist of 1400 modules, which are being developed with the goal of precision timing and calibration to optimize angular resolution and sensitivity to these sources. The P-ONE optical modules will each contain 16 photomultiplier tubes to collect Cherenkov light that is produced as a result of neutrino interactions in the water. In addition, the modules will contain environmental sensors, calibration flashers, acoustic receivers, and a muon tagger. The modules also have a mainboard that contains a sophisticated ADC to quickly collect and digitize data, as well as an FPGA for onboard storage and data processing. This talk will focus on the P-ONE detection module design as a whole, with specific focus on the mainboard, ADC, and the testing of the software and firmware done in the development of these modules.
Speaker: Jeanne Garriz -
29
Towards high-resolution X-ray Spectral Imaging
We present the development and initial testing of
a device that opens the way for a novel class of Hybrid Pixel
Detectors (HPDs) achieved by coupling a low-noise, event-driven
analog readout ASIC with a solid state fine-pitch pixel sensor.
Our new HPD builds upon XPOL-III, a cutting-edge 180 nm
CMOS VLSI ASIC integrating over 100,000 pixels with fully
analog, low-noise readout at 50 μm pitch on a hexagonal grid,
covering an active area of 15 × 15 mm^2. We developed two
versions of the hybrid device: one with 750 μm thick and
100 μm pixel pitch, Schottky-type CdTe sensor, and one with
300 μm thick and 50 μm pixel pitch silicon sensor. In this
work, we present measurements confirming that our new detector
effectively mitigates the long-standing issue of charge-sharing
that typically degrades the resolution of small-pixel HPDs.
This is achieved through precise, low-threshold measurements of
the charge collected by the pixels within the event cluster. The
assembled devices exhibit excellent spatial and energy resolution
with full single-photon sensitivity, highlighting their potential
for advanced X-ray spectral imaging applications.Measurement results open up exciting perspectives for the implementation of high-performance HPDs in various fields requiring precise X-ray imaging and spectroscopy.We will discuss the detailed performance metrics of the two devices and explore the implications of this technology for future
developments in X-ray detection systems.Speaker: Massimo Minuti (INFN Pisa)
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26
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Semiconductor General 1 EI7
EI7
Convener: Hiroyasu Tajima (Nagoya University)-
30
Characterisation and Simulation of CMOS Strip Sensors
In high-energy physics, there is a need to investigate silicon sensor concepts that offer large-area coverage and cost-efficiency for particle tracking detectors. Sensors based on CMOS imaging technology present a promising alternative silicon sensor concept.
As this technology follows a standardised industry process, it can provide lower sensor production costs and enable fast and large-scale production from various vendors.The CMOS Strips project is investigating passive CMOS strip sensors fabricated by LFoundry in a 150 nm technology. The stitching technique was employed to develop two different strip sensor formats. The strip implant layout varies in doping concentration and width, allowing to study various depletion concepts and electric field configurations.
The performance of irradiated and unirradiated samples was evaluated based on several test beam campaigns conducted at the DESY II test beam facility. Additionally, the detector response was simulated using Monte Carlo methods combined with TCAD Device simulations.
This contribution provides studies on the test beam performance of the sensors concerning their hit detection efficiency and resolution.
In particular, the simulated detector response is presented and compared to test beam data.
Furthermore, an outlook on the next sensor submission for the CMOS Strips project, which will include an active front-end stage, is presented.Speaker: Naomi Davis (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DE)) -
31
From Single Particles to Clinical Beam Rates: A Wide Dynamic Range Beam Monitor
Particle accelerators operated primarily for cancer treatment are valuable for testing high-energy physics (HEP) instruments. However, beam instrumentation, particularly primary beam monitors, cannot commonly measure the low particle rates typically used for HEP instrumentation tests. We are working on a primary beam monitor capable of detecting single particles while operational at clinical particle rates.
We will present the full development cycle of the monitor, from initial sensor tests to beam tests with final prototypes. Initial tests were carried out using both silicon and silicon carbide particle sensors. Silicon carbide sensors proved ideal due to their negligible dark current, making them the ideal choice for targeted applications. Strip sensors were optimized for high-voltage operation using TCAD simulations to extend the lifetime of radiation damage sensors. A tiled sensor layout was adopted for sufficient production yield. Sensors were manufactured at CNM, Barcelona, on 6-inch wafers.
The readout electronics were optimized for low component count and easy integration into the existing control system. Overall, the system can be equipped with up to 512 strips with a pith of 250 µm and read out at a rate of 37 kHz in synchronous or 70 kHz in interleaving mode. Besides being a beam monitor, the system was developed as a basis for future research on beam steering algorithms. For this purpose, real-time data transfer and accelerator control interfaces are provided.
Speaker: Simon Emanuel Waid (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)) -
32
Recent results from the Timepix4 Telescope
A high rate beam telescope, comprised of eight Timepix4-based sensor planes, has been constructed, featuring both thin (100 μm) planar sensors for better temporal measurements and thick (300 μm) sensors for more precise spatial measurements.
The Timepix4 ASIC, compatible with various sensor technologies, consists of a matrix of 448×512 pixels with a 55 μm square pitch. Simultaneous measurement of Time of Arrival (ToA) and Time over Threshold (ToT) is performed for individual pixel hits. The ToA, digitised with a 195 ps time bin via per-pixel Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs), enables precise timing measurements. The ToT is proportional to the collected charge, contributing to sub-pixel spatial resolution and correcting for timewalk, essential for good ToA resolution. The telescope is equipped with two fast microchannel plate detectors (MCPs) with quartz windows for Cherenkov light generation. MCP signals are processed to provide timestamp precision below 20 ps, crucial for characterising and calibrating temporal measurements of the telescope and fast-sensor prototypes.
The telescope achieved a pointing resolution of 2 μm. After several per-pixel time corrections, the combined time resolution of 90 ps per track is obtained using information from the timepix4 ASICs alone.
This presentation will show the most recent results from the Timepix4 telescope and DUT results from fast sensor technologies such as trench-isolated and inverted LGADs, as well as 3D sensors.Speaker: Tjip Bischoff (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)) -
33
New Frontiers in Muon-Spin Spectroscopy Using Si-Pixel Detectors
Muon-spin spectroscopy at continuous sources has long been limited to a muon stopping rate of approximately \SI{40}{kHz}.
The primary constraint arises from the requirement that only a single muon can be present in the sample during the \SI{10}{\mu s} data collection window.
This limitation stems from the widespread use of scintillator-based detectors to track incoming muons and outgoing positrons, which lack the ability to handle higher rates effectively.To overcome this limitation and facilitate muon-spin relaxation (\mSR) measurements with sub-milimeter samples, ultra-thin Si-pixel detectors can be utilised.
These detectors enable the reconstruction of the position where the muon stops within the sample, leveraging this additional spatial information to significantly increase the measurable muon rate.In this work, we present results from a Si-pixel-based spectrometer that uses vertex reconstruction for both incoming muons and emitted positrons.
For the first time, we successfully measured a \mSR ~spectrum employing monolithic Si-pixel detectors.
Furthermore, combining this spectrometer with a scintillating fibre detector provides not only enhanced spatial but also good timing measurement, achieving a resolution of \SI{500}{ps}.
We conducted several test runs at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) to validate the performance and capabilities of this advanced detector system.Speaker: Marius Köppel (ETH Zurich (CH))
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Coffee & Posters A
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34
Irradiation study of ATLAS ITk strip sensors, ATLAS18, with 80MeV protons
The ATLAS18 silicon strip sensors for the ATLAS Inner Tracker Phase-2 upgrade are to operate near the interaction point to the integrated luminosity of 4000 fb-1, which results in the maximum fluence of 1.6×1015 neq/cm2. To confirm the key properties of the sensors, dedicated test structures are regularly irradiated and tested as part of the quality assurance (QA) program in 4 irradiation and 7 QA test sites. To enhance the QA program, the strip sensor community is considering to include China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) as a proton irradiation and Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) as a QA test site. We have improved the irradiation setup at CSNS to increase the throughput. The new irradiation setup is featured with better cooling control. The QA testing is improved to enhance the measurement precision. A collimator is designed for the CCE measurement setup at IHEP to limit beta particle scattering. The gain of the amplifier chip has been improved as a function of temperature. We have executed three irradiations with fluences of 6.0×1014, 1.6×1015, 2.6×1015 neq/cm2.. A total of 18 sensors irradiated at CSNS and an unirradiated sensor are measured at IHEP, including IV, CV, CCE characteristics. Two sensors irradiated with neutrons in Ljubljana and two sensors irradiated with protons in Birmingham are included in CCE measurements for cross-checking. This contribution also describes problems and their solutions that have occurred during the measurements.
Speaker: Yingjun Huang (Sun Yat-Sen University (CN)) -
35
Development of a Real-time In-Beam Monitor with Plastic Scintillation Fibers for Particle Therapy
The verification of the particle range for the particle therapy in situ during the therapy is important and challenging technique to suppress the risks of miss irradiation (i.e. over dose or wrong position), and we have developed novel monitor consisting of plastic scintillation fibers and multi-anode photomultiplier tube. Here, the secondary protons are calculated to be traced the peak pf the Bragg peaks, and we succeeded in obtaining proton image. Moreover, the carbon beams images with different energies were detected during beaming with our detector to use as treatment plan.
Speaker: Shunsuke Kurosawa (Tohoku Univ. & Osaka Univ.) -
36
A 28 nm CMOS front-end circuit with in-pixel flash ADC for high-rate hybrid detectors
New developments in the field of instrumentation for high energy physics experiments are being carried out worldwide by several research groups in the 28 nm CMOS technology. In the design of pixel readout circuits, such a technology node promises to push more intelligence at pixel level, while higher bandwidths can be achieved in I/O circuits thanks to improved transition frequencies of the MOS transistors.
This work is focused on the design and characterization of a proof-of-concept, CMOS front-end circuit for pixel detectors. The circuit has been designed in a high-performance 28 nm process, optimized for high speed, and includes a charge sensitive amplifier with detector leakage compensation, together with a 2-bit flash ADC. The readout channel, which can handle subsequent events with zero dead time, has been integrated in a 4x8 pixel matrix in a 1x2 mm2 prototype chip. The conference paper will provide a discussion on the design of the front-end circuit and will gather the main results from the characterization of the test chip.Speaker: Luigi GAIONI (University of Bergamo and INFN Pavia) -
37
A hadronic calorimeter based on resistive micropattern gaseous detectors
This contribution presents the development of a hadronic calorimeter made of resistive Micro Pattern Gas Detectors (MPGD) designed for an experiment at a multi-TeV Muon collider.
The Muon collider has been proposed as a powerful tool to explore the Standard Model, aiming for precise Higgs boson coupling measurements and searches for new physics at the TeV scale, requiring accurate event reconstruction and particle identification. The Particle Flow Algorithm (PFA), which integrates data from various subsystems, is well-suited for this task.
An MPGD-based calorimeter is ideal for PFA thanks to the high-granular readout capabilities (O(cm2)) and particularly suitable for the Muon Collider background conditions, thanks to its radiation-hard technology and high rate capabilities (up to 10 MHz/cm2). Furthermore, resistive MPGDs, such as resistive Micromegas and µ-RWELL, offer excellent spatial resolution, operational stability (discharge quenching), and uniformity, making them well-suited for calorimetry.
The results of the characterization studies performed with muon beam at CERN SPS on three MPGD technologies, resistive MicroMegas, µ-RWELL, and RPWELL, are presented by showing their efficiency, response uniformity and space and timing resolution. Additionally, we show the energy response of an HCAL cell prototype consisting of eight layers (~1 λ) of alternating stainless steel and MPGD detectors tested with pion beams of energy up to 10 GeV.Speaker: Lisa Generoso (Universita e INFN, Bari (IT)) -
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A High-Precision Clock Synchronization ASIC for Large-Scale Physics Experiments
In large-scale physical experiments, the experimental devices are widely distributed in space and have a large number of end nodes. To ensure that all components can work synchronously and complete precise correlation measurement at different positions, the clocks of all nodes are required to be from the same source and to achieve automatic phase synchronization, as well as the fusion transmission of clock, data, and commands. The existing techniques in this direction are highly dependent on high-end and special programmable FPGA devices, and based on the requirements and characteristics of large-scale physical experiment signal readout, front-end electronics widely use customized application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), so the current clock interface devices in this direction cannot achieve high integration with front-end ASICs. To solve the above problem, this work focuses on the research of high-precision clock distribution and synchronization ASIC techniques, overcomes the key problems such as delay fixing of the high-speed transceiver circuit and fine adjustment of the clock phase, and develops a series of ASIC design techniques. On the basis of the method research, the design and fabrication of the prototype chip have been completed. The chip is currently undergoing packaging, and testing will commence shortly. The precision of the clock synchronization is designed to be better than 50 ps and the period jitter is expected to be better than 10 ps in RMS.
Speaker: Jiajun Qin (University of Science and Technology of China (CN)) -
39
A Transition Edge Sensor for ALPS II - Background Characterization and Detector Optimization
The Any Light Particle Search~II (ALPS~II) experiment at DESY, Hamburg, is a light-shining-through-a-wall experiment aiming to explore the possible existence of axions and axion-like particles, which are potential dark matter candidates. ALPS~II is currently collecting data using a heterodyne-based detection scheme. A complementary run using a single photon detection scheme is foreseen, which requires a sensor capable of efficiently detecting low-energy photons (1064~nm, 1.165~eV) with a low background rate. To achieve this, we are investigating a tungsten Transition Edge Sensor (TES) developed by NIST. When operated in its superconducting transition at millikelvin temperatures, a single photon absorbed by the TES produces a significant change in its resistance, generating a measurable signal. We have developed simulations of the expected background sources to better understand the background rates affecting the TES. The results of these simulations will be discussed, along with the comparison with measured background data. Beyond axion searches, we are expanding our quantum sensing program to characterize TESs for other physics applications. This includes efforts to measure the even-number photon distribution from a quantum-squeezed light source, highlighting TES potential in quantum optics. Furthermore, we will give an overview of the current status of a direct dark matter search using our TES, which aims to probe MeV-scale dark matter.
Speaker: Dr Jose Alejandro Rubiera Gimeno (Helmut-Schmidt-Universität (HSU)) -
40
ALICE Fast Interaction Trigger Upgrade
The Fast Interaction Trigger (FIT), installed in 2021 during the Long Shutdown 2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), is one of the crucial ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) detectors. It performs several essential functions, including delivery of the fast (<425 ns) online minimum bias collision trigger and monitoring luminosity and background conditions. The achieved collision time precision is 17 ps in proton-proton collisions and 4.4 ps in Pb-Pb collisions. It is used as a time-zero reference for the time-of-flight particle identification and online vertex determination. FIT data are also used to assess centrality and determine the collision plane. To further enhance the detector’s performance and operational reliability, we are preparing an upgrade of FIT Front-End Electronics (FEE) and implementing ALFRED (ALICE Low-Level Front-End Device). The former aims to improve signal processing from the scintillation arrays (FV0 and FDD). The latter will optimise FEE integration with the Detector Control System. The upgrade will be finalised during the LHC winter break from November 2024 to March 2025.
The presentation will include the latest FIT performance plots, an outline of FEE modifications, and the new DCS architecture. The impact of the upgrade on FIT's functionality for the remainder of the LHC Run 3 and 4 will be discussed, as well as the prospects of further developments and possible applications in the forward detectors of the high-luminosity successor of ALICE.
Speaker: Mr Krystian Roslon (Warsaw University of Technology (PL)) -
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ASTRA-64 : Tests and Characterization of a Silicon Micro-Strip Detectors Read-Out ASIC
Silicon strip detectors remain a popular choice in various fields of physics due to their flexibility and capability to achieve high spatial resolutions, ranging from tens of micrometers to less than 5 micrometers while covering large areas up to several square meters. The ASTRA-64 (Adaptable Silicon sTrip Read-out ASIC) is a 64-channel mixed-signal ASIC designed to read micro-strip silicon detectors. Designed in 110 nm technology, ASTRA-64 consists of two mirrored blocks of 32 channels. Each channel is equipped with a Charge-Sensitive Amplifier featuring two programmable gain settings for both input signal polarities, followed by a shaper with programmable peaking time to optimize noise performance based on the detector's capacitance.
ASTRA-64 supports two read-out modes: an analog mode, where charge information is transmitted off-chip via an analog multiplexer, and a digital mode, which embeds a Wilkinson ADC per channel for voltage digitization. The front-end gain configuration allows linear charge measurements up to 160 fC in standard gain and 80 fC in high gain mode. Finally, a fast shaper coupled with a leading-edge hysteresis discriminator enables rapid trigger signal generation through FAST-OR logic from the 32-channel discriminator outputs.
This work presents the testing, characterization, and performance evaluation of the ASTRA-64 chip.
Speaker: Gianluigi Silvestre (Universita e INFN, Perugia (IT)) -
42
BULLKID-DM: searching for light WIMP with monolithic arrays of detectors
BULLKID-DM is a new experiment to search for hypothetical WIMP-like Dark-Matter particles with mass around 1 GeV and cross-section with nucleons smaller than $10^{-41}$ cm$^2$.
The target will amount to 600 g subdivided in 2500 silicon dice sensed by phonon-mediated kinetic inductance detectors. With respect to other solid-state experiments in the field the aim is to control the backgrounds by creating a fully active structure and by applying fiducialization techniques. The experiment is intended to be placed at the Gran Sasso laboratories. After the encouraging results of a 20 g prototype, here we present the first results from a demonstrator array of 60 g and 180 silicon dice, the simulations of the experiment and the projected Dark Matter sensitivity.Speaker: Daniele Delicato (INFN roma1 / CNRS Institut Néel) -
43
Characterization and testbeam measurements of CMS Phase-2 online luminometers
In the high-luminosity LHC era, CMS will see an unprecedented number of collisions per bunch crossing, calling for a full Phase-2 upgrade of the detector. In particular, to meet the 1% precision goal for luminosity measurement per year, the development of a new luminosity-dedicated detector and the adaptation of CMS subsystems for this purpose is required. In the present contribution, we summarize recent efforts to optimize the design of the new Fast Beam Condition Monitor, together with its dedicated front- and back-end electronics and firmware. These culminated in dedicated testbeam measurements at CERN that allowed to characterize alternative Si-pad sensor designs, study their post-irradiation performance, and make front-end design choices with particular emphasis on the noise characteristics; yielding important findings towards the finalization of the system design. In line with the CMS strategy of having several independent luminosity measurements, the testbeam campaign also allowed the successful validation of another main luminometer system based on the Tracker Endcap Pixel detector using real-time pixel cluster counting in FPGA. In this case, the focus has been on the detector backend online processing and decoding algorithms and firmware validation techniques. The extensive tests point to possible further improvements for the final operation scenario.
Speaker: Armin Kadlecsik (Eotvos Lorand University (HU)) -
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Charge reconstruction from binary hit data on irradiated MALTA2 Czochralski sensors
MALTA2 is a depleted monolithic active pixel sensor (DMAPS) designed for tracking at high rates and is produced in the modified Tower 180 nm CMOS technology. The sensing layer of the 36.4×36.4 $\mathrm{\mu m^2}$ pixels consists of either high resistivity epitaxial or Czochralski silicon. A small collection electrode features a small pixel capacitance and offers low noise. Typically, the detection threshold is around 200 e-. A simple procedure is developed to calibrate the threshold to unit electrons making use of a dedicated charge injection circuit on chip and an Fe-55 source with dominant charge deposition of 1600 e-.
In this contribution, MALTA2 sensors are characterised in terms of hit detection efficiency inside the pixel and cluster size at fine threshold steps, for samples produced with different doping concentration of the internal n- layer, substrate voltage and irradiation dose. Data was taken at CERN SPS test beam campaigns in 2023 and 2024, using a MALTA beam telescope consisting of multiple sensor planes with 4 μm spatial and 2 ns timing resolution. A reconstruction of the signal amplitude from binary hit data is performed. Through the charge calibration a two-dimensional map of the collected charge is obtained with sub-pixel resolution. The presented method provides an in-beam alternative to grazing angle studies or Edge-TCT for determining a charge collection profile.Speaker: Lucian Fasselt (DESY) -
45
Compensated LGADs optimisation through van der Pauw test structures
Future hadronic colliders are expected to have increasing multiple interactions per bunch crossing, which poses a challenge for silicon detectors. These sensors need to perform 4D tracking and withstand extreme radiation levels.
Low-gain avalanche diodes have excellent timing performance but also a moderate fluence limit. Beyond about $2.5\cdot10^{15}$ $n_{eq}/cm^2$, the gain implant, which allows for rapid signals and, thus, timing resolutions of $\mathcal{O}$(10 ps), becomes completely deactivated due to acceptor removal.
However, it is possible to overcome this limitation by innovatively realizing the gain layer as the compensation of two implants of opposite dopant species. Both profiles undergo doping removal, but if adequately engineered, their difference will remain constant as the fluence increases, thus extending 4D tracking to fluences of $\mathcal{O}$($10^{17}$ $n_{eq}/cm^2$).
In this contribution, we propose an alternative use of van der Pauw (vdP) structures to achieve this goal. Generally used by foundries to verify the effectiveness of implantation processes, we will instead use them to study the evolution of doping with fluence. By comparing TCAD simulations and experimental measurements, pre- and post-irradiation, we will extract the acceptor and donor removal coefficients of the two compensated gain layer implants, having a vdP for each of them. This information will allow the engineering of the two profiles for the second production of Compensated LGADs.
Speaker: Alessandro Fondacci (INFN Perugia (IT)) -
46
Deployment of LAPPDs in ANNIE
The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) is a gadolinium-doped water Cherenkov detector located on Fermilab’s Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB). It aims to measure final state neutron multiplicity in neutrino-nucleus interactions, an important parameter for improving neutrino interaction models. Furthermore, ANNIE serves as a test bed for new detector technologies, predominantly Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors (LAPPDs) and water-based liquid scintillator (WbLS). LAPPDs have benefits over conventional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) including superior time resolution and imaging capabilities - the ability to resolve photon hit positions on the photocathode. These features have the potential to significantly enhance the reconstruction of neutrino interaction position and energy, even with only a small number of LAPPDs. Their fast timing also enables the separation of scintillation and Cherenkov light from the WbLS. ANNIE is the first high energy physics experiment to deploy a multi-LAPPD system. Here, we present an overview of the characterisation, deployment, and integration of the LAPPDs with the wider detector, with a particular focus on unique challenges posed by this novel technology, lessons learned and highlights from early data. This includes the detection of beam neutrinos by multiple LAPPDs.
Speaker: Rory Edwards -
47
Deployment of Water-based Liquid Scintillator in ANNIE
The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) is a neutrino detector at the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab. It is a 26-ton Gadolinium-loaded water Cherenkov detector designed to measure CC interaction cross-sections and neutron multiplicity. In addition, ANNIE serves as a testbed for novel detector technologies amongst which is Water-based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS). WbLS is a novel detection medium that allows the simultaneous detection of scintillation and Cherenkov light. WbLS also allows new techniques of isotope loading in liquid scintillator to enhance detector sensitivity. To test the detection capabilities of WbLS, a 366 L cylindrical vessel, called SANDI, filled with WbLS was deployed in ANNIE in 2023 for two months. The successful observation of both scintillation and Cherenkov light in ANNIE corresponds to a proof-of-concept for the hybrid event detection concept. Additionally, SANDI was redeployed with Gd-loaded WbLS in fall 2024 to investigate the enhanced neutron detection capabilities. Here, an overview of the WbLS activity in ANNIE is presented.
Speaker: Amala Augusthy (JGU Mainz) -
48
Design and performance of a direct charge-collecting pixel sensor for gaseous beam monitors
The beam monitoring system, known as the eyes of the accelerators, is an essential part of the accelerator facilities. Its function is to monitor the beam parameters to improve the beam quality. The gaseous detector with direct charge collecting pixel readout shows excellent potential for non-destructive beam monitoring since it can provide high spatial resolution and handle high flux beam rates.
In this paper, a novel silicon pixel sensor that can directly collect charge in the gas media has been designed for future gaseous beam monitoring systems. This pixel sensor has a total size of 23 mm × 2.24 mm. The sensitive area contains 28 (row)×768 (col) of 29μm square pixels. Each pixel can collect the charge directly with the exposed topmost metal layer of the CMOS process as the charge sensing pad. Then, the in-pixel charge-sensitive amplifier converts the charges to an analogue signal, and the peak holding circuit captures the peak of the analogue signal for readout.
The pixel array is divided into 16 banks. The readout control adopts a rolling shutter scanning method, where each bank scans all its pixels simultaneously and sequentially to output the energy information off-chip. Performance evaluation shows that each pixel can measure charge up to ~20ke, and the conversion gain is ~35.2mV/ke-. The Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) is relatively low, from 70e- to 100e-. The Integrity Nonlinearity is only ~1.08% in the measurement range.
Speaker: Dr Xiaoyang Niu (Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) -
49
Design of the readout electronics for the engineering model of the HERD-TRD
The High Energy Radiation Detection Facility (HERD) is a flagship space astronomy and particle astrophysics experiment of the Chinese Cosmic Lighthouse Program, which will be installed at the China Space Station in 2027. HERD will plan a decade-long experiment in orbit for dark matter detection, cosmic ray energy measurement and high-energy gamma-ray detection. The high-energy cosmic ray energy detection in the HERD experiment will reach the PeV range for the first time. To fulfil the accuracy of the energy detection, the transition radiation detector (TRD), one of the critical HERD detectors, will be mounted on the windward side of the load to calibrate the TeV energy range of the electromagnetic calorimeter. The TRD system comprises six detector units, six front-end readout electronics (FEEs), one back-end electronics, and six high-voltage units. The TRD utilizes a sealed gas detector design. The FEE uses 4 SAMPA ASICs to read 128 anode signals. To improve the detection accuracy, the FEE will realize an on-orbit adjustable dynamic range of 0-500 fC. The FEE design has progressed to the engineering model stage, and the FEE has carried out a series of irradiation-resistant designs. Comprehensive tests have been performed on the readout electronics. The test results indicate that the readout electronics have reached good performance. We are preparing for joint tests with TRD using radioactive sources, cosmic rays, X-rays, etc. These will be demonstrated at the conference.
Speakers: Jieyu Zhu (Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)), Haibo Yang (Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)) -
50
Development of a Prototype Detector System for AI-assisted Online Dose Monitoring in VHEE Radiation Therapy
A method for real-time, in vivo verification of dose delivery during Very High Energy Electron (VHEE) therapy is presented. The method involves detecting Bremsstrahlung radiation emitted when VHEE beams interact with matter, using LYSO scintillation detectors coupled to photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). A cylindrical polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom was irradiated with 80 and 150 MeV electron pencil beams at the Beam Test Facility in Frascati (INFN). Two detectors placed orthogonally to the beam axis measured emitted Bremsstrahlung photons, with lead collimators selecting perpendicular photons. A motorized stage moved the phantom longitudinally to collect data along the beam path. A Continuous Normalizing Flow neural network predicted the delivered dose based on the measured radiation distribution. The spatial distribution of detected events along the beam path agreed with GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations, confirming the detector system's accuracy. The predicted dose from the neural network also showed good agreement with Monte Carlo-calculated doses, demonstrating the system's capability to reliably measure dose distributions in the phantom. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using Bremsstrahlung radiation detection and neural network modeling for real-time, in vivo dose verification in VHEE therapy. Future work will focus on designing and constructing a prototype for three-dimensional dose distribution measurement to enhance treatment quality assurance
Speaker: Francesco Urso (University of Pisa) -
51
Development of an active converter pair spectrometer for the future search for $\mu^+\to e^+\gamma$
Plans for a future experiment to search for $\mu^+\to e^+\gamma $ are now under discussion. To achieve $\mathcal{O}(10^{-15})$ sensitivity, developing a photon detector with good resolutions and high rate capability is crucial. Therefore, we are considering using a pair spectrometer for photon detection, which offers better resolution and higher rate capability than a calorimeter. The principle of a photon pair spectrometer involves converting photons into electron-positron pairs in a converter and measuring the daughter particles' momentum, position, and timing.
In order to achieve the best resolution with a reasonable conversion probability, we will use an active material for the converter, which enables the measurement of the energy deposit in the converter. The performance of a converter prototype, consisting of a LYSO scintillator and SiPM for the readout, was tested in a 3 GeV electron beam test.
The results show that an active converter with LYSO achieved a good time resolution of 30 - 35 ps and detection of several thousand photoelectrons, surpassing the requirements for an active converter (40 ps and 700 photoelectrons). Therefore, we conclude that LYSO is a suitable material for an active converter of the photon pair spectrometer of the next generation $\mu^+\to e^+\gamma $ search experiment.Speaker: Rei SAKAKIBARA (The University of Tokyo) -
52
Enhancing Scintillation Efficiency of Scintillator Nanocomposites
The European Pathfinder project Unicorn aims to advance radiation detection
techniques through the development of novel nanoparticle-based scintillating
materials. This work explores the scintillation properties of inorganic
scintillator nanocrystals embedded in polymer or glass matrices, aiming at applications
in gamma and beta decay detection. This research employs a numerical
simulation framework of GEANT4 to examine the effects of key optical
parameters such as the absorption and overall scattering on the light transport
within the composite and the overall scintillation performance of nanocomposites.
This work is complemented by experimental studies which aim to assess
the absorption and overall light scattering of produced nanocomposite samples
and decouple the two main components of scattering: Rayleigh and Mie. The
decoupling is done using a combination of experimental measurements of transmittance
with a plug-in integrating sphere and additional numerical simulations
of light transport. Ultimately, this work contributes to the development of efficient
scintillator nanocomposites, paving the way for enhanced radiation detection
capabilities in various applications, including high-energy physics, medical
imaging and search for rare events, in particular for neutrinoless double beta
decay.Speaker: Vojtech Zabloudil (Czech Technical University in Prague (CZ)) -
53
Expected performance of the ALPIDE pixel layers in ALICE FoCal
The ALICE Forward Calorimeter upgrade (ALICE FoCal) will be installed for LHC Run 4 with the physics goal to probe hadronic matter, its gluon density and the parton distribution functions at Bjorken-x of 10^(-6) and below. The detector - a 20-layer electromagnetic Si-W sampling calorimeter and a copper + scintillating fiber hadronic calorimeter in 'spaghetti' design - will cover a pseudo-rapidity range of 3.2 < η < 5.8 at a distance of 7 m from the interaction point.
Single, isolated photons will be used as the main detection channel, and the signal of their electromagnetic showers has to be discriminated against background from two-photon decays of neutral mesons. Two layers with ALPIDE sensors (pixel size approx. 27 x 29 µm²) will be installed in the electromagnetic calorimeter at layer 5 and 10 to resolve two photon showers on the mm-scale and to identify one-photon showers.
In this talk we will present the expected performance of the FoCal pixel layers. We will compare results from testbeams with detector simulations, including studies on the single photon discrimination power and the shower position resolution. Furthermore, we will discuss expected hit rates and occupancies, as well as expected dead times from so-called BUSY violations. Potential mitigation strategies for this effect (e.g. operating ALPIDEs with back-bias voltage) and corresponding test results from beamtests will also be subject to this talk.
Speaker: Jie Yi (Central China Normal University CCNU (CN)) -
54
Exploiting Pulse Shape Discrimination for Dual-Readout Calorimetry based on Inorganic Scintillating Crystals
Inorganic scintillating crystals are used in high-energy physics to build homogeneous calorimeters with an energy resolution for electromagnetic particles significantly better than traditional sampling calorimeters. However, for hadronic particles, the event-by-event fluctuations of the electromagnetic fraction of hadronic showers (fem) deteriorate the performance of the calorimeter. To adress this issue, dual-readout calorimetry can be exploited to estimate the fem on an event basis by extracting the scintillation and Cherenkov contributions of the signal. Instead of using two photodetectors or different materials to extract the signal’s contributions as usually proposed, the presented study shows the possibility and effectiveness of the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) with a single photodetector readout. A testbeam has been done at CERN SPS facility with a prototype made of PbWO4 crystal. The presentation will discuss both Monte-Carlo simulations and testbeam results where the PSD feasibility has been exploited on a homogeneous electromagnetic calorimeter made of a PbWO4 crystal which leads to a better energy resolution for hadrons and particle identification.
Speaker: Julie Genevieve Delenne (Universite de Strasbourg (FR)) -
55
Exploring the High-Energy Universe with Novel Photodetectors
Water Cherenkov detectors (WCDs) are key in exploring high-energy astrophysical phenomena, offering a lower-cost and accessible alternative to space-based instruments for detecting high-energy particles. In this contribution, I will introduce a novel photodetector technique, a smaller and cost-effective alternative to the traditionally used large photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). We present the tests performed at the University of Leicester, employing a custom-built water Cherenkov detector—an IBC tank filled with de-ionised water, featuring downward-facing 3-inch PMT coupled with wavelength-shifting (WLS) plates.
In parallel, GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations are being conducted to model the performance of this new configuration. The unit is designed as an alternative to conventional larger PMTs to identify hadronic events while offering significant cost savings, for WCDs like those envisaged for the Southern Widefield Gamma Ray Observatory (SWGO)
Speaker: Jazmin Stewart -
56
FASER tracker performance
FASER is located 480 meters from the ATLAS interaction point, along the collision axis. The tracking system of the FASER detector consists of four identical tracker stations made from silicon microstrip detectors. It's designed to be able to measure trajectory of charged particles to search for long-lived particles such as dark photons or axion-like particles and study collider neutrino which is the highest energetic human-made. This talk covers the basic performance of the tracker detector over three years of LHC operational experience, focusing on its efficiency, long-term stability and results from track alignment study.
Speaker: Yue Xu (University of Washington (US)) -
57
Four-Stage Diamond Spectrometer for Low-Energy Proton Identification
Thin planar single-crystal chemical vapour deposition (sCVD) diamond sensors enabled the development of a multi-stage spectrometer capable of measuring low-energy protons in the range of 2 MeV to 20 MeV. In this study, a CIVIDEC B14 Diamond Telescope Detector was utilised to analyse a proton beam generated by neutron interactions with a polyethylene converter. This shows the background suppression capabilities of the spectrometer. The experimental data was compared with Geant4 simulations for a proton beam with a Gaussian energy distribution of (12.7 ± 0.5) MeV. The comparison shows an excellent agreement between the measurement and simulation, allowing for a detailed study of the proton interaction with sCVD diamond. The capabilities and limitations of the proton spectrometer will be evaluated and presented in this paper.
Speaker: Julian Melbinger -
58
Gain suppression induced in LGAD detectors by tightly focused ultrashort laser pulses
Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) are particle detectors with a moderate gain (< 20) optimized for high energy physics experiments. Gain in these sensors is controlled by bias voltage but it depends also on the other factors such as temperature and charge density generated in the gain layer. When the laser pulses are used to study LGADs, charge density strongly depends on the beam parameters. The same laser intensity can induce different charge density across the gain layer if the focusing parameters vary. It is known that higher ionization densities cause reduction of the gain and this effect has been already investigated. Here, we present extension of the previous gain suppression studies showing that, not only spatial, but also temporal distribution of the laser pulses play a role. In addition, we demonstrate both effects at several different wavelengths commonly used in characterization of the silicon detectors.
Speaker: Ms Danijela Mrkic (University of Montenegro) -
59
GEM detectors for AMBER - From triggered to free streaming readout
The AMBER experiment at CERN’s SPS explores fundamental questions in hadron physics using high-
energy muon, pion, kaon, and hadron beams. With successfully completing its first physics run in 2023
and 2024, AMBER will provide valuable data for dark matter searches by measuring the antiproton
production cross section on hydrogen, deuterium and helium targets. Looking ahead, the experiment
will carry out its first measurement of the proton electric form factor in 2025 through elastic muon-
proton scattering. Central to all measurement are the newly developed large-size planar GEM detectors,
which are crucial for tracking particles at small scattering angles.
For the antiproton production measurements, the detectors operated with APV25-based, triggered read-
out electronics. The proton form factor measurement will employ a self-triggering readout system em-
ploying the VMM3a frontend chip. Extensive tests have been conducted comparing the noise perfor-
mance of both systems. A full-scale prototype using 48 VMM3a chips was successfully tested in 2023,
and a comparison test with the triggered readout electronics was conducted in 2024.
This presentation will display a comprehensive comparison of detector performance with both readout
systems, based on data from the 2023 and 2024 test runs.Speaker: Jan Bjorn Paschek (University of Bonn (DE)) -
60
High Granularity Readout Time Projection Chamber R&D for Future Circular e+e- Collider
The Circular Electron Positron Collider accelerator Technical Design Report (TDR), as a Higgs and high luminosity Z factory, has been released in 2023 at Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS in China. The baseline design of a detector concept consists of a large 3D tracking system, which is a high precision (about 100μm) spatial resolution Time Projection Chamber (TPC) detector as the main track embedded in a 3.0T solenoid field, especially for the accelerator operating at High luminosity Tera-Z. TPC requires the longitudinal time resolution (<100ns) and the physics goals require PID resolution (<3%).
In this talk, we will present the feasibility and progress of the high precision TPC technology for Circular Electron Positron Collider, even at Tera-Z. The fundamental parameters such as the spatial resolution, PID with the good separation power using the cluster counting and the drift velocity were studied by the simulation and measurement using a TPC prototype with 500mm drift length. Compared with the pad readout using the simulation, the high granularity readout TPC option will obtain the better spatial resolution of single electrons, the very high detection efficiency in excellent tracking and good PID performance (less than 3σ). The results of track reconstruction performance and dE/dx were given.We will review the track reconstruction performance results and summarize the next steps towards TPC R&D for CEPC physics and detector TDR stage.
Speaker: Huirong Qi (Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS) -
61
High-precision alpha spectroscopy using solid-state detectors
Single-crystal chemical vapour deposition (sCVD) diamond detectors are known for their high radiation hardness and excellent performance at elevated temperatures. Recent results have shown that silicon carbide (SiC) sensors are promising candidates for particle spectroscopy in demanding environments. In this study, we present a comparative analysis of the achievable energy resolution of sCVD and SiC detectors compared to standard silicon (Si) detectors. To do so, alpha spectroscopy is performed, a reliable technique for calibrating newly developed detectors. The measurements were conducted in a vacuum environment of $10^{-3}$ mbar using an unsealed $^{241}\text{Am}$ alpha-particle source and CIVIDEC’s high-resolution data acquisition system, ROSY® AX106. The experimental results are compared to Geant4 simulations. Additionally, the impact of gold (Au) and titanium (Ti) electrodes on the achievable energy resolution is examined.
Speaker: Divya Divya (Vienna University of Technology (AT)) -
62
HRPPD photosensors for RICH detectors with a high resolution timing capability
High Rate Picosecond Photodetectors (HRPPDs) are Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) based DC-coupled photosensors recently introduced by Incom, Inc. that have an active area of 104 mm by 104 mm, pixel pitch 3.25 mm, peak quantum efficiency in excess of 30%, exceptionally low dark count rates and timing resolution on the order of 30-40 ps for a single photon detection. As such, these photosensors are very well suited for Ring Imaging CHerenkov (RICH) detectors that can also provide high resolution timing capability, especially in a configuration where a detected charged particle passes through the sensor window which produces a localized flash containing a few dozens of Cherenkov photons in it.
Recently, a new version of HRPPDs has been developed that were substantially re-designed for use at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) , which will be sited at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the US. A first batch of seven “EIC HRPPDs” was manufactured in early 2024. Results of a systematic evaluation of these first EIC HRPPD tiles, including gain and quantum efficiency (QE) uniformity, timing resolution, and dark count rates (DCR) will be the main focus of this talk.
Speaker: Dr Alexey Lyashenko -
63
Hybrid production status of the CMS Outer Tracker for the Phase-2 Upgrade
During the LHC Long Shutdown 3 the CMS detector will undergo a major Phase-2 upgrade, to cope with the challenging environment of the High Luminosity LHC. The upgraded Phase-2 Outer Tracker (OT) is designed to have increased granularity and radiation tolerance with respect to the previous silicon strip tracker and the capability to handle higher data rates. A new feature of the upgraded OT, essential for future CMS physics studies, is to provide tracking information to the Level 1 CMS trigger. This feature requires a reduction of the data at the front-end level which was a key factor in the design of the OT p$_\mathrm{T}$ modules. The OT will consist of two module types, the strip-strip (2S) and the pixel-strip (PS) modules. Both module types are built around two closely spaced sensors: the 2S modules consist of two strip sensors, two front-end hybrids and a service hybrid, whereas the PS modules consist of a strip and a macro pixelated-strip sensor, two front-end hybrids, a readout hybrid and a power hybrid. The pre-series production of the OT hybrids was assessed and issues that were identified in the kick-off production were resolved. Improvements in the assembly process of the hybrids were also established. In this contribution, the quality control procedures of the OT hybrids and the status of the pre-series and the series production will be reported, together with the issues and their solutions.
Speaker: Martin Lipinski (RWTH Aachen University (DE)) -
64
INITIAL TESTING OF AN ION-ACOUSTIC DOSE-DEPOSITION MAPPING SYSTEM FOR LhARA
LhARA, the Laser-hybrid Accelerator for Radiobiological Applications, is a proposed facility designed to advance the study of pre-clinical radiation biology using proton and ion beams. The accelerator is intended to deliver various dose rates including ultra-high dose rates, necessitating real-time measurement of the dose distribution to minimize uncertainties. To meet this requirement, a detector has been developed harnessing the acoustic waves and luminescence produced by the energy deposition within it.
A recent experiment at the Laser-Driven Ion Accelerator (LION) in Munich evaluated the detectors' potential to provide a calibrated 3D dose map. The SmartPhantom, a liquid-filled phantom, has three ports for mounting ultrasound transducers to detect acoustic waves. For calibration, the SmartPhantom is filled with a liquid scintillator, and luminescence is captured by two cameras positioned perpendicular to the beam axis.
Simultaneous optical and acoustic measurements were recorded for incident nominal beam energies in the range 10 to 20 MeV. Various beam widths were generated by positioning collimators with diameters ranging from 2 to 4 mm at the front of the SmartPhantom’s entrance window.
Results indicated a correlation between acoustic and optical signals generated by the proton beam energy deposition in the liquid scintillator under various configurations. This study lays the groundwork for pursuing the goal of an absolute calibration of the 3D dose distribution.
Speaker: Maria Maxouti -
65
large area thermal-bonding Micromegas used in high pressure gaseous TPC of PandaX-III experiment
The high-pressure Xe TPC is a crucial detector technology used in the searching for neutrino-less double beta decays (NLDBD). The PandaX-Ⅲ experiment, located at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory II (CJPL-II), currently employs a 10 bar, 140 kg TPC filled with 90% enriched 136Xe gas to investigate NLDBD. The readout plane of the TPC is comprised of 52 thermal-bonding Micromegas detectors, each measuring 200×200 mm².
Significant improvement has been made in the research on thermal-bonding Micromegas used in PandaX-III. It is the first large-area gaseous detector operating in high-pressure gas, thereby greatly extending the working environment of gaseous detectors. The resistive Ge layer and polishing PCB contributes to higher gain and improved stability. The use of flexible PCBs and other low-radioactivity materials aids in maintaining a low radiopurity background. A fabrication process optimized for mass production of the Micromegas was developed, and more than 52 micromegas detectors had been produced. Testing of the prototype yielded impressive results, demonstrating an energy resolution of 20% at 5.9 keV and a high gain of up to 10^4 in 10 bar Ar/Iso (97.5/2.5). Currently, the detector assembly was completed and calibration using cosmic muons in 1 bar Ar/Iso(97.5/2.5) has been processed. Additionally, an improved version of the thermal-bonding Micromegas, characterized by lower radioactivity and better stability has been developed for future upgradation.Speaker: Yunzhi Peng (USTC) -
66
Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor with multidimensional measurement for future experiments at HIAF
The High-Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) is a leading platform for heavy-ion scientific research in China. Currently, several significant physics experiments are being constructed at HIAF, including the Electron-Ion Collider in China (EicC), the All-Silicon High Energy Spectrometer, and the High Energy Fragment Separator (HFRS). The Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) are extensively utilized in these projects, especially for vertex and tracking detectors. This presentation will focus on the recent progress in MAPS development for the physics terminals at HIAF.
The Nupix-A series sensors are specifically designed for vertex detectors and provide accurate position measurements. The latest generation of the A-series features a 128 x 128 pixel array with a pixel pitch of 30 μm. It includes a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) array with an SPI interface, as well as Digital Control logic that operates at 40 MHz. Preliminary tests indicate that this sensor achieves an Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) of ~30 e-. With a pixel size of 30 μm, it can provide a spatial resolution of ~5 μm.
To address the requirements of multi-dimensional measurements, including position, time and energy, we have developed the H-series based on the GSMC 130 nm quadra-well process. The latest generation sensor of the H-series has a total size of approximately 2.3 cm × 1.5 cm, containing a pixel array of 256 × 448. Each pixel measures 45 μm × 45 μm, which is expected to provide a spatial resolution of better than 10 μm. Each pixel can measure energy deposition up to 15 ke- with the Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) of ~ 50 to 100 e-. Furthermore, this MAPS supports continuous readout with a novel reset scheme for each super-pixel, allowing for a time resolution of better than 10 ns.
Speaker: Huang Ju (IMPCAS) -
67
New high-Z organic scintillators for total-body SPECT and theranostic dosimetry
SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography) is a nuclear imaging diagnostic exam that involves the administration of a radiopharmaceutical that specifically links to the tumor cells while emitting gamma rays, allowing for cancer detection. Typical SPECT detectors involve monolithic inorganic crystals combined with PMT matrices for the readout.
In this contribution we present a new total-body SPECT gamma detector that exploits organic scintillators enriched with high-Z impurities with concentrations up to 10%, to profit from an extremely fast scintillation signal, low cost and ease of manipulation while ensuring the photoelectric interaction probability needed for good diagnostic efficiency. The reSPECT detection system will consist of a 3D-printed tungsten collimator that also serves as a container for the scintillator segments organized in a grid geometry. A custom readout based on the CMOS technology and tuned for fast scintillation events, with an independent channel for each scintillator, will be designed to handle the high event rate, allowing for possible applications in advanced theragnostic. Multiple FPGA-based modules will pre-process the data in real-time. Additionally, the Silicon-based readout guarantees the compliance with MRI scans.
In this contribution we will show the expected performances of the reSPECT detection system, evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations, and the results of the experimental tests carried out with the scintillator prototypes.Speaker: Mattia Bonuso (CREF-INFN) -
68
Next-Generation multi-element monolithic germanium detectors for spectroscopy
The XAFS-DET package of the European LEAPS-INNOV project has undertaken an exciting initiative to develop a multi-element monolithic germanium detector for applications requiring spectroscopy-grade detectors like X-ray Fluorescence or X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy. These detectors incorporate 1) a new germanium sensors with an optimized design to reject charge sharing events and two different pixel sizes (5 and 20 mm2); 2) an optimized mechanical design based on thermal simulation; and 3) a complete new electronic chain, featuring a low-noise four-channel TETRA preamplifier, a front-end and a back-end board, to handle high X-ray count rates (20 to 250 kcps/mm2) across a broad X-ray energy range (5-100 keV). We have also developed and validated a complete simulation chain based on the Geant4 library and SolidStateDetectors.jl package to study the detector performance. This presentation will make an overview of the detector development and on the latest progresses, which include the electronics and sensors site acceptance tests, and the current detector integration tests at ESRF facility.
Speaker: nishu goyal (SOLEIL synchrotron) -
69
Optical readout Micromegas for monitoring medical pencil scanning proton beams and radiotherapy gamma ray
Micro-pattern gaseous detectors (MPGDs), when integrated with optical imaging sensors, have been proven to effectively and accurately capture radiation beam information. To address the challenges of monitoring the dose and profile of medical pencil proton beams, which have a high density of greater than 109 Hz/cm2, an optical readout micro-mesh gaseous structure (ORM) was proposed. A Micromegas prototype was manufactured with a glass substrate coated with transparent indium tin oxide as the detector anode. Its effective area is 25 cm × 25 cm. The ORM was firstly characterized with an Iron-55 X-ray source (55Fe) and a silver target X-ray tube individually, high gain greater than 104, and spatial resolution of 400 µm (10% MTF) were achieved. The prototype was then tested with the medical pencil proton beams. The evaluation revealed linear dose responses exceeding 99% (R-squared value) for both single-point and nine-point beam spots at various beam energies and doses. The size and center position deviation of the nine-point spot measurement were within 0.35 mm and 1 mm, respectively, indicating the good potential of this method for MPPB spot quality assurance. The prototype also conducted radiotherapy gamma ray testing, and it allows for more accurate measurement of rising edges. In addition, by adding appropriate conversion layers, ORM is expected to be extended to monitor other types of high-throughput beams.
Speaker: Cong Liu Liu -
70
Production and characterization of the Mu3e Tile detector sensor matrices
The goal of the Mu3e experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Switzerland) is to search for the rare charged-lepton flavour-violating decay $\mu^{+} \rightarrow e^{+} e^{+} e^{-}$, the observation of which would be an unambigous sign of physics beyond the Standard Model.
Aiming for the ultimate sensitivity of O($10^{-16}$), Mu3e will improve upon the previous searches by four orders of magnitude. The scintillating tile detector (SciTile), located at the end of the recurling particle trajectories, is one of the timing systems of the Mu3e experiment. The detector consists of two stations, shaped as hollow cylinders enclosing the beam pipe, realized in a modular concept. The base unit of SciTile is a $4\times4$ sensor matrix, which consists of 16 scintillating tiles and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) on a printed circuit board for connecting the matrix to the readout electronics.
We present the developed procedures for production of the detector components, machines used to pack the scintillating tiles in laser-cut ESR foil and assembly of the tiles onto the SiPM matrices. Furthermore, the characterization of the SiPM matrices, including testing the basic parameters such as breakdown voltage, gain and noise, as well as the characterization of the fully assembled SciTile matrices will be discussed. Finally, the performance of the SciTile detector within the setup of the Mu3e experiment at PSI using cosmic data will be presented.Speaker: Dr Elizaveta Nazarova (Kirchhof Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg) -
71
Readout Electronics for MUSIC Detectors in HFRS at HIAF
High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) project is being constructed by the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. A High energy FRagment Separator (HFRS) at HIAF was designed to study the properties of rare isotopes far away from the line of beta stability and their involved nuclear reactions of astrophysics interests. HFRS utilizes the Bρ-TOF-ΔE method for high magnetic rigidity, large ion-optical acceptance, and excellent particle identification, commonly used in nuclear fragmentation secondary beam devices. Among them, the energy loss detector ΔE is the key to particle identification. The energy loss detector is designed using the multiple sampling ionization chamber (MUSIC). It can significantly improve the energy resolution of the gas ionization chamber through multiple samplings. Each MUSIC detector has 9 channels, including 8 anode channels and 1 cathode channel for correction. The readout electronics consist of 9 charge sensitive amplifiers (CSA) modules, a readout control module (RCM), and the sub-clock module. In addition, one high-voltage power supply provides a bias voltage for the field cages. The measured data is transmitted to the DAQ system via 10 GSPS optical fiber. The readout electronics have been manufactured and are undergoing comprehensive electrical performance testing and preparations for joint experiments with radiation sources and beams with the MUSIC detector. The test results will be reported during the conference.
Speakers: Haibo Yang (Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)), Mr Hao Quan (Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Jieyu Zhu (Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)) -
72
Research on neutron radiation-induced damage of diamond detector
The High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) upgrade will increase instantaneous luminosity to more than five times its previous level, enhancing the precision of Higgs boson studies and expanding the potential for new physics discoveries. Synthetic single-crystal diamond (SCD), known for its superior radiation hardness, is a promising candidate for the proposed Mini-FCal in ATLAS detector.
In this study, SCDs were fabricated into detector modules and exposed to high-dose fast neutron irradiation up to 3.3×10¹⁷ n/cm², equivalent to the total radiation dose expected over ten years of operation in the forward region of ATLAS detector. Following the validation of the radiation resistance of SCDs, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) were employed to investigate crystal defects induced by high-dose neutron irradiation in high-quality SCDs.
Various irradiation-induced defects were directly imaged at the atomic scale, and their distribution was analyzed. EELS analysis further revealed the sp³-to-sp² phase transition of diamond structures caused by irradiation, along with the spatial distribution of these transitions. Additionally, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the dynamic processes of neutron-induced damage in diamond crystals.
This study deepens our comprehension of radiation damage in SCD and provides further references for applications in diamond detectors.Speaker: Prof. Ming Qi (Nanjing University (CN)) -
73
Searching for sub-GeV particle dark matter with Spherical Proportional Counters
The NEWS-G collaboration is searching for light dark matter using spherical proportional counters. Access to 50 MeV to 10 GeV mass range is enabled by the combination of single electron threshold, light gaseous targets (H, He, Ne), and highly radio-pure detector construction. Most recently, new constraints on spin-dependent interactions of dark matter with protons were obtained with the commissioning data of a 140 cm in diameter spherical proportional counter, S140, constructed at LSM using 4N copper with 500 μm electroplated inner layer. The detector currently operates in SNOLAB, with the first physics data-taking campaign recently completed. The latest physics results will be presented along with the recent developments on the detector instrumentation, namely individual read-out of the multi-anode sensor and electroformation techniques. The path towards DarkSPHERE, a large-scale spherical proportional counter fully electroformed underground at the Boulby Underground Laboratory will be discussed.
Speaker: Konstantinos Nikolopoulos (Hamburg University (DE)) -
74
Simulating Monolithic Silicon Sensors in a 65 nm CMOS Imaging Technology
Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) developed in a 65 nm CMOS imaging process offer a cost-effective alternative to hybrid pixel sensors by eliminating flip-chip bonding and enabling a reduced material budget through thinner active sensor layers. The TANGERINE project aims to develop a 65 nm MAPS sensor, with small collection electrode, optimized for future lepton colliders and beam telescopes. This project covers all aspects of sensor R\&D, from electronics and sensor design using simulations, to prototype test chip characterization in labs and at test beams.
Predicting the behavior of these silicon sensors is challenging due to the complex interplay between the doping regions, which leads to non-linear electric fields. Therefore, precise simulations are important for predicting sensor performance and guiding design improvements. The strategy for the simulations involves combining the Monte Carlo method with electric field simulations using Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) with generic doping profiles.
The simulation results are presented alongside a detailed workflow. Key performance metrics, such as detection efficiency, cluster size, and spatial resolution, are analyzed to evaluate different pixel layouts, including a comparison between square and hexagonal geometries. Additionally, transient simulations modeling the time-dependent response of detectors to incident particles are also presented.
Speaker: Larissa Mendes -
75
The ATLAS RPC Phase II upgrade for High Luminosity LHC era
Resistive Plate Chamber detectors play a crucial role in triggering events with muons in the ATLAS central region. In view of the HL-LHC program, this system is facing a significant upgrade. In the next few years, 306 triplets of new generation RPCs will be installed in the innermost region of the ATLAS Muon Barrel Spectrometer, increasing the number of tracking layers from 6 to 9, doubling the trigger lever arm and increasing the coverage. The new BI-RPC have an improved rate capability up to 10 kHz/cm$^2$ to withstand the HL-LHC conditions. This contribution will present an overview of the ATLAS RPC Phase II project, the qualification of gas volumes and read out planes, the present status of RPC singlets production and tests.
Speaker: Gregorio Falsetti (Universita della Calabria e INFN (IT)) -
76
The ePIC Silicon Vertex Tracker IB-OB: design and first thermal-mechanical tests.
The future Electron Ion Collider (EIC) will offer a unique opportunity to explore the parton distributions inside nucleons
and nuclei thanks to an unprecedented luminosity, a wide range of energies, a large choice of nuclei
and polarization of both beams. The electron Proton-Ion Collider (ePIC) detector will be capable of precise determination
of the position of primary and secondary vertexes, essential e.g. for the identification of charm hadrons, which have typical
decay lengths of the order of 100 microns, via topological cuts, giving access to the gluon distribution inside hadrons.
This measurement capability is achieved with a Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) placed as the innermost device in the ePIC experiment.
The SVT Inner and Outer Barrel (IB,OB), developed by a collaboration of Italy-UK-USA institutes, provide five detecting layers
made of silicon detectors, using the 65 nm MAPS technology with stitching, pioneered by the ALICE collaboration for the ITS3 upgrade.
The IB main focus is on vertexing performance. It is made of three layers of wafer-scale sensors
bent to a cylindrical shape. The OB, composed of two layers, mainly contributes to the particle momentum
measurement and it is equipped with a smaller version of the IB sensor mounted in a typical
stave configuration. The status of the design and first results of tests performed on thermal-mechanical
mock-ups of the detector will be presented.Speaker: Sabrina Ciarlantini (INFN Padova) -
77
The fast X-ray detector system of the FAMU experiment at RAL
The FAMU experiment at RIKEN-RAL has been devised to measure with high precision (better than 1%) the proton Zemach radius in muonic hydrogen, produced from a 55 MeV/c muon beam impinging on a target containing a mixture of H2 and O2 (1.5% in weight). The innovative method is based on a custom MIR laser (working at ~6800 nm) and a fast X-ray detector system. The X-ray detector system in the 2023-2024 data taking is based on LaBr3:Ce crystals with a conventional PMT readout or a SiPM array readout. It is used to detect signal X-rays in the region around 130 keV. To discriminate the delayed X-rays signal from the prompt background a fast timing is needed. To this aim an innovative custom electronics has been developed for the SiPM arrays readout, reducing both signal's falltime (risetime) by a factor three (two). A 8-channels NIM custom module, based on the CAEN A7585D chip, has been developed to correct online the SiPM gain drift with temperature. The presence of detectors with both PMT's and SiPM array's readout in the same experimental setup has allowed useful comparisons. FWHM energy resolutions better than 3% (8%) has been obtained at the CS137 (Co57) peak for the SiPM array readout. This compares with the best results obtained with a conventional PMT readout scheme. Results on both laboratory tests and beam performances of our innovative readout scheme with SiPM arrays will be reported.
Speaker: Maurizio Bonesini (Universita & INFN, Milano-Bicocca (IT)) -
78
The micro-Resistive WELL technology for IDEA apparatus
The project of a circular collider for electrons and positrons (FCC-ee) needs to be completed with a detecting apparatus. The Innovative Detector for Electron-positron Accelerator (IDEA) has been proposed to study with more precision the properties of heavy particles as top, Z, W and H.
From vertex outward, the apparatus is composed of an Inner Tracker and a Drift Chamber surrounded by a magnet, a pre-shower, a calorimeter and eventually the muons system. For the pre-shower and the muon system the technology proposed is presently the micro-Resistive WELL, since its ductility can adapt such detectors to both systems.
The pre-shower asks for less than 100 um space resolution to tag the photons and the neutral pions, while the muon system needs space resolution of the order of 400 um. Another point in favor of this technology is the present technological transfer, fundamental for mass production to cover more than the 1500 m2 planned for the apparatus.
First, we will review the standard 1D tracking performance of the micro-RWELL, including the dependence of spatial resolution on DLC resistivity, strip pitch, and the study of performance for inclined tracks based on micro-TPC reconstruction of track segments inside the detector gas gap. Then, we will report on the R&D of different 2D readout layouts as well as a hybrid GEM-microRWELL layout. All these studies have been conducted over several test beam campaigns performed at the H8-SpS CERN North area during the last years.Speaker: Emma Di Fiore (University of Ferrara) -
79
The PANDA Barrel DIRC: From Design to Assembly
The Barrel DIRC (Detection of internally reflected Cherenkov light)
detector is a key component of the particle identification system for
the PANDA experiment, designed to provide at least 3 standard deviations
of separation between charged pions and kaons up to at least 3.5 GeV/c
for the polar angle range of 22 to 140 degrees.
The detector consists of 16 optically independent sectors. Each sector comprises a bar box and a readout box.
One bar box contains 3 radiator bars, each consisting of 2 synthetic
fused silica bars of 120 cm length glued end-to-end and a flat mirror at
the forward end of each bar. A three-layer spherical lens focuses the Cherenkov photons
on the rear surface of a 30 cm-deep fused silica expansion volume, equipped with
8 microchannel-plate photomultiplier tubes (MCP-PMTs), read out
using fast FPGA-based electronics.
Following the completion of the Technical Design Report in 2017, the
component series production started in 2019. The DIRC radiator bars were fabricated by
Nikon Corp., Japan in 2020/21.
While the detailed quality assurance measurements are ongoing at GSI, the focus
is now on the mechanical design and assembly procedure.
A method to glue the DIRC bars to each other and to the lens has been
developed and prototypes of the container for the DIRC bars and the prism
expansion volume have been produced by industry from low-Z material.
The goal is to build a vertical slice of one Barrel DIRC
sector in preparation for a possible beam test in 2026.Speaker: Georg Schepers (GSI - Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung GmbH (DE)) -
80
Upgrade of the CMS Muon system with triple-GEM detectors: performance of the GE1/1 station and detector design and testing of the ME0 station
The High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will deliver proton-proton collisions at 5 to 7.5 times the nominal LHC luminosity, with an expected number of 140 to 200 pp-interactions per bunch crossing. To maintain the performance of muon triggering and reconstruction under high background, the forward part of the muon spectrometer of the CMS experiment will be upgraded with Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM) and improved Resistive Plate Chambers (iRPC) detectors. A first GEM station (GE1/1), covering about 50m2, was installed during the Long Shutdown 2 (LS2, 2019–2021). Its operation and performance during Run 3 (2022-2025) is described. A second 6-layer station (ME0), covering about 60m2, will extend the pseudo-rapidity coverage of the muon system from |n|<2.4 to |n| <2.8 and will be installed behind the new high-granularity calorimeter (HGCAL) during the third Long Shutdown (LS3, 2026–2028). ME0 will be exposed to a background rate up to 150 kHz/cm2 and it required several design modifications. The design and performance under test with beams and irradiation at the GIF++ facility of a prototype 6-layer stack is discussed, and demonstrates that the prototype can operate in the challenging conditions of HL-LHC. The current status of the production and quality control is presented and shows the readiness for installation in 2027.
Speaker: Marco Buonsante (Universita e INFN, Bari (IT))
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34
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Calorimetry: 2 EI9
EI9
Convener: Shikma Bressler (Weizmann Institute of Science (IL))-
81
Results from the Digital Calorimeter Prototype EPICAL-2
A prototype of a novel digital electromagnetic calorimeter, EPICAL-2, has been developed. The R&D is performed in the context of the ALICE-FoCal and is strongly related to studies of imaging in proton CT. Digital calorimetry also proves promising for future collider projects like EIC, ILC, CLIC, or FCC.
Based on proof of principle with a first prototype, EPCIAL-2 has been constructed as an advanced second prototype. EPICAL-2 consists of 24 layers with alternating tungsten absorbers and ALPIDE MAPS. The design features an active area of approximately $30\, \mathrm{x}\, 30\, \mathrm{mm}^2$ and a depth of 20 radiation lengths, totaling over 25 million pixels.
EPICAL-2 test-beam measurements were performed at DESY in February 2020 and CERN-SPS in September 2021. The DESY test-beam campaign results have been published in [1], showing good energy resolution and linearity.
This contribution will report on the energy resolution and linearity measured at CERN-SPS and compare it to a detailed MC simulation. Furthermore, shower shape studies will be presented, which provide unique feedback to GEANT developers. Finally, studies of the Moliere radius in the EPICAL-2 will be shown.[1] J.Alme et al 2023 JINST 18 P01038
Speaker: Johannes Keul (Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)) -
82
CRILIN: a novel calorimeter proposal for the √s=10 TeV Muon Collider – Simulations and prototype tests results
Among the Future Collider proposals the Muon Collider offers unique advantages for advancing energy frontier research. However, the Beam Induced Background (BIB), from muon decay along the beam pipe, poses a significant challenge for detector design and events reconstruction. Despite the use of Tungsten conical absorbers in the forward regions, an irreducible component of BIB enters the detector, characterized by low momentum and out-of-time arrival component respect the bunch crossing. The BIB flux on the barrel inner face of the electromagnetic calorimeter is about 300 particles per $cm^{2}$, with a total ionizing dose of $10^{-4}$ Grad/y and a neutron fluence of $10^{14} n_{1MeV}cm^{-2}y^{-1}$. To mitigate BIB effects, innovative solutions are needed. One promising development is CRILIN (CRystal calorImeter with Longitudinal INformation), a semi-homogeneous electromagnetic calorimeter based on Lead Fluoride crystals ($PbF_{2}$) read by UV-extended Silicon Photomultipliers. This novel calorimeter proposal, featuring high granularity, longitudinal segmentation and excellent expected timing, offers the potential to mitigate BIB effects and achieve a high energy resolution (less than $10\% \sqrt{E}$). This talk will present simulation results on the performance of CRILIN and recent experimental test results from CRILIN prototype, highlighting its potential in the challenging Muon Collider environment.
Speaker: Carlo Giraldin
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81
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Photon Detectors 2 EI8
EI8
Convener: Etiennette Auffray Hillemanns (CERN)-
83
MARTHA – First measurement results
In order to achieve a pixel diode inherent signal amplification, low-gain avalanche diodes (LGADs) have come into focus of pixel detector developments. However, in contrast to conventional diode arrays, the detector response in the pixel gap areas is still problematic for LGADs.
MARTHA, an acronym for Monolithic Array of Reach Through Avalanche photo diodes, is a novel concept for proportional mode APDs, that provides a 100% fill factor and a high detection efficiency also in the gap regions. An n-doped field drop layer between the n+ pixel structure and an unstructured p-doped multiplication layer suppresses electric field peaks at the pixel edges and leads to a fairly homogeneous amplification over the sensor area.
Edge breakdown suppression could already be demonstrated by static measurements on special diodes. In the following talk we present first dynamic and position dependent measurements on segmented sensors.Speaker: Alexander Bähr -
84
Investigating scintillation performances of ultrafast GAGG and YAG garnets for High-Energy Physics
The development of advanced scintillating materials for electromagnetic calorimeters is a key challenge for future High-Energy Physics (HEP) experiments, particularly in environments with high collision rates, such as the High-Luminosity LHC and next-generation particle colliders. These experiments require scintillators capable of both fast scintillation performance and precise time resolution to ensure accurate energy measurements, event separation and particle identification. Achieving these goals demands materials that combine high light yield ($\geq10^3$ photons/MeV), short scintillation decay times ($\tau_{\mathrm{eff}}\leq10$ ns), and the ability to maintain performance under intense radiation conditions. Garnet-based scintillators, including GAGG:Ce,Mg and YAG:Ce,Mg,Ca, have emerged as strong candidates due to their potential to
fulfill all of the above requirements. In this work, we focus on the ongoing R\&D in the framework of the European Project TWISMA, whose purpose is to develop advanced scintillation materials for calorimeters in HEP. We performed experimental measurements on various YAG and GAGG samples to evaluate both energy and time resolution capabilities. Simulation are performed to complement the experimental results, providing valuable feedback for crystal producers to refine material properties and meet the demands of high-luminosity environments.Speaker: Mr Louis Roux (CERN) -
85
Development and characterization of hybrid MCP-PMT with embedded Timepix4 ASIC used as pixelated anode
An innovative single-photon detector based on a vacuum tube with a photocathode, a microchannel plate, and a Timepix4 CMOS ASIC as its read-out anode is presented. This detector is designed to detect up to 1 billion photons per second over a $7\,cm^2$ active area, achieving simultaneously exceptional position and timing resolutions of $5-10\,\mu m$ and less than $50\,ps$, respectively. Comprising approximately 230,000 pixels equipped with both analog and digital front-end electronics, the Timepix4 ASIC allow to perform measurements using a data-driven architecture and to reach data transmission rates of up to 160 Gb/s.
The configuration and readout of the Timepix4 are controlled by FPGA-based external electronics. Experimental measurements performed using an assembly bonded to a $100\,\mu m$ thick n-on-p Si sensor, illuminated by an infrared pulsed picosecond laser, demonstrated a timing resolution of $110\,ps$ per single pixel hit, accounting for contributions from the silicon substrate. This resolution improves to below $50\,ps$ when considering pixel clusters.
Six detector prototypes with different types of MCP-stacks and end-spoiling depths have been produced by Hamamatsu Photonics. Their characterisation will be presented, including dark count rate, gain, spatial and timing resolution measurements, performed in the lab and in a test-beam campaign at the CERN SPS facility.
Speaker: Riccardo Bolzonella (University of Ferrara and INFN) -
86
First results of the PICosecond subMICrometer (PICMIC) concept
The PICosecond subMICron (PICMIC) is a new detection concept that intends to simultaneously exploit the remarkable intrinsic spatial and time precision of the MicroChannel Plate (MCP) detectors. The concept is itself made of two new ones. The first is similar in principle to the GPS system and allows, with a limited number of electronic channels, a precise measurement of the arrival time of particles crossing the MCP. The second, conceived to measure the position of these particles, uses tiny pixels that are interconnected in an original way. The new scheme leads to an excellent granularity without suffering of the usual ambiguity encountered in the strip-based readout systems while operated with a much smaller number of electronic channels with respect to a pixel-based readout one.
Both the spatial and the time measurement systems were individually tested and validated before to be assembled in a first prototype. The prototype equipped with an alpha source allowed the validation of the whole concept. We present in this paper the PICMIC concept, the realization of the two measurement systems as well as the first results obtained with the prototype and how we intend to trasnsofrm it into a photon detector preserving the excellent MCP spatial granularity.
Speaker: Imad Laktineh (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR))
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83
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Semiconductor General 2 EI7
EI7
Convener: Manqi Ruan (Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN))-
87
Unusual annealing of charge collection efficiency of silicon strip detectors, ATLAS18, irradiated to high fluences with 24 GeV/c protons
Extensive studies of effects of annealing at 60°C on charge collection efficiency were made during development and production of sensors for ATLAS ITk strip detector. After irradiation with neutrons or low energy protons, at bias voltages below ~ 900 V, “typical” annealing behaviour was observed: beneficial effect of short term annealing was followed by a drop of charge collection efficiency at longer annealing times.
After irradiation with high energy 24 GeV/c protons at CERN IRRAD facility usual annealing was observed at low fluences but not at high fluence. Charge collection was measured with 320 µm thick n-in-p type strip detectors, ATLAS18, using Alibava system. After first few tens of minutes at 60°C, annealing was beneficial at low fluences, but at high fluences charge collection efficiency didn’t increase. It stayed unchanged or even dropped. Edge-TCT measurements indicated that the unusual annealing may be related to the double peak electric field profile in the detector. The double peak profile is caused by polarization of space charge within the depleted region. Different annealing of positively and negatively charged defects may result in the observed annealing behaviour of charge collection.
In this contribution results of charge collection and E-TCT measurements with detectors irradiated with 24 GeV/c protons will be presented. Edge-TCT annealing study after irradiation with low energy protons will be shown and compared with high energy proton results.Speaker: Igor Mandic (Jozef Stefan Institute (SI)) -
88
Radiation tolerance and annealing studies using test-structure diodes from 8-inch silicon sensors for CMS HGCAL
To face the higher levels of radiation due to the 10-fold increase in integrated luminosity during the H-L LHC, the CMS detector will replace the current endcap calorimeters with the new High-Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL). The electromagnetic section as well as the high-radiation regions of the hadronic section of the HGCAL (fluences above 1.0e14 neq/cm2) will be equipped with silicon pad sensors, covering a total area of 620 m2. Fluences up to 1.0e16 neq/cm2 and doses up to 1.5 MGy are expected. The whole HGCAL will operate at -35°C in order to mitigate the effects of radiation damage. The sensors are processed on novel 8-inch p-type wafers with an active thickness of 300 μm, 200 μm and 120 μm and cut into hexagonal shapes for optimal use of the wafer area and tiling. With each main sensor several small sized test structures (e.g pad diodes) are hosted on the wafers, used for quality assurance and radiation hardness tests. In order to investigate the radiation-induced bulk damage, these diodes have been irradiated with neutrons at JSI (Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana) to fluences between 2.0e15 and 1.5e16 neq/cm2. In this talk electrical characterisation and charge collection measurements of the irradiated silicon diodes will be presented. The study focuses on the isothermal annealing behaviour of the bulk material at temperatures of 6.5°C, 20°C, 40°C and 60°C.
Speaker: Oliwia Agnieszka Kaluzinska (KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE)) -
89
Semiconductor Detector End-to-end Simulations with Allpix Squared: Latest Features and Ongoing Developments
Allpix Squared is a versatile open-source simulation framework for semiconductor detectors, enabling detailed end-to-end simulations for both single sensors and more complex setups. While originally developed for silicon pixel detectors in HEP, the framework is capable of simulating several detector types, semiconductor materials, and geometries for a variety of applications in e.g. space and synchrotrons. It also takes advantage of multi-processor architectures for fully parallel event simulation.
The framework is based on an extensible system of modules that implement simulation steps. Modules include an interface to Geant4 for describing the interaction of particles with matter, various algorithms for charge transport in the sensor, and digitisation of the signals in the front-end electronics. A new interface to SPICE is being developed for more sophisticated front-end simulations. Detailed field, potential, and doping maps imported from TCAD simulations can be used to accurately model the motion and recombination behaviour of charge carriers. In addition new physical models such as impact ionization and trapping have been integrated. Simulation of gain layers and 3D sensors are possible, and actively used in the community.
This contribution will give an overview of the framework and its components, and highlight recent additions and ongoing developments. Example simulations carried out with the framework will be shown to demonstrate its versatility and predictive power.
Speaker: Håkan Wennlöf (Nikhef) -
90
Organic Semiconductor Detectors For Alpha and Neutron Detection
Organic technologies are of active scientific interest due to their tuneable, scalable, and cost-effective nature. I will present radiation sensors based on organic semiconductor technology, particularly applications related to detection of hadronic radiation consisting of α radiation and thermal and fast neutrons. Neutron detection is useful in various fields, from fundamental particle and atomic physics research to the medical field and nuclear security portal monitors.
These organic sensors focus on NDI-type organic polymers including a novel material with carborane, a polyhedral cluster of carbon, boron, and hydrogen, directly incorporated in the molecular backbone ($o$CbT$_{2}$-NDI), sensitising to thermal neutrons via the boron neutron capture process. A comparison will be made with a similar polymer (PNDI(2OD)2T) with homogeneously dispersed boron carbide (B$_{4}$C) nanoparticles, and a control sensor without any boron which is sensitive to more energetic fast neutrons.
Beyond this, I will present on the expansion of this technology: scaling up the size of the sensors, and creating an array system synchronising multiple detectors to work together. These modes are being probed for the application of making portal radiation detectors at strategic locations (ports, airports, areas of high pedestrian traffic) to identify illicit materials such as weapons grade plutonium and uranium.
Speaker: Mr Aled Horner (Queen Mary University of London (GB))
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87
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Medical applications: 1 EI9
EI9
Convener: Shikma Bressler (Weizmann Institute of Science (IL))-
91
FIRST GaN DETECTOR ARRAY FOR HIGH ENERGY PROTON BEAM IMAGING
Energetic proton beams (60-230MeV) are used in proton therapy. Currently, x-ray imaging is used before each proton therapy treatment to accurately tune the proton beam, but the conversion to proton range introduces an error up to 3%, which could be cut by using proton imaging instead. At this moment no device for proton imaging is available on the market. We propose a GaN detector for proton imaging. GaN is a wide band-gap material, chemically and mechanically stable and technologically mature. The high displacement energy of GaN, makes it more robust to proton irradiation than most other semiconductors. We fabricated and tested GaN Schottky and pin diodes for proton detection and we demonstrated that they are sensitive (minimum detectable proton beam <1pA), linear as a function of proton current, fast (<1s) and robust. Detecting low proton currents opens the way to proton imaging with matrix of diodes and with high resolution, since diodes can be as small as tens of µm. We fabricated on a single 3 inches sapphire wafer a 1D array of 128 GaN pin diodes with a 500µm pitch. The diodes are branched to a read-out circuit placed out of the irradiation field. At Cyrcé-IPHC (25 MeV) we biased and translated the detector to scan metallic and plastic objects in proton beam contrast: the first proton radiographies with a GaN detector. Next, by creating a two-dimensional array we aim to obtain the first compact, static detector for “real time proton imaging”.
Speaker: Ms Matilde Siviero (Centre de Recherches sur l’HétéroEpitaxie et ses Applications (CRHEA), CNRS, Universitè côte d'Azur) -
92
First proof-of-principle of inorganic perovskite real-time detection under 9MeV electron beam Flash Radiotherapy
Flash radiotherapy (RT), characterized by the delivery of ultra-high dose rates (UHDR), recently demonstrated a reduced toxicity towards surrounding non-malignant tissues while mantaining damage efficiency and tumour control. Conventional dosimeters, as ionization chambers and thick solid state detectors, under UHDR beams suffer of unwanted effects as e.g. ion-recombination effects. The frontier research for Flash RT dosimeters is directed towards thin solid state devices. In this respect, inorganic halide perovskites as CsPbBr3 combines a high theoretical sensitivity to high-energy particle beams and the possibility to be deposited as thin layers directly on flexible electronics. This work presents first measurement of perovskite detectors under flash RT. Inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite 1um-thick films are deposited by magnetron sputtering on substrates carrying interdigitated electrodes. Then, detectors have been exposed to the 9MeV electron beam produced by the EF with triode-gun (SIT-Sordina) in Pisa (CPFR) with single and train-pulses with different dose per pulse DPP and frequencies, in the ranges (0.2-11Gy) and (1-245Hz). Current responses during pulsed beam are monitored in real-time with sampling times down to µs. Charge collected by the perovksite detectors showed to depend linearly on the DPP in the entire investigated range, with no evidence of saturation effects. We thank Fondazione Pisa for funding CPFR with the grant “prog. n.134/2021
Speaker: Mara Bruzzi
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91
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19:30
Classical Concert Kuppelsaal, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna
Kuppelsaal, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna
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08:30
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08:30
Registration
Registration Desk is open from 08:30 – 12:30
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Medical applications: 2 EI9
EI9
Convener: Jona Bortfeldt (Ludwig Maximilians Universitat (DE))-
93
The PETALO project
PETALO (Positron Emission TOF Apparatus with Liquid xenOn) is a project that uses liquid xenon (LXe) as a scintillation medium, silicon photomultipliers as a readout and fast electronics to provide a significant improvement in PET-TOF technology. Liquid xenon allows one to build a continuous detector with a high stopping power for 511-keV gammas. In addition, SiPMs enable a fast and accurate measurement of the time and energy with a small dark count rate at the low temperatures required from LXe. PETit, the first PETALO prototype built at IFIC (Valencia), consists of an aluminum box with one volume of LXe and two planes of VUV SiPMs, which register the scintillation light emitted in xenon by the gammas coming from a Na22 radioactive source placed in the middle. The LXe volume is divided in small, highly reflective cells to enhance light collection.
In this talk I will describe the PETALO concept and present the first measurements performed with PETit.Speaker: Nerea Salor Iguiñiz (DIPC) -
94
Pushing the Limits of TOF-PET Detectors: Advancements in Timing and DOI Evaluation
Achieving excellent time resolution is crucial in time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) for improving the signal-to-noise ratio and image quality. High-frequency (HF) front-end electronics offer a solution for achieving excellent performance in TOF-PET applications by exploiting the fastest light production mechanisms in crystals. Moreover, as the achievable coincidence time resolution (CTR) approaches 100 ps, the effect of the gamma-ray depth of interaction (DOI) becomes a contribution to mitigate. To address this issue, we explore two approaches using newly developed multi-channel HF electronics. First, a double-sided readout method retrieves DOI information by analyzing time and charge differences at both ends of a scintillator. Second, a single-sided readout employs a light-sharing mechanism with a matrix of depolished scintillators and a light guide to retrieve the DOI information. Both methods achieve state-of-the-art results, with a 20 mm LYSO:Ce matrix providing a CTR of 133 $\pm$ 2 ps and a DOI resolution of 2.2 $\pm$ 0.2 mm. To enhance detector sensitivity, these techniques are applied to high-stopping-power materials like BGO and heterostructured scintillators. Furthermore, we propose a novel algorithm that recovers inter-crystal scattering (ICS) events in pixellated detectors, estimating the crystal of first interaction, which can improve reconstructed resolution with better LOR delineation for coincidence events.
Speaker: Giulia Terragni (CERN and Technische Universitaet Wien (AT)) -
95
Nuclear fragment tracking for the assessment of the quality of ion-beam radiotherapy
Radiotherapy with ion beams is a highly precise cancer treatment modality. As such, its quality might be influenced by even minor anatomical changes within the patient like swellings or tumor shrinkage. Therefore methods to assess the quality of the treatment during the irradiation is of utmost interest.
Contrary to X-ray imaging, methods without exposing the patient to additional radiation dose are attractive. Secondary radiation emerging from the treated patient is a yet unexploited source of potential information.
Our team investigates how far secondary ions, the nuclear fragments of the treatment ion beam, can gain information about the quality of the dose distribution in the patient.
We developed a clinical secondary ion tracking system based on pixelized hybrid semiconductor detectors Timepix, which were developed by the Medipix Collaboration at CERN. The tracker consists of 7 pairs of double-sized Timepix3 detectors.
In 2023 we have started a clinical study called InViMo at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) in Germany. It aims to explore the benefit of nuclear fragment emission tracking from head cancer patients.
In this contribution the clinical ion tracker, together with its integration in the clinical environment, is presented. Moreover, preliminary results from the first patient cohort will be shown.Speaker: Dr Maria Martisikova (German Cancer Research Center)
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93
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Semiconductor MAPS 1 EI7
EI7
Convener: Thomas Bergauer (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
96
HV-MAPS for Mu3e and beyond
Many years of research and development of High Voltage Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (HVMAPS) have culminated in the final design for the Mu3e pixel sensor, MuPix11. Following the requirements of the Mu3e experiment MuPix11 has been developed to provide excellent vertex, time and momentum resolution in a high rate environment and allowing to construct ultra-thin detector layers with 1\,\textperthousand material budget.
While the MuPix sensor architecture was settled in 2018, the HV-MAPS technology kept evolving towards higher levels of functionality integration and improved time resolution, approaching the 1\, ns regime.
In this work, the MuPix11 chip will be presented including results from testbeam and laboratory characterisation, as the status and results of the construction of the Mu3e pixel detector. Further, the current state of the generic HV-MAPS development and an outlook towards future developments will be given.Speaker: Heiko Christian Augustin (Heidelberg University (DE)) -
97
Evaluation of gamma-ray response of the AstroPix4 HV-CMOS active pixel sensor
AstroPix is a novel high-voltage CMOS active pixel sensor being developed for a next generation gamma-ray space telescope, AMEGO-X, and the ePIC electron-iron collider detector. AstroPix has to be $500~\rm{\mu m}$ thick and to be fully depleted by supplying bias voltage. The energy resolution must be < 6 keV (FWHM) at 60 keV and the pixel pitch should be $500\times500~\rm{{\mu m}}^2$. Furthermore, given the space-based nature of AMEGO-X, the power consumption of AstroPix needs to be limited ($<1.5~\rm{mW/{cm}^2}$). The first version of AstroPix was developed based on the experience of the developments of both ATLASPix and MuPix. The third version of AstroPix, AstroPix3, reached the target pixel pitch with a mean energy resolution of 6.2 keV (FWHM) at 60 keV and its power consumption is $4.1~\rm{mW/{cm}^2}$ (Y. Suda et al 2024 NIMA 1068). The latest version of AstroPix, AstroPix4, features an improved time stamp generation and readout architecture, aiming to achieve a time resolution of 3 ns (N. Striebig et al 2024 JINST 19). The pixel capacitance was reduced by improving the routing and minimizing the metal-to-n-well capacitance, which resulted in lower noise floor. As a result, most of the pixels in the tested AstroPix4 chip can detect the 14 keV photopeak from Co-57, which could not be detected with AstroPix3. In this work, we report about basic performance of AstroPix4, such as I-V, noise, energy calibration/resolution/threshold, and depletion depth.
Speaker: Yusuke Suda (Hiroshima University) -
98
Enhancing Radiation Hardness and Granularity in HV-CMOS: The RD50-MPW4 Sensor
The RD50-MPW4, the latest HV-CMOS pixel sensor in the series from the CERN-RD50-CMOS group, advances radiation tolerance, granularity, and timing resolution for future experiments like HL-LHC and FCC. Fabricated by LFoundry in December 2023 using a 150nm CMOS process, it features a 64 x 64 pixel matrix with a $62 \times 62\mu m^2$ pitch and employs a column-drain readout architecture. The RD50-MPW3, its predecessor, faced noise coupling issues between the digital periphery and the pixels, limiting threshold settings to $\gtrsim 5ke^-$ and restricting operation to the matrix's top half.
The RD50-MPW4 solves these issues by separating the power domains for digital and analog components, enabling more sensitive threshold settings and full matrix operation. Additionally, a new backside biasing scheme and an improved guard ring structure support bias voltages up to 800V, enhancing radiation hardness.
Test with unirradiated samples showed >99.9% efficiency, ~16$\mu m$ spatial resolution, and ~10ns timing resolution. Several samples were irradiated at JSI to fluences from $1 \times 10^{14}$ up to $3 \times 10^{16}$ $1MeV n_{eq} cm^{-2}$. This presentation covers IV measurements, injection scans at varying temperatures before and after annealing, and results from the latest test beam campaign, allowing the comparison of irradiated and non-irradiated samples and demonstrating the technology's suitability for high-radiation environments.
Speaker: Bernhard Pilsl (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)) -
99
X-ray Irradiation Studies on the Monopix DMAPS in 150nm and 180nm
Monolithic active pixel sensors with depleted substrates present a promising option for pixel detectors in high-radiation environments. High-resistivity silicon substrates and high bias voltage capabilities in commercial CMOS technologies facilitate depletion of the charge sensitive volume. TJ-Monopix2 and LF-Monopix2 are the most recent large-scale chips in their respective development line, aiming for the ATLAS Inner Tracker outer layer requirements.
LF-Monopix2 is designed in 150nm LFoundry CMOS technology and integrates all in-pixel electronics within a large charge collection electrode relative to the pixel pitch of 50 x 150 µm$^2$. This approach facilitates short drift distances and a homogeneous electric field across the sensor.
A tolerance to non-ionizing radiation without degradation of the detection efficiency has been demonstrated to levels of up to 2 x $10^{15}$ 1 MeV $n_\text{eq}$ / cm$^2$.TJ-Monopix2 is designed in 180nm TowerSemi CMOS technology and features a small charge collection electrode, with separated in-pixel electronics. Process modifications in form of an additional n-type implant minimize regions with low electric field and improve the charge collection efficiency impaired by the long drift distances. The detector capacitance of approximately 3 fF enables low-noise and low-power operation.
This contribution highlights the performance of both Monopix2 chips after X-ray irradiation to 100 Mrad evaluated in laboratory and test beam measurements.
Speaker: Christian Bespin (University of Bonn (DE))
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96
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SiPM EI8
EI8
Convener: Manfred Jeitler (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
100
Microlens-enhanced SiPMs for the LHCb SciFi tracker Upgrade II: update and recent results
The Scintillating Fibre (SciFi) tracker has been operated in the current LHCb experiment design during LHC Run 3 and will continue to take data until the end of Run 4. The high radiation environment damages the detector parts and reduces the over-all light yield, compromising the required hit efficiency. Moreover, the LHCb Upgrade II will see the addition of timing information in different subdetectors, with the need of an adequate amount of detected light to ensure the requested performance. Microlens-enhanced Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) allow to improve photon-detection efficiency in the SciFi tracker upgrade. From the first prototypes and R\&D phase (presented in 2022), simulation studies and new production iterations have perfected the detector design and results show an improvement up to 22\% for the photon-detection efficiency and light yield, a reduction of external cross-talk by 40\% and better time resolution, compared to conventional coated SiPMs.
Speaker: Federico Ronchetti (EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (CH)) -
101
Cryogenic operation of neutron-irradiated SiPM arrays from FBK and Hamamatsu
The LHCb experiment at CERN has been upgraded for the Run 3 operation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). A new concept of tracking detector based on Scintillating Fibres (SciFi) read out with multichannel silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) was installed during its upgrade. One of the main challenges the SciFi tracker will face during its operation is the high radiation environment due to fast neutrons, where the SiPMs are located. In view of LHCb Upgrade II in 2033, the radiation levels will increase significantly and the SciFi tracker must undergo a major upgrade. By the end of the lifetime, the expected radiation fluence reaches 3E12 neq/cm2 at the SiPMs location. To cope with the increase in radiation, cryogenic cooling with liquid Nitrogen is being investigated as a possible solution to mitigate the performance degradation of the SiPMs induced by radiation damage. Thus, a detailed performance study of different layouts of SiPM modules produced by FBK and Hamamatsu is being carried out. These detectors have been designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures. Several detectors were irradiated at Ljubljana at different neutron fluences and tested in a dedicated cryogenic setup down to 100K. Key performance parameters such as breakdown voltage, dark count rate, photodetection efficiency, cross-talk, and after pulsing are characterized as a function of the temperature, over-voltage, and neutron fluence. The main results of this study are going to be presented.
Speaker: Esteban Curras Rivera (EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (CH)) -
102
Test beam performance of a novel compact RICH detector with timing capabilities for the future ALICE 3 PID system at LHC
The ALICE Collaboration is proposing a completely new apparatus, ALICE 3, for the LHC Run 5 and beyond. A key subsystem for high-energy charged particle identification will be a Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector consisting of an aerogel radiator and a photodetector surface based on Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays in a proximity-focusing configuration. A thin high-refractive index slab of transparent material (window), acting as a second Cherenkov radiator, is glued on the SiPM arrays to achieve precise charged particle timing.
We assembled a small-scale prototype instrumented with different Hamamatsu SiPM array sensors coupled with various window materials and pitches ranging from 1 to 3 mm. The Cherenkov radiator consisted of a 2 cm thick aerogel tile. The prototype was successfully tested in beam test campaigns at the CERN PS T10 beam line with pions and protons.
The data were collected with a complete chain of front-end and readout electronics based on the Petiroc 2A and Radioroc 2 together with a picoTDC to measure charges and times. We measured a single photon Cherenkov angular resolution better than 4 mrad in the momentum range between 8 and 10 GeV/c combined with a charged particle time resolution better than 70 ps.In this talk we present the current status of the R&D performed for the ALICE 3 RICH detector and the beam test results obtained with the RICH prototype.
Speaker: Roberta Pillera (Universita e INFN, Bari (IT)) -
103
The SiPM readout plane for the ePIC-dRICH detector at the EIC: overview and beam test results
The dual-radiator RICH (dRICH) detector of the ePIC experiment at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) will make use of SiPMs for the detection of Cherenkov light. The photodetector will cover ~ 3 m² with 3x3 mm² pixels, for a total of more than 300k readout channels and will be the first application of SiPMs for single-photon detection in a HEP experiment. SiPMs are chosen for their low cost and high efficiency in magnetic fields (~ 1 T at the dRICH location). However, as they are not radiation hard, careful testing and attention are required to preserve single-photon counting capabilities and maintain the dark count rates (DCR) under control over the years of running of the ePIC experiment.
We present an overview of the ePIC-dRICH detector system and the current status of the R&D performed for the operation of the SiPM optical readout subsystem. Special focus will be given to recent beam test results of a large-area prototype SiPM readout plane consisting of a total of up to 2048 3x3 mm² sensors. The photodetector prototype is modular and based on a novel EIC-driven photodetection unit (PDU) developed by INFN, which integrates 256 SiPM pixel sensors, cooling and TDC electronics in a volume of ~ 5x5x14 cm³. Several PDU modules have been built and successfully tested with particle beams at CERN-PS in October 2023 and in May 2024. The data have been collected with a complete chain of front-end and readout electronics based on the ALCOR chip, developed by INFN Torino.
Speaker: Mr Nicola Rubini (Universita e INFN, Bologna (IT))
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100
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Coffee & Posters B
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104
Ultrasonic welding technology for future Straw Trackers and performance studies of small-size tracker prototypes
Straw Trackers are widely used in High Energy Physics experiments such as ATLAS, LHCb, NA62 and many others. The straw tubes are made of Kapton or Mylar, and have thin walls of several tens of microns. There are two main straw production technologies – glued winding and ultrasonic welding (USW). While the winding technology exists for a long time, and is even available for industrial production, the ultrasonic welding process has reached the required quality relatively recently. The only large scale Straw Tracker build up to now of the welded straws is a part of the NA62 detector. The tracker reliably operates in vacuum for about 10 years, and its extremely good performance makes this technology attractive for future experiments as well.
The improved welding process and strict quality control of produced straws allow to build the modern Straw Trackers of high performance and reliable operation stability. Straw welding technology is considered for the future experiments such as SHiP, DUNE and FCCee. To fulfill requirements of the tracker performance specified by a given experiment, a choice of the straw readout interface and the readout electronics is also an important task of the tracker development.
We present the straw welding process, overview the achievable straw quality and describe the quality control approach established for the straw mass production. We also present recent results on the performance of small-size straw tracker prototypes studied with different readout electronics at the SPS ans PS test beam lines at CERN.
Speaker: Katerina Kuznetsova (INP/UF) -
105
High-Granularity Timing Hodoscopes for the AMBER Experiment
The AMBER experiment at CERN will measure the proton's charge radius via muon-proton elastic scattering at high projectile energies and small momentum transfers to help to resolve the so-called ‘proton radius puzzle’, i.e., the discrepancy between charge radii measured with different experimental techniques. The core setup at AMBER consists of a hydrogen-filled time projection chamber (TPC). Tracking detectors upstream and downstream of the TPC measure the trajectories of the incoming and outgoing muons to determine their scattering angles. To resolve pile-up hits in the tracking detectors, we are constructing four high-granularity hodoscopes from 500-$\mu$m scintillating-plastic fibers and arrays of silicon photomultipliers. In this contribution, we present the design of the scintillating-fiber hodoscopes, first results of test-beam measurements with scaled-down prototypes, and the projected capabilities of the final detectors. We will particularly emphasize how we managed to design detectors with a low material budget that nonetheless generate signals that are large enough for achieving high detection efficiencies.
Speaker: Karl Eichhorn (Technische Universitaet Muenchen (DE)) -
106
3D microbeam characterization of large-area silicon carbide detectors
Silicon carbide (SiC) detectors are a state-of-the-art technology for particle detection. The great interest relies in the high radiation hardness of SiC and good energy resolution. Large-area SiC detectors were chosen as the ∆E stage of new telescopes used in the particle identification system of the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer in the context of the NUMEN project. The adopted SiC detectors are ≈2.2 cm2, with total thickness of 110 µm (100 µm epitaxy and 10 µm inert substrate) and edge structure ≈400 µm wide. IV and CV characteristics were measured to define the full depletion voltage and the doping profile. A characterization test of SiC was also performed by using a proton microbeam at the Ruđer Bošković Institute to study the charge collection efficiency. The beam spot was ≈2 µm and the scan steps were ≈10 µm. Three measurements were performed: i) the inner region and the edges were explored at different voltages and proton energies to obtain 3D characterization of the CCE profile; ii) the inert substrate thickness was estimated by irradiating the sensor on the back side at different incident angles. Indeed, the correlation between the residual energy and the proton incident angle allows to evaluate the thickness of dead layers; iii) a 6 MeV proton beam irradiation crossing the SiC detector was also performed, measuring the residual energy in a silicon detector placed downstream the SiC, to validate the SiC energy loss tables, by knowing the total thickness.
Speaker: Alessandro Spatafora (INFN-LNS & Università di Catania) -
107
3D silicon sensors with columnar shaped electrode geometry for fast timing tracking detectors
We present accurate and extensive studies on 3D-column silicon sensors, aimed at high-resolution space-time (4D) tracking for future collider experiments.
Such studies are a follow-up of the TimeSPOT-project and AIDAInnova initiative, where we developed 3D-trench silicon sensors, which have been proved to reach a time resolution around 10 ps rms up to extreme fluences (10^17 new/cm2).
In this study, three configurations, 1E, 2E, and 3E, based on a parallel electrode configuration are designed, simulated, and compared with the established parallel trench geometry. Additionally, the impact of varying pitch sizes (45 µm, 50 µm, and 55 µm) on performance are investigated. The simulation methods (Synopsys TCAD, Geant4, and the simulation tools we developed – TFBoost, and TCoDe) are validated using data from recent test beam and TCT scans from a dedicated LASER setup at INFN Cagliari on the already available 3D-trench geometry. A layout of the final structures has been submitted to FBK for production. Expected performance are illustrated.Speaker: Angelo Loi (Universita e INFN, Cagliari (IT)) -
108
A low power monolithic active pixel sensor prototype for the STCF Inner tracker
The super tau-charm facility (STCF) is a proposed e+e- collider producing a data sample 100 times higher than present tau-charm factory (BEPCII). The inner tracker (ITK) of STCF should have high position resolution, low-material and high rate with fast readout. Under these requirements, the monolithic active pixel sensor (MAPS) is selected as one of alternative options for the ITK. Several prototype chips based on the TowerJazz 180 nm CIS process have been developed and are currently under fabrication. To minimize power consumption of MAPS chip (for low-material), large sensors are used to reduce the scale of the readout circuitry, while ensuring position resolution requirement is satisfied. Each pixel is equipped with an open-loop front-end circuit and priority readout logic. According to simulations, the equivalent noise charge (ENC) of the front-end circuit is 11.4 e-, and the threshold dispersion is 5.7 e-. The readout circuit can also provide time of arrival (ToA) and charge information based on time-over-threshold (ToT) measurement, with a least significant bit (LSB) of 50 ns. The information and addresses of fired pixels are read out to the peripheral circuit at a 20 MHz clock frequency. The peripheral circuit performs operations including correcting the ToA of the fired pixels, data aggregation, caching, framing, 8b10b encoding, and serialization. According to simulation, the power consumption for a full-scale chip is about 50 mW/cm2.
Speaker: Dongwei Xuan (University of Science and Technology of China) -
109
A New Stress-Relieving Layer in ATLAS ITk Strip Detector Modules
The Inner Detector system of the ATLAS detector is being entirely replaced with a new all-silicon detector known as the Inner Tracker (ITk) to prepare for high particle-rate conditions at the High Luminosity LHC. The innermost layers of the ITk will be composed of silicon pixels, while the outer layers will consist of silicon strips. The basic building block of the ITk Strip detector is the “module,” composed of front-end electronics glued to a silicon microstrip sensor. A critical problem was encountered during pre-production of ITk Strip modules wherein some silicon sensors crack due to thermal stresses when mounted to local support structures and brought to cold operating temperatures. A potential solution is being trialed in which the modules are redesigned to include a new layer of soft glue between the front-end electronics and the silicon sensor to absorb thermal stresses. This redesign necessitates a new R&D phase of the project, during which new modules must be assembled and proven to satisfy quality assurance and quality control criteria before ITk Strip modules can proceed to production. This presentation explores the technical challenges of incorporating the stress-relieving layer into the module assembly process, and evaluates the impact of the redesign on prototype modules. Results from quality assurance and quality control testing are shown.
Speaker: Anne Fortman (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)) -
110
Beam test characterization of an irradiated pixel-strip module for the HL-LHC CMS tracker upgrade.
A new tracker, for the CMS detector at The Large Hadron Collider, will be built to address the demands of the High Luminosity upgrade which aims to achieve peak instantaneous luminosities from 5 up to 7.5×10^34 cm^-2 s^-1 and an integrated luminosity of 3000–4000 fb^-1 at a center of mass energy of 14 TeV. To meet the resulting challenges, the CMS experiment is changing its outer tracker silicon modules to include tracking capabilities at the Level-1 trigger. As part of this upgrade effort, a prototype module, combining both pixel and strip sensors (PS-module), was irradiated and subsequently tested at the Fermilab Test Beam and Irradiation facilities. These tests evaluated the module's ability to maintain precise tracking, effective particle momentum discrimination, and consistent performance when exposed to the radiation levels expected in the High Luminosity LHC environment. Results from these studies are presented with a focus on comparing the module's performance before and after irradiation.
Speaker: Ms Iqra Sohail (National Centre for Physics (PK)) -
111
Charge carrier generation in RNDR-DePFET Detectors
DEPFET detectors with repetitive-non-destructive readout (RNDR) achieve a deep sub-electron noise by averaging several independent measurements of the signal of one single event. As an active pixel sensor, this technology performs the corresponding charge transfer between two readout nodes, within in each pixel, which enables a high level of parallelization and fast readout. The capability to distinguish the number of collected electrons within the signal enables experiments for the direct detection of light dark matter candidates by investigating electron scattering processes of dark matter candidates as event signature.
We present the experimental characterization of a 64x64 RNDR-DEPFET pixel detector with a focus on the charge carrier generation rate and the achievable time resolution to detect single electrons. As an active pixel detector, RNDR-DEPFETs can be continuously operated in order to measure the signal during the collection process and consequently achieve a time resolution in the order of several 100 micro seconds. The sensitivity of the detector on rare events with a signal of two or more electrons depends on the time resolution and generation rate. The impact of both parameter on the performance is studied by modelling the measurements for different operation conditions.
Speaker: Niels Wernicke -
112
Compact Tracking Calorimeters for the Detection of Low-Energy Cosmic-Ray (Anti-)Nuclei
Low-energy cosmic and solar radiation acts as a probe for a wide range of investigations in astrophysics, heliophysics, and planetary science. At the same time, mitigating the exposure of spacecraft and astronauts to high-energy radiation is one of the greatest challenges to the crewed and robotic exploration of the solar system. We have developed a compact tracking calorimeter made from scintillating-plastic fibers and silicon photomultipliers that can detect and identify individual cosmic-ray nuclei with energies in the MeV-to-GeV region. Its spectroscopic capabilities rival those of larger and more complex systems and its comprehensive particle-identification capabilities allow to more accurately determine the radiation exposure of astronauts. We have also investigated the feasibility of using our detector for the measurement of antinuclei created in astrophysical sources or in the self-annihilation of heavy dark-matter particles. In this contribution, we discuss the development and final design of the tracking calorimeter at the heart of the RadMap Telescope, a technology-demonstration experiment that we operated for nine months on the International Space Station. We also present an initial analysis of on-orbit data to demonstrate the performance of the detector. As an outlook, we discuss the potential measurements that can be performed with sensors derived from this initial instrument
Speaker: Dr Martin Jan Losekamm (Technische Universitaet Muenchen (DE)) -
113
Constellation - a flexible DAQ and control system for test beam environments
The qualification of new detectors in test beam environments presents a challenging setting that requires stable operation of diverse devices, often employing multiple Data Acquisition (DAQ). Changes to these setups are frequent, such as using different reference detectors depending on the facility. Managing this complexity necessitates a system capable of controlling the data taking, monitoring the experimental setup, facilitating seamless configuration, and easy integration of new devices.
Due to limitations in existing frameworks, collaborative efforts between DESY, DVel, Lund University, and the University of Hamburg have led to the development of Constellation - a new, flexible framework tailored towards laboratory and test beam environments. Constellation streamlines setup integration through network discovery, enhances system stability by operating autonomously, and simplifies onboarding with comprehensive documentation.
This contribution will provide a brief overview of the Constellation and insights from the first successful test beam with Constellation.
Speaker: Stephan Lachnit (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DE)) -
114
Dead-time Free Broadband Spectrometer for Wavy Dark Matter Search - dSpec
Wavy dark matter candidates, such as axion and dark photon, convert to ordinary photon. Since the frequency of the conversion photon of a meV mass particle is in the radio wave range (O(1 GHz) - O(100 GHz)) and has a narrow frequency peak, spectroscopic search is effective.
Since neither its mass nor its coupling to standard model particles is known, broad coverage of the mass region is important to understand the nature of dark matter. Therefore, a broadband spectrometer is required while maintaining fine frequency resolution to detect the narrow peak. For example, the bandwidth is desired to be ~10 GHz. However, traditional spectrum analyzer typically has narrow bandwidth (a few MHz), or low time efficiency (~1%). Specialized spectrometer optimized for dark matter search is required.
We developed “dSpec”, which is a dead-time free spectrometer based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique. The dSpec achieved a wide bandwidth (10 GHz) under the fine frequency resolution of 40 kHz.
We built all functions on an RFSoC which contains a CPU, FPGA, and high-speed DAC/ADCs on a single chip. To achieve the above specifications, we developed efficient FFT architecture. The architecture consists of parallelization for high throughput, memory-efficient circuit for large-scale FFT operation, and algorithm for computation reduction. Thus, it allows the FFT circuit to be implemented in a single FPGA.
We will present details of the dSpec including its performance evaluations.Speaker: Hiroki Takeuchi (Kyoto University) -
115
Defect investigation in irradiated ATLAS18 ITk Strip Sensors using transient spectroscopy techniques
With the upgrade of the LHC to the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), the Inner Detector will be replaced with the new all-silicon ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk). Comprising an active area of 165m$^2$, the outer detector layers will host strip modules, built with single-sided micro-strip sensors. The ATLAS18 main sensors were tested at different institutes in the collaboration for mechanical and electrical compliance with technical specifications, while technological parameters were verified on test structures from the same wafers before and after irradiation.
Diodes fabricated as test structures were studied using variants of Deep-Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS). Irradiated diode samples were measured with Current-DLTS, using both electrical and photo-induced injection. Utilising DLTS spectra with varying test parameters, trap energy levels and cross-sections associated with defects were obtained. This was done to improve the precision of sensor simulations as well as to compile a more complete model of radiation damage in ITk Strip Sensors. Moreover, previously observed features such as an increasing trend in the full depletion voltage after irradiation and little beneficial annealing in charge collection after high fluence irradiation of high energy protons were also investigated. This talk will present a summary of the defect parameters observed in the samples and will compare results obtained for samples with radiation damage from different sources at various fluences.Speaker: Christoph Thomas Klein (Carleton University (CA)) -
116
Design of a new 2D amorphous Silicon-based detector for Particle Therapy
Proton and Radiotherapy are leading particle therapy tactics used to combat chronic and malignant cancers. Ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) flash therapy, is a new treatment modality that is currently being studied by several groups. The treatment delivers high doses in a short period of time (40 Gy/s) and is highly effective against tumor cells while maintaining healthy cells. UHDR dosimetry presents a crucial challenge to detectors when performing proper quality assurance (QA) measurements.
This work aims to develop a high-resolution 2D solid-state detector for accurate QA clinical routine in particle therapy. Amongst semiconductor materials, amorphous silicon (aSi) is characterized by durable radiation hardness, thus it is a notable candidate for material to build the active region of a solid-state detector.
To build a solid-state-based detector that can handle a wide range of doses and dose rates delivered by particle beams, the following solution is thus investigated. The active region will comprise a p-n junction that is composed of a lightly n-doped bulk aSi ($N_n\approx 10^{16}$), and a highly p-doped implant ($N_p\approx10^{20}$). At this unbiased state, the detector can withstand large charges generated with flash measurement.
At lower doses, a reverse bias voltage, $V_{rb}=25V$, would be applied to fully deplete the detector $\approx 2 \mu m$, to grant a decent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Monte Carlo simulation will be used to compute the response of the active region.Speaker: Khalil El Achi -
117
Design of a novel scintillating fibers tracker for the muEDM experiment
The muEDM experiment at Paul Scherrer Institute is designed to reach an unprecedented sensitivity on the electric-dipole moment of the muon (muEDM): $d_{\mu}$ < 6x10$^{-23}$ e$\cdot$cm. A precursor of the experiment is being built to demonstrate the potentials of the newly proposed "frozen-spin technique" to measure the muEDM and will be operational in 2026.
For measuring the up-down asymmetry of decay positrons, we propose a positron tracker built from scintillating ($\phi$ = 250-500 µm) fibers coupled to SiPMs (Hamamatsu S13360-50PE). This detector concept meets many prerequisites: fast signal, small material budget, can be operated inside a magnetic field. The detector modules are organized in two super-modules: a set of planes with 4x4 cm$^2$ active area made of two layers of orthogonal fibers will be arranged in a clock-like configuration to optimize the measurement of $(g-2)_µ$; four cylinders (each formed by two layers of fibers arranged in a stereo configuration, with axes // z-axis and r = {2.0, 2.3, 3.6, 4.5} cm, 3.0 cm being the muon orbit radius) compose a module optimized to measure the muEDM. The stereo configuration will allow 1 mm 3D resolution of the hit coordinate. The ~2000 SiPMs which compose this detector are read-out by the CAEN FERS system.
We will present the R&D behind the concept of this new detector as well as simulated performances and the ongoing work towards the construction of the final tracker, which will be commissioned at the end of 2025.Speaker: Antoine Venturini -
118
Design of IMPix-S3, a pixel readout sensor for future gaseous detector at HIAF
As accelerator technology of High-Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) advances towards higher brightness, the demand for high detection accuracy in physics experiments becomes increasingly critical. To address the readout requirements for high count rates and high-resolution gaseous detectors, we propose a pixel readout chip, IMPix-S3, which can measure energy, position and time. The chip features an energy measurement range of up to 20 ke-, an integral non-linearity (INL) of only 0.176%, and an equivalent noise charge (ENC) of no more than 50e-. It employs two-stage counting to achieve a time resolution of 5 ns and facilitates dead-time-free operation by alternating between counting and readout modes. In addition, with the effective pixel pitch of 50µm, it can provide a position resolution better than 15µm. This paper will discuss the design and performance of this IMPix-S3 sensor.
Speaker: hong yuan -
119
Design, Development and Testing of 60 GHz Wireless Links for ATLAS Detector Data Readout
The Wireless Allowing Data and Power Transmission (WADAPT) proposal was formed to study the feasibility of wireless technologies in HEP experiments. A strong motivation for using wireless data transmission is the absence of wires and connectors to reduce the passive material. However, the tracking layers are almost hermetic, acting as a Faraday cage, that allows multiple links in the volume without severe crosstalk, but doesn’t allow propagation between the layers. For propagation between the layers, we have developed an active repeater board, which is passed though a 2-3 mm wide slit between the modules. The repeater is also advantageous in building topological radial networks for neuromorphic tracking. The active repeater board consists of an RX antenna, an amplifier, and a TX antenna, and is tested on a mock up in a way that the RX antenna will be on the inner side of a module, and the TX antenna will be on the outer side of the same module, as the 10 mil thick board is passed through the small slit.
Transmission through the tracking layers using the repeater has been demonstrated with two horn antennas, a signal generator, and a spectrum analyzer. For 20 cm distance between the horn antenna and the repeater board, a receive level of -19.5 dBm was achieved. In comparison, with the same setup but with the amplifier turned off, the receive level was ~-46 dBm. This represents a significant milestone towards the implementation of 60 GHz links for detector data readout.Speaker: Imran Aziz -
120
Design, prototyping and test of a Highly Compact and Granular Electromagnetic Calorimeter for the LUXE experiment.
The LUXE experiment will investigate the strong-field QED regime by using the interactions of high-energy electrons from the European XFEL in a powerful laser field. It will measure the production of electron-positron pairs as a function of the laser field strength, up to the non-perturbative regime beyond the Schwinger limit. LUXE foresees a positron detection system consisting of a tracker and a granular and unprecedentedly highly compact silicon-tungsten electromagnetic sandwich calorimeter (ECALp). This ECALp has been designed to cope with the wide range of expected positron numbers and the need to measure them against a low-energy background. The ECALp is composed of tungsten absorber plates with thin sensor planes, including silicon pad sensors, flexible Kapton printed circuit planes, and carbon fibre support. The sensor planes are less than 1 mm thick and will be read using dedicated front-end ASICs in 130 nm technology (FLAXE) and FPGAs for data preprocessing.
GaAs with integrated readout strips are also being considered as an alternative to the silicon. Prototypes of individual sensor planes have been tested in a 5 GeV electron beam. A full compact calorimeter tower of up to 90x90x600 mm$^2$ (15 $X_{0}$) is about to be produced and tested in an electron beam. At VCI, we will discuss the design challenges, the sensor characterization, the prototyping, integration and commissioning, and the available beam test results from 2022 until this year.Speaker: Melissa Almanza Soto (IFIC) -
121
Development and Performance Evaluation of Readout Systems for Belle II ARICH Upgrade
The Aerogel Ring Imaging CHerenkov (ARICH) counter of the Belle II detector takes the role of particle identification. It detects Cherenkov ring images using Hybrid Avalanche Photo Detectors (HAPD).
In the future upgrade, it is planned to replace HAPDs with other photon detectors. The new detectors should be resistant against the high neutron radiation and magnetic field. The candidates are Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC).and Large Area Picosecond Photo Detector (LAPPD). In this research, several readout systems are being developed and evaluated in parallel considering using with MPPCs or LAPPDs.
For the readout system of MPPCs, the prototype ASIC “TF01A64” is developed. This is customized for ARICH and is the upgraded edition of current ASIC used in ARICH. The evaluation of the requirements for the ASIC has been done using MPPC signals.
The other readout system is also developed using ToFPETv2 or FastIC ASICs. This system is designed for the readout of either LAPPDs or MPPCs. The evaluation for an LAPPD is ongoing, using ToFPETv2 ASIC with built-in ADC and TDC.
Now the development of each readout system is ongoing towards the beam test to demonstrate the Cherenkov light detection.
In this presentation, the development and evaluation status of the readout systems will be reported.Speaker: Shunsuke Kurokawa (Tokyo Metropolitan University) -
122
Development of a Floating Strip Micromegas Detector for a Clinical Proton Computed Tomography System
A high-performing clinical proton computed tomography (pCT) system requires single particle tracking detectors with good spatial resolution, high rate capability, and a minimal material budget, along with a residual energy detector. Large-area floating strip Micromegas detectors are particularly well suited for this purpose, as they provide a very low material budget, while achieving the detector dimensions up to 40 cm required for clinical imaging. The design principle focuses on minimizing the material budget to reduce scattering within the detector, especially important for the low energy protons, encountered in pCT.
At the chair for medical physics of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität-München (LMU Munich), a floating strip Micromegas with an active area of 200x200 mm$^2$ was developed and manufactured in-house as a study for constructing a detector with an active area of 400x400 mm$^2$ for future use in a clinical pCT. The design of the detector as well as the development of the in-house manufacturing processes, including photolithographic techniques to produce readout structures from 125µm thick FR4 material with 35µm copper cladding and 25μm Kapton foil with 17μm copper cladding, will be presented. To ensure a planar surface for the readout structure, the FR4 material is glued to an aramide honeycomb structure using a vacuum setup. The gluing process will be described in detail. First characterization measurements using a Fe-55 source will also be shown.Speaker: Max Meurer -
123
Development of Amplifier Shaper Discriminator Chips for Gaseous Ionization Detectors at Future Collider Experiments
Gaseous ionization detectors play a key role in the instrumentation of detectors for future colliders, such as muon chambers for the ATLAS experiment upgrade at the HL-LHC, as well as experiments at future electron-positron and hadron colliders, or the gaseous ionization detectors planned for the inner detectors of certain experiments at a future electron-positron collider. The need for fast amplifiers that combine precise time and dE/dx measurements for position and energy loss determination is a common requirement across all future gaseous detector applications. In this contribution, two analog ASICs designed in 65 nm TSMC CMOS technology, featuring short rise times and fast baseline recovery, are described. Test results from these ASICs, evaluated with small-diameter drift-tube chambers in a high-energy muon beam and under significant γ irradiation, are presented. These tests demonstrate significant improvements in power consumption, efficiency, and spatial resolution at counting rates as high as 1 MHz per tube, compared to ASICs previously designed for the readout of small-diameter drift-tube chambers in the ATLAS experiment at the HL-LHC. Simulation studies using Garfield also indicate that the time-over-threshold of the amplified signals from these ASICs can be utilized for dE/dx measurements, making them a promising option for the readout of gaseous ionization detectors in inner detectors where dE/dx is required for particle identification.
Speaker: Oliver Kortner (Max Planck Society (DE)) -
124
Development of an imaging detector to reduce the long-lived spallation background in the KamLAND2-Zen experiment
Observing neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) is critical for understanding whether neutrinos are Majorana particles, meaning they are their own antiparticles. Detecting the event would also provide insights into the origin of neutrino mass and help explain the matter-antimatter imbalance in the universe. Such a discovery would have a major impact on physics and cosmology.
The KamLAND-Zen experiment is currently the most sensitive search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay, using liquid scintillator with dissolved $\mathrm{^{136}Xe}$ in a detector located 1,000 m underground. It holds the strictest limit on the $0\nu\beta\beta$ half-life, and its successor, KamLAND2-Zen, is in development.
A key challenge for KamLAND2-Zen is long-lived spallation background (LLBG), radioactive nuclei created by cosmic muon spallations with $\mathrm{^{136}Xe}$. These nuclei cannot be removed before operation and are difficult to filter out, posing a major issue for $0\nu\beta\beta$ detection.
To address this, we designed a new detector to detect the spread of scintillation points. $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay produces a single scintillation point, while LLBG events create multiple points spread over a wider area. By detecting this spread, we can differentiate between $0\nu\beta\beta$ and LLBG events. The current KamLAND detector can't capture this spread, so the new detector will use advanced optical systems and sensors to do so. Simulations show that this approach can reduce LLBG by over 90%.Speaker: Daiki Morita (Graduate school of science and faculty of science, Tohoku University) -
125
Development of new large area Micromegas detector and accompanying ToRA ASIC-based readout electronics for AMBER experiment at CERN
The Apparatus for Mesons and Baryon Experimental Research (AMBER, NA66) is a high-energy physics experiment at CERN’s M2 beam line. Its broad physics program extends beyond 2032 and comprises measurements of the anti-proton production cross-section on He, proton, and Deuterium, charge-radius of the proton and Kaon and Pion PDFs using Drell-Yan process. Several upgrades of the spectrometer are planned for the medium and long-term AMBER program among those the existing Multi-Wire Proportional Chambers (MWPCs) will be replaced to address their structural aging and performance limitations. We have chosen resistive bulk MICRO-MEsh-GAseous Structure (MM) detectors with an active area of 1x0.5 m^2 for the task. Each detector has two readout planes in a face-to-face configuration and a common cathode providing an XUV measurement. For the lateral modules a uniform 10MOhm/sq Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) layer was chosen. The chambers are the largest resistive bulk MM in operation.
The production of the first detector was completed in October 2024, a test campaign both with beam and cosmics is underway at AMBER experiment.
Leveraging results gained from prior tests of smaller MM prototype a new 64-channel mixed-signal front-end Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for time and energy measurements is under development at INFN sez. Torino.
The ongoing work on the detector and on the front-end electronics based on the new ToRA (Torino Readout for AMBER) ASIC, will be presented.Speaker: Chiara Alice (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) -
126
Enhancing guard-ring protection structures for the next generation of radiation-hard thin silicon particle detectors
Future collider experiments (e.g., HL-LHC, FCC) will require highly efficient silicon particle detectors able to operate in extremely harsh radiation environments ($\sim 10^{17} \, \text{1 MeV} \, \text{neq/cm}^2$). The guard-ring (GR) protection structures are an essential part of the sensor. They have to sustain a large external bias with minimal leakage current injection into the core region, making their design and optimisation crucial, especially when using thin sensor substrates.
In the framework of the "eXFlu-innova" research project (AIDAinnova), different GR optimisation studies for both p- and n-type thin substrates (ranging from $15$ to $55 \, \text{μm}$) have been conducted up to very high fluences (above $10^{17} \, \text{1 MeV} \, \text{neq/cm}^2$). These studies have been made possible thanks to ad-hoc Technology CAD (TCAD) modelling of various GR design strategies, accounting for comprehensive bulk and surface radiation-induced damage effects, and an extensive test campaign on such GR structures, both before and after irradiation.
In this contribution, the validation of the development framework for the different GR design options before and after irradiation is presented, involving an analysis of the agreement between simulated and experimental data, and the impact of the various design options on the sensor performance.Speaker: Tommaso Croci -
127
Establishment of the Electron Identification System for Vector meson Measurement at J-PARC
Electron pairs from light vector mesons have been measured to study the chiral symmetry restoration in hot and dense matter. The J-PARC E16 experiment was designed to measure a large number of vector mesons produced in 30 GeV pA reactions to investigate their mass spectrum in nuclei. We use a high intensity beam of 1 $\times$ 10$^{10}$ proton/spill (2-sec duration) at J-PARC to compensate for the small branching ratio of vector mesons to electron pair decays. At the same time, it is challenging to detect the electron pairs under the huge hadronic backgrounds.
We had developed two-stage electron identification (EID) detectors, consisting of a lead-glass electromagnetic calorimeter and a gas Cherenkov detector equipped with GEMs, called a hadron blind detector. They can detect electrons of 0.4 – 4.2 GeV/c and have a high-counting capability of 1.4 kHz/mm$^{2}$. At the time of my presentation at VCI2022, half of the commissioning runs had been performed with a partial detector acceptance, and only online type of quick analysis results for these two-stage detectors were shown. After that, we have finished all planned commissioning runs with full acceptance. We have completed a detailed calibration of both the EID and tracking detectors. As a result, we have succeeded in obtaining a clear energy-momentum correlation of electron/positron tracks, demonstrating the establishment of the EID technique in a high-rate environment.Speaker: Satomi Nakasuga -
128
Hexagonal vs. Quadratic 3D Pixel Architectures: Optimizing Silicon Sensors for Future Colliders by utilizing the Three-Dimensional Mapping of Timing Resolution
The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) requires a resolution of around 30 ps, and future colliders like the FCC-hh will demand below 10 ps. To meet these requirements, Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) were developed, utilizing charge multiplication for fast signals. However, at high luminosities, LGADs lose gain due to acceptor removal. To improve radiation hardness,3D detectors (without a gain layer) were designed, with n+ and p+ columns etched through the bulk, minimizing charge drift distance and improving timing. In this study, two types of 3D pixel sensors from the Centre Nacional de Microelectrónica (CNM) were investigated. In the “double-sided” 3D architecture, n+ columns are etched from the front and p+ from the back, leaving a gap between columns on opposite sides, creating a dead electric field region. A key improvement in the RD50 3D project, with prototypes delivered in 2023, was changing from a quadratic to a hexagonal unit cell layout, avoiding zero-field spots. The studied hexagonal layout with 25 pixels (5x5), and the quadratic one with 100 pixels (10x10) were studied utilizing the fs-laser-based TCT-SPA (with sub-micron resolution) and 3D TPA. The X-Y and X-Z laser scans over 3D device were performed in steps of one micron. This allows us to construct the 3D information on timing resolution. The results will be for the first time presented in this contribution.
Speaker: Prof. Gordana Lastovicka Medin (University of Montenegro (ME)) -
129
Innovative Detection System for Rapid 3D Radiation Dose Mapping with Printed Plastic Scintillators
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Often, radiotherapy is the primary or sole therapeutic procedure employed in the treatment process. Ensuring that each patient receives a fast, efficient, and safe treatment is essential. To address this need, our team has developed a scalable detection system using plastic scintillators as the active element for evaluating dose distributions in 3D reconfigurable detectors (phantoms) during the preparation of treatment plans in photon radiotherapy. A unique feature of the system is its capability to monitor dose deposition simultaneously in 3D and in real time.
At the conference, we will present the design details of a complete prototype system, which consists of dedicated hardware, software, and configurable phantoms made from tissue-equivalent, 3D-printed plastic scintillator cubes. We will also discuss the performance characteristics of the system, including its optical components and active elements, in detail.
Key design features, such as system modularity, scalability, and potential applications, will be highlighted. Furthermore, we will demonstrate the customization possibilities of the phantom to nearly any arbitrary 3D arrangement and share results from test-beam campaigns conducted using a clinical accelerator at a cancer treatment facility — specifically, the real-time 3D dose distribution captured during a treatment procedure.
Speaker: Bartosz Mindur (AGH University of Krakow (PL)) -
130
Investigating muography for nuclear waste characterization with Micromegas detectors
Over the last decade, IRFU's muography team at CEA-Saclay has actively developed and upgraded compact muon telescopes based on multiplexed resistive Mesh Gaseous Structure (Micromegas) detectors. This technology developed at CEA has allowed high-resolution imaging surveys to be conducted in the field for applications ranging from archaeology (ScanPyramids project) to nuclear surveillance, particularly in demand for non-invasive high-penetrating methods to probe shielded structures.
Current muography projects at IRFU are drawn towards this sector, notably focused on nuclear reactor three-dimensional tomography and characterization of nuclear waste containers.This presentation will cover recent muon survey developments, including field studies within CEA’s nuclear waste storage facilities and a proof-of-concept imaging project targeting nuclear storage barrels. Each survey applies distinct muon imaging techniques and detection configurations. To identify density anomalies in the scanned structure, the obtained muon images are put in comparison to GEANT4 simulations, reproducing the expected geometry of the investigated object along with the detection setup.
Speaker: Raphaël Bajou -
131
IO Information-Based Component Relevance Estimation in a Mixed-Signal ASIC Analog Circuit
Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) integrate sensor and readout electronics into a compact silicon tile and are an attractive option to build low mass tracker modules for high energy physics experiments. However, tuning the analog circuits in the front-end is heavily influenced by digital-to-analog converter (DAC) parameters and presents a complex challenge also on module level. Traditional approaches, such as expert-based settings or simulation-driven methods, often lack precision or are computationally expensive.
This work provides a comprehensive analysis of the influence of DAC parameters on the front-end performance of MAPS, detailing how these parameters interact to impact overall sensor behavior. The study offers insights into reducing the parameter search space, allowing for faster and more efficient tuning to achieve optimal sensor performance.
Furthermore, we introduce the application of Shapley values, a concept from cooperative game theory, to automatically assess the importance of each DAC parameter using experimentally collected data. Our results show that Shapley values can be approximated with enhanced noise robustness and the ability to handle missing data. Validation on hardware demonstrates how the significance of specific parameters varies under different circuit conditions, providing valuable feedback for designers and users seeking to optimize sensor performance.
Speaker: Julian Weick (CERN) -
132
Minimal material, maximum coverage: Silicon Tracking System for high-occupancy conditions
Silicon strip sensors have long been a reliable technology for particle detection. Here, we push the limits of silicon tracking detectors by targeting an unprecedentedly low material budget of 2%–7% X₀ in an 8-layer 4m² detector designed for high-occupancy environments (≤ 10 MHz/cm²).
To achieve this, we employ Double-Sided Double Metal (DSDM) silicon microstrip sensors, coupled with readout electronics capable of precise timing and energy measurements. These 300 µm thick sensors, featuring 2×1024 channels with a 58 µm pitch, are connected via ultra-lightweight aluminium-polyimide microcables for signal transmission and integrated with a custom SMX readout ASIC, operating in free-streaming mode. This system enables the simultaneous measurement of time (Δt ≃ 5 ns) and charge deposition (0.1–100 fC), significantly enhancing the detector’s capacity for high-precision track reconstruction in high-occupancy and harsh radiation field environments.
The primary application of this technology is the Silicon Tracking System (STS) for the CBM experiment, with additional potential in projects like the J-PARC E16 experiment and future uses in medical physics, such as advanced imaging telescopes. In this contribution, we present the current status of CBM STS construction, with almost one-third of the modules produced and tested. We also discuss immediate applications and explore promising prospects in both scientific and medical fields.
Speaker: Maksym Teklishyn -
133
OBELIX: A DMAPS chip for the Belle II VTX Upgrade
The OBELIX chip is specifically developed for the Belle II VTX upgrade and used as sensor on all VTX layers.
OBELIX is a depleted monolithic active pixel sensor in 180nm technology and based on the TJ-Monopix2 chip.The pixel matrix of OBELIX is inherited from TJ-Monopix2, but the periphery of the chip is entirely reworked.
A newly designed 2-stage pixel memory matches Belle II trigger requirements, handling events with hit
rates up to 120MHz/cm2 at 10us latency. OBELIX includes LDO regulators for supply voltages to simplyfy the integration into a detector system and a precision timing module with less than 3 ns resolution. Furthermore, the OBELIX chip can also contribute to the BELLE II trigger system with low latency, low granularity real-time streaming of pixel data in parallel to regular operation.Special care has been taken to ensure stable operation even in the presence of single event upsets (SEUs). The global configuration is self-correcting via hamming codes and critical finite state machines (FSMs) forsee triplication.
All FSMs in the data path are audited for SEU effects at a netlist level to ensure reliability even in case of faults, via a comprehensive simulation study.This poster will highlight the key features of the OBELIX-1 chip, currently under development. Detailed updates on the design and implementation, as well as results of various performance simulations calibrated with real data from TJ-Monopix2
measurements will be presented.Speaker: Maximilian Babeluk (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)) -
134
On-chip digitization to improve the frame rate of the JUNGFRAU charge-integrating X-ray pixel detector
JUNGFRAU is a state-of-the-art charge-integrating X-ray detector used mainly for imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy experiments at synchrotrons and free-electron lasers. The current frame rate is 2.2 kHz, limited by analogue signal integrity due to the number of available output pads. With the goal to increase the frame rate of the detector to over 10 kHz, we have designed a digital 3.125 Gbps high-speed serial readout. Thus, the development of a fast Analog-To-Digital Converter ADC has become our primary objective to overcome the aforementioned constraints. In addition, on-chip digitization reduces noise pickup and distortion caused by wirebonds and other off-chip components.
This contribution focuses on design and characterization of the new ADC prototype including measurements and simulations. Standard ADC characterization techniques, including static and dynamic histogram testing are presented together with a full system test using one of our analogue readout chips and sensors assemblies, in combination with an X-ray source.
The ADC has been submitted in June 2024 and is expected to arrive in October 2024. Its characterization campaign will begin immediately after reception.Speaker: Patrick Sieberer (Paul Scherrer Institut PSI) -
135
Performance of the LHCb Scintillating Fibre Tracker in Run 3
The LHCb experiment has installed a high-performance Scintillating Fibre (SciFi) Tracker to enhance its tracking capabilities under the increased luminosity during Runs 3 and 4 of the LHC, a fivefold increase over Run 2. The SciFi Tracker's 11,000 km of scintillating fibres, read out by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), deliver a spatial resolution of better than 100 μm covering an acceptance of 5 x 6 m2 in 12 layers downstream of the LHCb magnet. Readout of this and all other detectors into an all-software trigger is central to the new LHCb design, facilitating real-time event reconstruction and selection at the maximum LHC interaction rate. As Run 3 progresses, the SciFi Tracker will be instrumental in achieving LHCb’s physics objectives, particularly in the study of heavy flavor physics and CP violation.
This presentation details the SciFi Tracker’s commissioning and performance
Speaker: Lukas Witola (Technische Universitaet Dortmund (DE)) -
136
Performance Review of the Prototype SiC Muon Beam Monitor for COMET Experiment
The COMET experiment aims to search for the muon-to-electron ($\mu$-e) conversion process, one of the lepton flavor violating processes, with a sensitivity better than $10^{-16}$ at J-PARC. To achieve this sensitivity, the muon beam monitor plays a crucial role by monitoring the intensity and stability of the secondary muon beam, which helps suppress false signals caused by sudden beam fluctuations.
This beam monitor will be directly exposed to a high-intensity muon beam, expected to result in a 1-MeV equivalent neutron fluence of $5 \times 10^{13}$ and ionizing radiation of 5 MGy. Given the higher radiation tolerance required compared to the standard n-type silicon sensors, silicon carbide (SiC) is an optimal option for use as the beam monitor. We use a SiC detector jointly developed by KEK and AIST, and the overall system is still under development.
To measure the response of the SiC muon beam monitor when exposed to a pulsed muon beam with the same momentum region as in the main experiment, the beam test was performed at J-PARC MLF in June 2024. In this test, a commercial preamplifier was used for readout and a USB oscilloscope recorded the waveforms. As a result of the analysis, we were able to determine the pulse height corresponding to a single incident muon, and using this information, we confirmed sufficient linearity up to approximately 30 incident muons.
We report the performance evaluation of the SiC muon beam monitor from the beam test and discuss prospects.Speaker: Kenya Okabe (SOKENDAI) -
137
Picosec R&D towards Muon Collider applications
Picosec R&D towards Muon Collider applications – Matteo Brunoldi, endorsed by the International Muon Collider Collaboration, on behalf of the Picosec Micromegas Collaboration
The Muon Collider (MC) offers significant potential in high-energy physics by combining the benefits of leptonic and hadronic colliders. However, key challenges remain, including the Beam-Induced Background, which arises from particles produced by muon decay and their interactions with materials. This background makes the reconstruction of the muon tracks challenging. A proposed solution is to reverse the traditional track reconstruction method, starting from the outer muon spectrometer and moving inward. This out-to-in approach reduces background interference. Additionally, since background particles have a wider spread in arrival time, fast-timing detectors in the muon spectrometer can apply a time-based cut to further suppress the background. Picosec, a Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector (MPGD), has been proposed for the muon spectrometer's endcap. Picosec offers exceptional time resolution (<25 ps) by utilizing Cherenkov radiation and a two-stage amplification process. Ongoing R&D focuses on optimizing Picosec, including testing environmentally friendly gas mixtures to replace the current one, which has a high Global Warming Potential (GWP). This contribution will present the latest results from gas mixture studies and ongoing efforts to adapt the detector for future MC experiments.Speaker: Matteo Brunoldi (Pavia University and INFN (IT)) -
138
Pileup Mitigation in High Rate Spectroscopy using the Deconvolution Method
Charge-sensitive spectroscopic readout chains are widely used to measure single-particle energy distributions across various scientific fields. A typical analog front-end consists of a charge-sensitive preamplifier and a shaping filter, which together produce well-defined pulses for digitization and pulse height measurement. In such systems, achieving higher amplitude resolution requires increased shaping constants. At high rates, however, pulse pileup distorts spectra and cannot be effectively managed by traditional pileup rejection circuits.
This work introduces a rejection algorithm based on the deconvolution method, capable of handling severely piled-up data. By matching a finite impulse response filter to the analog front end, the timestamps of individual events are reconstructed with high accuracy, enabling an improved rejection logic. This approach allows the use of extended shaping times while maintaining pileup-free measurements, thereby enhancing spectral resolution. It does not require a secondary fast amplification channel. Filters like this are easily implemented digitally and can be realized in hardware as switched capacitor arrays. Potential applications include low-charge-yield measurements at high rates, such as those used in the microdosimetric characterization of medical ion beams as well as high-resolution alpha and gamma spectroscopy.
The method has shown promising results in tests with radioactive sources. Testing in an ion beam is scheduled.
Speaker: Matthias Knopf -
139
Precise time and energy measurement with a homogeneous electromagnetic calorimeter
The CMS experiment at LHC has a 14 year experience with the energy measurement of electrons and photons produced in collisions of high-luminosity high-energy colliders with a homogeneous electromagnetic calorimeter. The PbWO4 crystal calorimeter must operate at high rate in a harsh radiation environment: changes in detector response need to be corrected for and dedicated techniques are used to mitigate the large number of overlapping interactions (pileup). It also measures the arrival time of the particles, with a precision ranging from 150 to 200 ps. This information is exploited in physics searches, such as for long-lived particles. After the upgrade of the electronics foreseen for the Phase 2 of the LHC, the time resolution will reach 30 ps for energies higher than about 50 GeV. With this level of precision, ECAL can help discriminate overlapping collisions of protons coming from the same crossing bunches by exploiting the difference in time of flight due to the different position of the vertex along the beam axis the particle is coming from. This will be particularly important with the average levels of pile-up foreseen for the LHC Phase2, that will reach 150 in Run 4 and 200 in Run 5. The talk will present a summary of the performance of the CMS ECAL during the Run3 and the performance measured with the upgraded electronics at recent beam tests.
Speaker: Marko Kovac (University of Split Faculty of Science (HR)) -
140
R&D of Power Over Fiber in harsh environments and its novel application for the DUNE FD-VD Photon Detection System
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next generation long-baseline neutrino experiment that will send an intense beam of neutrinos through two detector complexes: a near detector complex located at Fermilab (Chicago), and a far detector complex located ~1.5 km underground at Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota.
One of the DUNE far detector (FD) modules will employ the Vertical Drift (VD) liquid argon time projection chamber technology, which will vertically drift the ionized electrons from the cathode plane suspended at the mid-height of the active volume of the cryostat. The photon detection system (PDS) will be installed along the cathode and behind the field cage to increase the photon detection coverage. Due to the high voltage (~300 kV) present at the cathode, conventional copper cables cannot be used to power the photon detectors. Therefore, Power-over-Fiber (PoF) technology will be deployed to power the PDS based on optical power transmission over optical fibers. This talk presents the R&D campaign on different PoF components under harsh environments and its novel application in the VD PDS.Speaker: David Martinez Caicedo (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) -
141
R&D on Noble Liquid Calorimeter for FCC-ee
A novel concept for a high granular noble liquid calorimeter optimised for measurements of electrons and photons at e+e- Higgs factories, namely for the Future Circular Collider FCC-ee, will be introduced. The development of the noble liquid calorimeter is a part of Detector Research and Development Collaboration for Calorimeters (DRD6) forming a workpackage 2. The design of the electromagnetic calorimeter with straight multilayer readout electrodes allow for fine segmentation which is crucial for advanced reconstruction techniques, e.g. machine learning algorithms and particle flow. Ongoing R&D studies on the readout electrodes will be presented. The results of measurements with first prototypes will be compared with results of simulations. The optimization studies of the mechanical structure of the calorimeter, along with results of tests on the absorber prototype will be shown. Steps towards a beam test prototype will be discussed. The integration of a calorimeter system of an ALLEGRO detector concept in key4hep software will be presented, together with the expected performance.
Speaker: Martina Maria Koppitz (Technische Universitaet Dresden (DE)) -
142
Silicon pad detector with large effective area for SHE experiments
A silicon pad detector (SPD) with one of the largest effective areas has been developed for the charged particle detector on a focal plane of a gas-filled recoil ion separator (GARIS-II and GARIS-III) at RIKEN. The main objective of research using the GARIS system is to discover new elements with atomic numbers Z = 119. The element Z = 119 is synthesized through a fusion reaction of $^{51}$V + $^{248}$Cm and successively decay through alpha decay or spontaneous fission. The SPD is installed in the GARIS to detect alpha particles or fission fragments through the decay chain of element Z=119. The SPD is newly developed in collaboration with Hamamatsu Photonics. The active area and thickness are 123 × 60 mm$^{2}$ and 320 $\mu$m, respectively. The active area is segmented into 32 channels (8 × 4) each with an electrode pad of 15 × 15 mm$^{2}$. The characteristics of the SPD were investigated by irradiating $\alpha$ particles with automatically moving and rotating the $^{241}$Am source for each segmented portion of the SPD. A Monte Carlo simulation was also performed to estimate the dead layer thickness of the SPD. The deduced dead layer thickness of the SPD was less than 120 nm. In addition, the energy resolution of 26 keV (FWHM) was obtained for 5.486 MeV $\alpha$ particles. The performance meets the requirements for the new element search of Z = 119 with GARIS-II and GARIS-III.
Speaker: Dr Mirei Takeyama (Yamagata University) -
143
Sub-kelvin electron detectors for the LEMING muonium gravity experiment
The LEMING experiment aims to test weak equivalence in leptonic antimatter using a novel cold muonium beam, that we recently synthesised from superfluid helium. For this experiment, it is paramount to operate particle detectors at temperatures below 1K, partially in the superfluid environment. The cryogenic detectors need to be capable of tracking positrons from decaying muons in a large solid angle and at a spatial resolution of ~1mm, in coincidence with the low-energy atomic electrons released in the same process. Efficiency and background suppression capabilities of this detector system directly impact the sensitivity of the final measurement. We have demonstrated efficient and reliable sub-kelvin positron detection with commercial silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) coupled to thin scintillator segments. Presently, we are working on a silicon-strip-based tracker system, further increasing spatial resolution and solid angle coverage. To detect the eV-range atomic electrons, we collect and accelerate them towards a low-threshold detector with an electric field of a few kV. We have obtained promising results using perovskite nanocrystals for this purpose, significantly outperforming plastic scintillators.
This talk will focus on the cryogenic particle detectors of the LEMING experiment, in particular the characterisation of novel perovskite scintillators as well as silicon strip detectors below 1K.
Speaker: Damian Goeldi (ETH Zurich) -
144
The design and evaluation tests of the custom step-down DC-DC converter system for ITk Strip detector.
The ITk strip detector is a new micro-strip tracking system for the upgraded ATLAS experiment on the planned HL-LHC. The powering system for the detector modules is based on two-stage DC to DC conversion, with off-detector supplies at higher voltage, which allows for reduction of the current on the cables and ohmic loss. A custom, active patch panel system called Patch Panel 2 (PP2) is designed as a part of the powering system to be located inside the ATLAS detector between muon chambers and calorimeter. The core of the PP2 are radiation, and magnetic field tolerant step-down DC-DC converters developed to supply power for the ITk Strip Detector segments. We report on the design and tests of the PP2 system, the results of the irradiation tests as well as the Quality Control and Quality Assurance aspects and experience from first series production.
Speakers: Ewa Stanecka (Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)), Wladyslaw Dabrowski (AGH University of Krakow (PL)) -
145
The GEMμ-RWELL for ePIC Endcap Tracking
The Electron Ion Collider(EIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory is designed to study the nuclear structure with an unprecedented precision, shading light on confinement and on the intriguing behavior of QCD in the non-perturbative regime. ePIC is the first large acceptance detector that will be located at the Interaction Point (IP6). Its tracking system is composed of Silicon trackers and Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGD), the latter implementing both the μ-RWELL and micromegas technologies.
The trackers covering the area of the detector with pseudo-rapidity |η|>2 include the Endcap Trackers, two pairs of GEMμ-RWELL disks, one in the leptonic region and one in the hadronic region.
The new technology GEMμ-RWELL is an hybrid configuration able to reach gains above 10^4, thanks to the presence of a single GEM layer to pre-amplify the signal. The design foresees a conversion gap of 3−6mm, a transfer gap of 2−3mm, while a 2D strip ”COMPASS-like” readout of 500 μm pitch, guarantees a spatial resolution better than 150 μm even for curved tracks.
GEMμ-RWELL prototypes of 10x10cm2 active area will be tested in November 2024 at PS-T10 East Area at CERN. The goal of the test beam is to measure the spatial resolution and efficiency, exploring different angles between the incident beam and the active area, compatibly with the ePIC requirements. The events will be reconstructed both with charge centroid method and with a μTPC algorithm, to study the position resolution optimization.Speaker: Elena Sidoretti (INFN e Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (IT)) -
146
The micro-Resistive WELL for the LHCb Muon stations upgrades
The increased luminosity in future runs of LHC lead the experiments to cope with a higher particle flux, making the collaborations to study how to maintain full detection efficiency. For LHCb this issue involves the inner stations (R1 and R2) of the Muon system locally composed of Multi-Wire Proportional Chambers (MWPC). Indeed, at the rates expected there during run 5 and 6 (O(1 MHz/cm2)) their efficiency dramatically drops down and everything suggests substituting these devices with micro-pattern gaseous detectors.
Exploiting the legacy derived from the GEM construction for LHCb, the Detector Development Group (DDG) of LNF has proposed to replace the MWPC of the stations R1 and R2 with micro-Resistive WELL detectors. This technology offers the advantages of stability under heavy irradiation, compactness and an already ongoing transfer technology that opens the way for industrial production, an unquestionable step due to the large number of detectors needed for the apparatus (about 600).
The talk will offer a quick overview on the status of the art of the technology devoted to fulfill the requirements of LHCb collaboration: full efficiency in the bunch crossing, stability up to 1 C/cm2 integrated charge in 10 years of operations and reduction of the muon misidentification, mainly related to the development of a new dedicated front-end electronics.
Speaker: Dr Giovanni Bencivenni (INFN e Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (IT)) -
147
The Stabilized Voltage Divider – A Rate-Capable HV-Scheme for GEMs
GEM detectors are widely used as tracking detectors in modern particle physics experiments. Typically, triple or quadruple stacks of GEM stages are used to provide the required gain. For discharge-safe operation, the potentials of the electrodes are often generated from a single input channel, using a Passive Voltage Divider. This circuit defines the required potentials through a resistor chain and limits the current in case of a shorted segment through its high output impedance. When it is subjected to high-rate, the large number of charges moving inside the detector lead to non-negligible potential drops. As the gain and therefore also the detector efficiency is highly sensitive to the potentials, the performance of the detector is degraded, calling for improvements of the high-voltage supply.
The newly developed Stabilized Voltage Divider (SVD) uses MOSFETs to provide the nominal potentials even under high rates up to several MHz/cm². The current flowing in case of a short circuit in the GEM is limited through a MOSFET that exhibits a low impedance during normal operation. Strong emphasis was put to ensure the adequate response of the SVD to discharges, minimizing the risk of damage to the detector's GEMs and readout. A detailed explanation on the working principle of the SVD will be given and measurements demonstrating the discharge behavior and superior rate capability of a triple-GEM-detector with an SVD will be presented.
Speaker: Jakob Krauss (University of Bonn) -
148
Time of flight plastic-scintillator based proton radiography
Proton radiography is a transmission imaging modality that measures the energy loss in an object to reconstruct a map of water-equivalent path lengths. Imaging systems typically feature a calorimeter to measure the residual kinetic energy of particles exiting the target, combined with one or more position-sensitive devices, providing the proton position or track. Recently, a new approach to retrieve the proton kinetic energy by measuring their Time Of Flight (TOF) has been proposed. The TOFpRad project aims to assess the viability of a TOF proton radiography system based on plastic scintillators read-out by Silicon Photomultipliers. The proposed system will consist of two tracking units made of plastic scintillating fibers, which will provide the proton coordinates when entering and exiting the target, while the TOF system will be composed of two thin plastic-scintillator-based detectors approximately ~2 m apart. So far, a test has been performed at the CNAO hadrontherapy center with 62-227 MeV protons. A preliminary system composed of a plastic-scintillating-fiber-based beam monitor, and two TOF detectors was employed. A TOF resolution in the range 150-170 ps standard deviation was achieved. The capability of the system to detect a few-mm thick air gap at different depths in a water-equivalent phantom was also demonstrated. In this contribution, details about the project, the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation studies and the results of the data taking will be presented.
Speaker: MATTEO MORROCCHI (University of Pisa, Department of Physics and INFN Pisa) -
149
Vertex Reconstruction for Studying Antiproton-Nucleus Annihilations
As antimatter is mostly detected through its annihilation, the antiproton-nucleus ($\bar{\text{p}}$A) interaction is a crucial process. Various models, compared mostly to older data from experiments at LEAR, show deviations from measurements by large factors, indicating that, despite its significance, the annihilation mechanism is not well established.
A study of $\bar{\text{p}}$A annihilations at rest on a variety of thin solid targets is being set up at the ASACUSA facility, for which a dedicated beamline for the slow extraction of 250 eV antiprotons has already been put into operation. The experiment will use seven Timepix4 ASICs coupled to 500 um silicon sensors arranged in a cuboid geometry that covers the majority of the full solid angle around the target. Using these novel chips, the total multiplicity, energy, and angular distribution of various prongs produced in a number of thin solid targets can be measured.
A 3D reconstruction algorithm for the annihilation vertex from particle tracks in the single-plane detectors has been developed using Monte Carlo simulations. Therefore individual annihilation events can be reconstructed, allowing the discrimination between antiprotons annihilating on the target and those elsewhere.
The measurements will also enable a study of possible final state interactions triggered by the primary annihilation mesons, as well as their evolution with the nucleus mass and their branching ratios.Speaker: Viktoria Kraxberger (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)) -
150
Xenoscope, a full-scale vertical demonstrator for the XLZD observatory.
The XLZD observatory is a proposed next-generation experiment for dark matter detection and neutrino physics, featuring a 60-tonne liquid xenon (LXe) target within a dual-phase time projection chamber. To address the technological challenges required for such detector scale, a full-height vertical demonstrator, Xenoscope, was built at the University of Zurich. Xenoscope will demonstrate key capabilities, such as the electron transport characterization over a 2.6-meter drift, the high voltage delivery, or the measurement of LXe optical properties. This talk provides an overview of the Xenoscope facility, its recent results, and the upcoming measurement campaigns.
Speaker: Paloma Cimental Chavez
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104
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Astroparticle EI8
EI8
Convener: Hiroyasu Tajima (Nagoya University)-
151
FIT: the scintillating-fiber tracker of the HERD space-borne cosmic-ray experiment
A new generation of space experiments is essential to address the unresolved questions raised by recent measurements from current experiments, and to further advance our understanding of cosmic rays. The challenge of the direct detection at increasingly higher energies, combined with enhanced energy and angular resolutions, is shaping the design of future detectors. The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection facility (HERD) onboard the China Space Station will be the next calorimetric experiment for the direct detection of cosmic rays. The detector will be equipped with a scintillating-fiber tracker (FIT) read out with silicon photomultipliers. A miniature of a FIT sector, called MiniFIT, was designed, built and tested with particle beams at CERN. The FIT design, together with the design and physics performance of MiniFIT and the space qualification of a FIT demonstrator will be presented in this contribution.
Speaker: Dr Chiara Perrina (EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (CH)) -
152
Cryogenic Tests of Time of Flight and Scintillating Fiber Tracker Prototypes for the AMS-100 experiment
The AMS-100 Experiment, a magnetic spectrometer in space, will use plastic scintillators read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) as a time of flight (ToF) detector. The scintillating fiber tracker (SciFi) of AMS-100 will use scintillating fibers (250~$\mu$m thick) read out by SiPMs. The ToF and the SciFi Tracker will be operated in vacuum at cryogenic temperatures.
We will present time resolution and signal shape measurements with a ToF-prototype in the temperature range of $+30^{\circ}$C to $-196^{\circ}$C. Long term tests of a ToF prototype in vacuum and thermocycling tests of the ToF components will be shown.
Thermal studies and light yield measurements of a SciFi tracker prototype at room temperature and at $-196^{\circ}$C in vacuum will be presented.
Speakers: Thomas Kirn (Rheinisch Westfaelische Tech. Hoch. (DE)), Mr Thomas Oeser (RWTH Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut B) -
153
Si-microstrip LGAD detectors for cosmic-ray space-borne instruments
In the context of the Pentadimensional Tracking Space Detector project (PTSD), we are currently developing a demonstrator to increase the Technological Readiness Level of LGAD Si-microstrip tracking detectors for applications in space-borne instruments. Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGAD) is a consolidated technology developed for particle detectors at colliders which allows for simultaneous and accurate time (<100 ps) and position (~ 10 µm) resolutions with segmented Si sensors. It is a candidate technology that could enable for the first time 5D tracking (position, charge, and time) in space using LGAD Si-microstrip tracking systems. The intrinsic gain of LGAD sensors may also allow to decrease the sensor thickness while achieving signal yields similar to those of Si-microstrips currently operated in Space.
In this contribution we discuss the activities for the design and development of a low-consumption LGAD Si-microstrip device. We also discuss possible applications and breakthrough opportunities in next generation large area cosmic-ray and sub-GeV gamma-ray detectors that could be enabled by LGAD Si-microstrip tracking detectors in Space, and we propose the design of a cost-effective instrument to be deployed on a CubeSat platform to enable and qualify the operations of LGAD Si-microstrip detectors in Space.Speaker: Valerio Vagelli (Italian Space Agency (ASI) and INFN)
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151
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Quantum EI9
EI9
Convener: Mr Albert Hirtl-
154
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen squeezing experiment for future gravitational-wave detectors
Gravitational-wave astronomy began its remarkable legacy on September 14th, 2015, with the ground-breaking detection of a GW signal produced by the coalescence of two black holes. The exciting outcomes from this young research field range from cosmology and multimessenger astrophysics to fundamental physics. The current GW detectors are broadband (10 - 10000 Hz) Michelson interferometers that cope with quantum noise by squeezing the vacuum quantum states of the light entering the antisymmetric port of the instrument.
The present generation of detectors make use of a long and detuned resonator, called Filter Cavity (FC), to optimize the quantum readout from the instrument at each frequency band, and enhance the overall performance.
However, there is another approach aiming at the same outcome without the employment of a FC. The scientific goal of the experiment illustrated here is to effectively implement this new scheme, based on the parallel homodyne detection and combination of a pair of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entangled squeezed beams. This experiment is under implementation in the site of the Virgo GW detector, the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) found in Cascina (Pisa, Italy).
The scientific results from the EPR experiment can impact the layout of the foreseen upgrades for the Virgo detector, and above all for the next generation detectors such as the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer, which are currently thought to use km-long multiple FCs.Speaker: Francesco De Marco (Sapienza University of Rome & Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma1) -
155
Quantum Sensing for Particle Physics Using Single Molecule Magnets
Answering the most puzzling questions in fundamental physis drives a continuous quest for the development of new detection techniques allowing to go beyond traditional measurement approaches. On this purpose, an increasing R&D activity for the development of new detection strategies based on exploiting the extreme sensitivity of quantum systems is currently ongoing, aiming at introducing innovative sensors with frontier performances. Among the quantum systems being currently investigated in this rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field, Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs, molecular crystals where each molecule substantially behaves as a tiny, isolated magnet) are considered to have promising potentialities for developments in the context of spin-based devices. After an introduction to these relatively new materials, we present the INFN R&D project NAMASSTE and its results, which give strong evidence for the potential application of quantum sensing based on SMMs to particle detection.
Speaker: Giuseppe Latino (Universita e INFN, Firenze (IT)) -
156
Quantum Invisible Particle Sensor (QuIPS) for Heavy Sterile Neutrino Searches
This work proposes a novel architecture that utilizes recent advancements in quantum-limited sensing technology and pixelated silicon sensors to search for new invisible particles. The design features a nanometer-scale, optically levitated sensor embedded with unstable radioisotopes, and surrounded by pixelated silicon detectors. By measuring the recoil of the optomechanical sensor at the standard quantum limit, alongside the momenta and energies of outgoing visible particles following the decay of the embedded isotopes, the total momentum of the emitted invisible particles can be fully reconstructed. This design primarily targets the search for heavy sterile neutrinos in the keV-MeV mass range. It can also be applied to explore new parameter space in other beyond Standard Model physics.
This talk will present the basic concept of the architecture, the detailed design, the simulations and preliminary test results.Speaker: Miao Hu (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US))
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154
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Semiconductor MAPS 2 EI7
EI7
Convener: Markus Friedl (HEPHY Vienna)-
157
Performance of 65nm CMOS Stitched Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor Prototype Structures for ALICE ITS3
The ALICE collaboration is currently developing a new vertex detector ("ITS3"), foreseen to be installed in 2026 - 2028 during LHC long shutdown 3 to replace the three innermost layers (Inner Barrel) of the current Inner Tracking System as from Run 4 onwards. ITS3 comprises the use of ultra-thin (down to 50 micrometers) silicon wafers and stitching technologies in 65nm CMOS imaging process to produce large area (9.8cm x 26.7cm) Monolithic Active Pixels Sensors with a very low power consumption and a very low material budget, which will be bent to half-cylindrical shapes of 19, 25.2 and 31.5 mm bending radii for layer 0, 1 and 2 respectively.
Within the comprehensive R&D program for the ITS3 different large area stitched prototype structures with various pixel pitch and matrix sizes have been produced and tested before and after irradiation with TID and NIEL to validate the ITS3 technology approach, resulting in detection efficiencies of >99% and fake hit rates of <1e-2/pixel/s. In this contribution we present an overview on detection performance measurements obtained for such prototypes in test beams using various chip settings.Speaker: Francesca Carnesecchi (CERN) -
158
Implementation and yield studies of the ALICE ITS3 stitched sensor test structure: the MOST
In the LHC long shutdown 3, the ALICE experiment upgrades the inner layers of its Inner Tracker System with three layers of wafer-scale stitched sensors bent around the beam pipe. Two stitched sensor evaluation structures, the MOnolithic Stitched Sensor (MOSS) and MOnolithic Stitched Sensor with Timing (MOST) allow the study of yield dependence on circuit density, power supply segmentation, stitching demonstration for power and data transmission, performance dependence on reverse bias, charge collection performance, parameter uniformity across the chip, and performance of wafer-scale data transmission.
The MOST measures 25.9 cm x 0.25 cm, has more than 900,000 pixels of 18x18 μm2 and emphasizes the validation of pixel circuitry with maximum density, together with a high number of power domains separated by switches allowing to power down faulty circuits. It employs 1 Gb/s 26 cm long data transmission using asynchronous, data-driven readout. This readout preserves information on time of arrival and time over threshold. In the MOSS, by contrast, regions with different in-pixel densities are implemented to study yield dependence and are read synchronously.
MOST test results validated the concept of power domain switching and the data transmission over 26 cm stitched lines for the implementation of the full-size, full-functionality ITS3 prototype sensor, MOSAIX.
This contribution will summarize the performance of the stitched sensor test structures with emphasis on the MOST.
Speaker: Jory Sonneveld (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)) -
159
Advancing in 65nm CMOS for lepton colliders: From single pixel structures to integrated matrices
Monolithic active pixel sensors (MAPS) are attractive candidates for the next generation of vertex and tracking detectors for future lepton colliders. Especially an only recently accessible 65 nm CMOS imaging technology, that allows for higher logic density at lower power consumption compared to currently used imaging processes, is of high interest. Intensive simulation and characterisation of prototypes have proven the feasibility of further investigating the chosen technology.
The contribution is going to highlight the advancements of the prototypes going from a few analog pixels to a fully integrated chip with a 64x16 pixel matrix, including different readout modes. Characterisation highlights of a 4 pixel analog test structure featuring a charge sensitive amplifier during test beam and laboratory studies, including efficiency, time resolution and charge calibration are going to be presented. The same analog pixel cell is also included in the H2M chip, which explores the capabilities of a digital on top design approach. The design and readout modes of H2M are introduced together with the DAQ system based on Caribou.
Detailed characterization results will be presented both from laboratory and test beam campaigns, including threshold equalisation and charge calibration. Efficiencies of above 99% are determined. It is concluded that the technology is feasible to tackle many of the challenges of lepton collider experiments.Speaker: Yajun He (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)
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157
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16:00
Bowling (optional) Kugeltanz, Hauptalle 124, 1020 Vienna
Kugeltanz, Hauptalle 124, 1020 Vienna
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08:30
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08:30
Registration
Registration Desk is open from 08:30 – 17:00
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Gas detectors: RPC EI8
EI8
Convener: Imad Laktineh (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR))-
160
The performance of the New Small Wheels of the ATLAS detector in the heart of LHC Run-3
During the second long shutdown of the LHC at CERN, the most important Phase-1 upgrade within the ATLAS experiment was replacement of the two inner endcap stations of the Muon Spectrometer, with the New Small Wheels (NSW). Consisting of two novel detector technologies, the small-strip Thin Gap Chambers (sTGC) and the resistive strips Micromegas (MM), the NSW is targeting the rejection of fake muons at the endcap region between pseudorapidity $1.3<|\eta|<2.4$. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent muon tracking and the improved triggering capability NSW contributes to the identification of muons coming from the interaction point with high precision. Following an extensive effort during 2023 to finalise the commissioning of the new detectors, by 2024 both technologies were integrated successfully into the ATLAS data acquisition, reconstruction, simulation and trigger, offering a significant reduction of the ATLAS Level-1 trigger rate and further reducing the readout dead-time. Despite the demanding challenges and increased luminosity delivered by LHC, the ATLAS NSW completed important milestones and now demonstrates its readiness towards the end of the Run3 data-taking period of LHC. This contribution will present an overview of the advancements made within 2024, followed by a detailed report of the NSW performance in terms of tracking and triggering, using data recorded from pp collisions at 13.6 TeV.
Speaker: Stergios Tsigaridas (TRIUMF (CA)) -
161
Performance and longevity of ATLAS RPCs with new lower GWP mixtures
Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) are critical components of the muon systems of most HL-LHC experiments. Until 2023, all HL-LHC RPC systems used a so-called standard mixture, consisting of 95.7% C$_2$H$_2$F$_4$ (R134a), 5% i-C$_4$H$_{10}$, and 0.3% SF$_6$, highly tuned for RPC performance but having very high global warming potential (GWP). Environmental impact and increasing difficulty in procuring this type of fluorinated gases imposes to pursue a solution for the long-term experiment’s plans, such as a new mixture having a lower GWP and preserving, as well, the detector performance and longevity. In the last 2 years, ATLAS muons are pursuing such strategy, by progressively replacing TFE (GWP: 1300) with CO$_2$ (GWP:1), and validating the choice with extensive aging tests performed on realistic ATLAS RPC prototypes. This led ATLAS to be the first experiment replacing the RPC gas mixture in July 2023 with a new mixture, where 30% of TFE has been replaced with CO$_2$; the ATLAS RPC system behavior has been since then studied carefully, to spot in vivo any eventual sign of accelerated aging. More challenging perspectives, presently under validation, prior to apply them in the experiment, include a further reduction of TFE to 40%, and a lowering, or a total replacement of SF$_6$, which GWP (23500) is extremely high. We will present the experience of this 2-year long study, including the results of one full HL-LHC year of the ATLAS RPC system with the new gas.
Speaker: Sinem Simsek (Istinye University (TR)) -
162
Development of Hybrid Gaseous Detectors
Gaseous detectors play a vital role in particle physics experiments, especially in collider detectors, where they are used in trackers, muon chambers, and calorimeters. However, future advancements face challenges due to limitations on traditional detector gases, driven by regulatory and environmental concerns. To overcome this, our team developed the concept of "hybrid gaseous detectors". This innovative approach involves shifting part of the electron multiplication process from the gaseous medium to a high secondary electron emission yield solid-state layer applied directly to the anode surface inside the detector. By doing this, we can reduce the operating voltage and the gas flow rate significantly as well as enable the utilization of alternative, more sustainable gas mixtures. The concept was first tested on Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) and showed promising results. We extended the hybrid design to drift tubes by coating the central anode wire. Recently, we developed hybrid RPCs with optical readout where the chambers also have SiPMs integrated. Here, we report on the development of hybrid gaseous detectors and discuss future directions which involve optimizing the coating materials, expanding to other detector types, and exploring new use cases.
Speaker: Ecem Artan -
163
Helium-Based Drift Chamber for Central Tracking in the IDEA Detector
The IDEA detector concept for a future e+e- collider incorporates an ultra-low-mass helium-based drift chamber as the central tracking system. This chamber is designed to deliver high- efficiency tracking, precise momentum measurements, and excellent particle identification through the cluster counting technique. Simulations using Garfield++ demonstrate that this technique achieves twice the resolution of the traditional dE/dx method for charged particles.Experimental validation has been conducted through beam tests at CERN, using various helium gas mixtures, wire orientations, and gas gains. These tests confirm the Poisson nature of ionization clusters and highlight the effectiveness of advanced algorithms for identifying electron peaks and clusters despite challenges like signal overlap in the time domain. This talk will discuss the expected tracking and particle identification performance based on detailed simulated physics events and test beam analyses. Additionally, key aspects of the drift chamber's construction will be explored, including the evaluation of new wire materials, advanced wire soldering techniques and the optimization of the drift cell design. The latest mechanical simulation studies will also be covered.
Speaker: Nicola De Filippis (Politecnico/INFN Bari (IT))
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160
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Rare Events: Dark Matter EI9
EI9
Convener: Florian Reindl (Vienna University of Technology (AT))-
164
CUORE: Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events
The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is the first cryogenic experiment searching for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay that has reached the one-tonne mass scale. The detector, located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy, consists of 988 TeO$_{2}$ crystals arranged in a compact cylindrical structure of 19 towers. CUORE began its first physics data run in 2017 at a base temperature of about 10 mK and, in March 2024, released the most recent result of the search for $0\nu\beta\beta$, corresponding to two tonne-year TeO$_{2}$ exposure. This is the most significant volume of data acquired with a solid state detector and the most sensitive measurement of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in $^{130}$Te conducted. In this talk, we will describe the CUORE experiment, including the cryostat, the front-end electronics, the data acquisition system, and the data processing chain. Finally, we will present the current status of the CUORE search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ with the updated statistics of two tonne$\cdot$yr exposure, the CUORE background model, and the measurement of the $^{130}$Te $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay half-life.
Speaker: Simone Copello -
165
Early results of the LEGEND-200 experiment
The search for neutrinoless double beta (0$\nu\beta\beta$) decay is considered the most promising method to prove the Majorana nature of neutrinos, and its discovery would provide insight on the mass hierarchy and on the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. The discovery of 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay would inform theories predicting the observed matter anti-matter asymmetry of the Universe being a consequence of lepton number violation through leptogenesis.
Building upon the success of GERDA and MAJORANA experiments, the LEGEND (Large Enriched Germanium Detector for Neutrinoless bb Decay) Collaboration aims at building a $^{76}$Ge-based 0$\nu\beta\beta$ experiment with a sensitivity on the half-life beyond $10^{28}$ years, to fully span the inverted neutrino mass ordering region. In the first phase, LEGEND-200, 200 kg of enriched germanium detectors are being deployed in an upgraded version of the GERDA facility at LNGS. With an exposure of 1 t$\cdot$yr and a BI of 0.5 cts/(FWHM$\cdot$t$\cdot$yr), LEGEND-200 will be able to reach a sensitivity of about $10^{27}$ yr at 90% C.L. In the second phase, the enriched germanium mass will be increased to 1000 kg. With a background index of 0.025 cts/(FWHM$\cdot$t$\cdot$yr) and an exposure of 10 t$\cdot$yr, LEGEND-1000 aims to reach a 3$\sigma$ half-life discovery sensitivity of 1.3$\times 10^{28}$ yr.
In this talk an overview of the LEGEND project will be presented together with the operational status and current results of LEGEND-200.Speaker: Dr nina burlac (Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso) -
166
LIME: underground operation of a gaseous TPC with optical readout
We present the latest developments of the LIME underground data taking campaign at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). The LIME detector is the largest 50 L prototype of the CYGNO/INITIUM project, whose aim is to build a large gaseous Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with optical readout using a He:CF4 gas mixture for directional Dark Matter spin-dependent and spin-independent searches. Within the LIME detector, the primary ionisation charges resulting from particle interactions are amplified by a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM). During the amplification process, scintillation visible light is produced and is readout by a CMOS-based Active Pixel Sensor and a set of four fast Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs). This approach enables detailed 3D event reconstruction while keeping the sensors outside the sensitive volume, thereby reducing background contamination. LIME exhibited linearity in the response to electron recoils from 4 keV to 40 keV and a very good discriminating power between electron and nuclear recoils above 20 keV. The results obtained in the five data-taking runs performed underground in the LNGS will be presented. Given the success of the LIME campaign, we are realising a larger 0.4 m$^3$ demonstrator, called CYGNO04, to be deployed at the LNGS between the end of 2024 and 2026 to demonstrate the scalability of the project and the performances of our experimental technique on a larger volume scale.
Speaker: Stefano Piacentini
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164
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Semiconductor 3D EI7
EI7
Convener: Francesco Forti (INFN Sezione di Pisa and Universita' di Pisa)-
167
Improving spatial and timing resolution of 3D diamond detectors
3D diamond detector is a relatively new concept that is characterised by an electrode array fabricated inside a Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) diamond plate using a femto-second laser, resulting in electrically conducting graphitic paths. This fabrication method allows for various complicated electrode structures, making it possible to design novel electrode geometries and optimise the spatial/temporal performance of 3D diamond devices. In this paper, multiple 3D diamond detector structures are modelled. Their electric fields are simulated using Sentaurus TCAD and the signal response is simulated with Monte Carlo method using Garfield++. Then a Deep Neural Network (DNN) based algorithm is built to analyse the signal waveform from hit events and improve the detector’s spatial/temporal resolution by predicting the accurate hit position and time of arrival. Utilising these tools, the performance of different 3D diamond detector structures are analysed. To test the detector performance experimentally, detector prototypes with various structures are built with a femto-second laser equipped with an optical correction using Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs). The Two Photon Absorption (TPA) technique is used to generate point-like charge distributions inside 3D diamond sensor, so that the detector response is examined with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Speaker: Huazhen Li (The University of Manchester (GB)) -
168
Development and production of advanced 3D pixel sensors at FBK
The increase in luminosity at the HL-LHC has led to the need for both increased radiation resistance in particle sensors, along with the need for timing capabilities, and lastly, to an increase in the granularity of vertex detectors. 3D detectors have an inherent good resistance to radiation damage that have allowed, after several years of R&D, to push their radiation hardness up to the maximum fluences of interest for HL-LHC (~2×1016 neq/cm2). In recent years, FBK has introduced several technological variations to reduce sensor pitch and improve timing performance. Specifically, regarding the reduction in pitch, the use of stepper-based lithography instead of mask aligner has allowed a significant improvement in the definition of critical details and process yield. This technology is currently used at FBK for the production of 3D pixel detectors for both ATLAS and CMS. To improve time resolution performance, a 3D trench-based detector, rather than one based on columns, has been introduced. Due to a more uniform electric field and weighting field distribution within the active volume, these sensors have indeed shown outstanding results in terms of timing resolution, close to 10 ps. The talk will illustrate an overview of technological aspects as well as initial measurements on 3D-column production batches and a batch of 3D trenches fabricated in the AIDA Innova project.
Speaker: Maurizio Boscardin (Fondazione Bruno Kessler (IT)) -
169
Could we efficiently operate 3D silicon pixel-based tracking detectors irradiated with neutron fluences up to 1E+18 1MeVneq/cm2?
Future new high luminosity colliders will require exeptionally radiation hard detectors, in particular those that will be closer to the interaction regions, i.e. tracking and vertexing detectors. The TimeSPOT R&D project has developed a new family of 3D silicon pixel sensors with 55 μm pitch that have shown an incredible time resolution of about 10 ps thanks to their new “trench” design. In these detectors, specially designed vertical (3D) trench junctions within the pixel create a uniform electric field region 25 μm thick, independent of the sensor’s thickness, allowing to collect charge carriers created by a crossing charged particle very rapidly. These very thin drift regions also minimize charge carrier losses occurring in radiation damaged detectors and it has been demonstrated that these 3D detectors can still operate efficiently after neutron irradiations up to fluences of 1E+17 1MeVneq/cm2. A new irradiation run at the TRIGA Mark II Reactor at the Jožef Stefan Institute has just been concluded, reaching extreme fluences of 1E+18 1MeVneq/cm2. Irradiated 3D pixels are currently being tested at INFN Cagliari laboratories with red and infrared micrometrically focused laser beams allowing to perform a complete mapping of the charge collection efficiency on the pixel area. These new results will be presented at the conference together with other recent results, showing that these 3D silicon pixels can still operate efficiently under extreme radiation damage conditions.
Speaker: Adriano Lai (Universita e INFN, Cagliari (IT)) -
170
Development of fast-timing sensors and multichannel characterisation board
In the new era of LHC experiments, fast-timing detectors are becoming a major priority. The LHCb upgrade II shall implement 4D tracking, enabling primary vertices spread in time to be distinguished, while maintaining high spatial resolution. Within VELO detector, a temporal hit resolution of 50ps within pixels of pitch < 50um is required. These demanding requirements necessitate a shift to non-standard hybrid sensor designs, which is the focus of the CERN EP R&D work package 1.1.
The Silicon Electron Multiplier (SiEM) is a sensor design that exploits an in-built amplification region generated around a metallic electrode grid. Two production processes have been investigated to produce SiEM demonstrators: metal-assisted chemical etching, a project with PSI, and deep reactive ion etching, a project with CNM. In addition, the production of 3D column sensors with timing-motivated designs is being pursued. The impact of the column geometry on spatial resolution, detection efficiency, and front-end timing jitter has been studied.
Hybrid sensor R&D necessitates the development of a suite of sensor characterisation tools. The multichannel board has been designed for the fast readout of test structures through 16 channels simultaneously and it is based on a transimpedance amplifier with a gain of ~70.
This contribution shall present WP 1.1 results from SiEM demonstrator manufacturing, 3D sensor design studies, and 16-channel board v2 laboratory and test-beam characterisation.
Speaker: Morag Williams (CERN)
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167
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Coffee & Posters A
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Gas detectors: Straws EI8
EI8
Convener: Christian Fabjan (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
171
The Mu2e Straw Tracker Detector Status and Prototype Results
The Mu2e experiment will search for charge-lepton flavor violating (CLFV) muon to electron conversion. It aims to achieve a four-orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over previous experiments, allowing it to probe new physics at mass scales up to 10^4 TeV. A precision momentum measurement is needed to resolve the monoenergetic electron that is the signal of CLFV conversion from muon decay-in-orbit backgrounds. This precision measurement is achieved in Mu2e using a low-mass cylindrical straw tracker operated in vacuum, consisting of 21,000 thin-wall mylar straws held at tension. The Mu2e tracker is now in production and will be completed during 2025. We will discuss the design and status of the experiment and the tracker detector, and show results from data taken with the first tracker module.
Speaker: Richard Bonventre -
172
Brand-New Extremely Light Straw-Tube Detector with a Nonwoven Graphite-Textile
The COMET experiment at J-PARC aims to search for a lepton-flavour violating process of muon to electron conversion, with a branching-ratio sensitivity of $10^{−17}$. The expected signal of this process is monochromatic 105 MeV single electron. To distinguish such a low energy signal, a material budget of detector is essential since the detection accuracy is primarily limited by multiple scattering.
To realize the required low material detector, a vacuum-compatible ultra-thin-wall straw tracker, 20$\mu$m-thick Mylar straw with 70nm Al cathode, has been developed employing ultrasonic-welding technique. This was reported in VCI2016, and the detector performances such as detection efficiency and intrinsic spacial resolutions were reported in VCI2019. In parallel to 20$\mu$m straw production, further thinner straw, 12$\mu$m-thick, was developed for the COMET upgrade, ie. COMET Phase-II. Details of R&D on 12$\mu$m straw were reported in VCI2022.In the process of developing the 12$\mu$m straw, it became clear that it would be fundamentally difficult to make it any thinner using the current straw manufacturing method based on ultrasonic welding. Our R&D showed that the limit is around 10-12$\mu$m. Then, the brand-new extremely light straw was developed with a nonwoven graphite-textile. This was enabled by a collaboration with the nano-tech textile science.
In VCI2025, detailed R&D of the brand-new nonwoven graphite straw will be presented, in addition to the R&D status of the 12$\mu$m-thick straw.
Speaker: Hajime Nishiguchi -
173
High-Flux Electron Detectors to Study Non-Linear Compton Scattering in the LUXE Experiment
Recently, advancements in high-intensity laser technology have enabled the exploration of non-perturbative Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) in strong-field regimes. Notable aspects include non-linear Compton scattering and Breit-Wheeler pair production, observable when colliding high-intensity laser pulses and relativistic electron beams. The LUXE experiment at DESY and the E320 experiment at SLAC aim to study these phenomena by measuring the created high-flux Compton electrons and photons. We propose a novel detector system featuring a segmented gas-filled Cherenkov detector with a scintillator screen and camera setup, designed to efficiently detect high-rate Compton electrons. Preliminary results from E320 measurement campaigns demonstrate methods for reconstructing electron energy spectra, aiming to reveal crucial features of non-perturbative QED.
Speaker: Antonios Athanassiadis (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)
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171
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Rare Events: Neutrino EI9
EI9
Convener: Manfred Jeitler (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
174
Imaging Neutrino Interactions with Liquid Argon Scintillation Light at the DUNE Near Detector Complex
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) has among its primary goals the determination of the neutrino mass ordering and the CP-violating phase in the PMNS mixing matrix.
An important component of the DUNE Near Detector complex is the System for On-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND), which includes GRAIN, a novel Liquid Argon (LAr) detector designed to image neutrino interactions using scintillation light.
GRAIN is designed to provide a fine-grained reconstruction of neutrino interactions in LAr and to provide a control sample for neutrino events in the Near Detector's Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers.
GRAIN uses an innovative optical readout system based on SiPM matrices coupled either to UV-Lenses or Coded Aperture masks to take "pictures" of the LAr scintillation light emission, eliminating the dependence on slow charge collection.
This contribution will discuss the current design of GRAIN, the development of its optical elements and image reconstruction algorithms, as well as the construction of a prototype demonstrator with two cameras with 256 pixels and cold readout electronics.Speaker: Valentina Cicero (Universita e INFN, Bologna (IT)) -
175
RES-NOVA - Detecting neutrinos and dark matter with archaeological Pb-based cryogenic detectors
The RES-NOVA project detects cosmic neutrinos (e.g., Sun, Supernovae) via coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) using archaeological Pb-based cryogenic detectors. The high CEνNS cross-section and ultra-high radiopurity of archaeological Pb enable a highly sensitive, cm-scale observatory equally sensitive to all neutrino flavors. In its first phase, RES-NOVA plans to operate a (30 cm)³ demonstrator detector. It will detect SN bursts from the entire Milky Way with >3σ sensitivity using PbWO₄ detectors with a 1 keV threshold, precisely constraining main supernova parameters by observing (anti-)νμ/τ.
Beyond neutrino detection, RES-NOVA significantly enhances dark matter (DM) detection potential. Pb's large atomic mass and sensitivity to low-energy nuclear recoils make it excellent for detecting DM from our galactic halo. RES-NOVA aims to probe unexplored DM parameter spaces, potentially unveiling new insights into its nature. This dual capability allows important astroparticle physics results even without SN observations.
In this contribution, we outline the potential of this new experimental approach for neutrino and dark matter detection, emphasizing experimental sensitivity and the performance of the first prototype detectors.
Speaker: Nahuel Ferreiro Iachellini (University of Milano-Bicocca) -
176
Magnetic noise mitigation for upcoming Gravitational Waves detectors
Gravitational waves are distortions of spacetime generated by extremely violent astrophysical events, as predicted by Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. In 2015, groundbreaking technologies in gravitational wave detectors (GW) opened a new window for observing the universe, marking the beginning of the GW era. Building on the success of the second-generation detectors, Advanced LIGO and Advanced VIRGO, the "Einstein Telescope" (ET) will be a third-generation GW detector. Its entire structure will be constructed underground at depths of 100 to 300 meters to shield it from vibrations caused by both seismic activity and human activity, which contribute to what is known as "noise." ET will incorporate cutting-edge technologies in a multi-interferometer configuration, allowing it to observe a volume of the universe approximately a thousand times greater than its predecessors, with the goal of exploring the entire universe through gravitational waves. ET will have enhanced sensitivity compared to current interferometers. To achieve these targets at low frequencies (a few Hz to around 100 Hz), we are developing magnetic noise mitigation strategies, which will be explained in the presentation.
Speaker: Dr Barbara Garaventa (INFN Genova)
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174
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Semiconductor Systems EI7
EI7
Convener: Thomas Bergauer (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
177
A New Heart for ATLAS: Status of the New Phase-2 ATLAS ITk Pixel Detector
The upgrade of the LHC to the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) by the end of this decade will impose significant challenges on the detectors of the LHC experiments. Increased luminosity of up to $7.5\cdot10^{34}\,cm^{−2}s^{−1}$ with up to 200 simultaneous p-p interactions per bunch crossing and foreseen run-times equivalent to up to $4000\,fb^{-1}$ make it necessary to develop new detectors that can cope with the corresponding radiation damage, occupancy, and bandwidth needs. Among other detector upgrades, ATLAS will replace its entire inner tracking system with a new, all-silicon inner tracker (ITk) with a 5-layer hybrid pixel detector at its heart. This new pixel detector will feature a sensitive surface of about $13\,m^{2}$ and employ several silicon sensor technologies as well as innovative concepts like serial detector powering and evaporative CO2 cooling to unprecedented scales.
The ITk pixel project has finished its design and prototyping period and the different detector components are either in the pre-production or production phase. This contribution will give a comprehensive overview of the detector design, the overall project status and the biggest challenges towards production. It will include lessons learned from module pre-production, experience with the RD53B front-end chip, as well as first results on module loading on mechanical support structures. Recent results of system-level tests as well as the remaining project timelines will also be discussed.
Speaker: Benedikt Vormwald (CERN) -
178
CMS Inner Tracker Upgrade for the HL-LHC: Design, Development, and Production Status
The High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) operation will push the CMS experiment to its limits, with an instantaneous peak luminosity of $7.5 \times 10^{34} \, \text{cm}^{-2}\text{s}^{-1}$ and an integrated luminosity of $300 \, \text{fb}^{-1}$ per year. This environment will expose the CMS Inner Tracker (IT) Pixel Detector at the center of CMS to unprecedented radiation, with a 1 MeV neutron equivalent fluence of $2.3 \times 10^{16} \, \text{neq}/\text{cm}^2$ and a total ionizing dose of $1.2 \, \text{Grad}$. To endure these conditions and handle hit rates of $3.2 \, \text{GHz}/\text{cm}^2$ while managing a pileup of 140-200 collisions per bunch crossing, the new IT system will employ a highly granular design with thin silicon sensors, small pixels ($25 \times 100 \, \mu\text{m}^2$), and fast, radiation-hard electronics based on a $65 \, \text{nm}$ CMOS ASIC developed by the RD53 collaboration. A novel serial powering scheme and high-bandwidth readout system will support the upgraded modules, while lightweight carbon-fiber mechanics with two-phase CO$_2$ cooling will ensure structural integrity. The design will extend the tracking coverage up to $|\eta| \approx 4$. This contribution presents an overview of the CMS IT upgrade project, focusing on the ongoing activities and status of the module production of all the IT subsystems.
Speaker: Chin-Chia Kuo (Hamburg University (DE)) -
179
The CMS Endcap Timing Layer upgrade - Recent progress and test beam results from LGAD sensors coupled with the ETROC2 electronics
In preparation for the extreme operating conditions of the HL-LHC and to introduce state-of-the-art capabilities to the experiment, the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector will undergo a major upgrade. A key innovation consists of the MIP Timing Detector (MTD), designed to measure the hit time of charged particles with a resolution better than 50 ps. The MTD will enable 4D reconstruction algorithms and allow the discrimination of interaction vertices within the same bunch crossing thanks to the time tagging information added to each track. To achieve the necessary time precision, the Endcap Timing Layer (ETL), covering the pseudorapidity region 1.6 < η < 3, will utilize Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs), a novel silicon-based technology, read out by a custom-designed ASIC called ETROC. The ETL module exploits 16x16 pixels LGAD arrays that are bump-bonded to the corresponding ASIC ETROC. Over the past year, the first bump-bonded assemblies featuring ETROC2— the first full-size, fully functional prototype—were produced and tested in beam test campaigns at DESY and SPS. This presentation will cover the main design features of both the LGAD and ETROC2, recent progress in the ETL collaboration, the testing procedures for the newly fabricated assemblies, and the latest results obtained from beam tests of the full bump-bonded assemblies.
Speaker: Luca Menzio (Universita e INFN Torino (IT))
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177
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Gas detectors: TPC EI8
EI8
Convener: Christian Fabjan (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
180
AXEL: High-pressure Xe Gas Time Projection Chamber for neutrinoless double beta decay search
A Xenon ElectroLuminescence (AXEL) experiment aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) using a xenon gas time projection chamber. We have developed a special readout plane for ionization electrons called Electroluminescence Light Collection Cell (ELCC), which enables to achieve high energy resolution, background rejection with track patterns and collecting large mass of 0νββ candidate at the same time. Performance of the detector has been demonstrated using a 180L-size prototype. A Cockcroft-Walton high voltage generator is placed inside the chamber and has successfully applied up to –34.3 kV in 7 bar Xe gas. We obtained an energy spectrum with a lot of sharp peaks and have achieved (0.79±0.12) % FWHM energy resolution at 2615 keV. Performance of the background rejection using machine learning is evaluated with obtained electron tracks. Reconstruction method with the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution is under development to obtain sharper tracks. A 1000L-size detector is under construction to demonstrate the 0νββ search. High voltage generation up to –76 kV with the Cockcroft-Walton circuit, discharge resistive structure of ELCC, large-area SiPM with low RI contamination package, higher-density readout digitizer and scintillation light detection plate for higher efficiency of t0 reconstruction have been developed.
Speaker: Mr Junya Hikida (Kyoto univercity) -
181
The Cylindrical μRGroove Inner Tracker for STCF
The Super Tau-Charm Facility (STCF) is an electron-positron collider to be built in China. It is designed to operate in the center-of-mass energy range of 2 to 7 GeV with a peak luminosity of $0.5×10^{35}\ cm^{-2}s^{-1}$ or higher. In the STCF detector, the Inner TracKer (ITK) is an important component of the tracking system and needs to achieve a spatial resolution in the $r$-$\phi$ direction of <$100\ \mu m$ and a low material budget of <0.3% X₀ per layer. One proposed design is a Cylindrical Micro Resistive Groove ($C$-$\mu RGroove$) Micro Pattern Gas Detector (MPGD) and a series of key technologies are studied. The 2D readout structure with the grounded strip-shaped groove on the top copper layer and additional strips under the bottom of the groove is proposed to achieve a low material budget, which also addresses the issue of charge-sharing and enhances the induced signal amplitude. Beam test results of the first prototype $C$-$\mu RGroove$ at the CERN-SPS beamline with 150 GeV/C muons show a detection efficiency of >95% and a spatial resolution of <$100\ \mu m$ for vertically incident particles. The hit position is reconstructed using an algorithm combining the micro-time projection chamber method and the charge center-of-gravity method. The high channel density and high counting rate pose a great challenge to the readout electronics, so a customized mixed-signal ASIC is also designed to perform low-noise signal processing and amplitude & time measurement in one chip.
Speaker: Mr Jiaming Li (University of Science and Technology of China) -
182
The new Time Projection Chambers of the T2K upgraded Near Detector
The Near Detector (ND280) of the T2K experiment at JPARC was recently upgraded to reduce systematic uncertainties affecting the measurement of oscillation parameters. Two large horizontal Time-Projection Chambers were added to measure charged particles produced at high azimuthal angle from the central active target. Each High-Angle TPC (HATPC) has an active gaseous volume of approximately 3m^3 enclosed within a lightweight Field Cage, designed to provide optimal mechanical and electrical properties while material budget and dead volume.
The readout system uses innovative Micromegas, which incorporate a resistive layer on top of the pad plane to improve spatial resolution thanks to the charge “spreading” effect. These technologies were tested in Beam Tests and Cosmic Ray measurement campaigns.
The installation at J-PARC was carried out in two stages, during the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024, followed by commissioning phases using cosmic ray data and neutrino beam. In June 2024, T2K had a 1st cycle (1 month) of data-taking with the fully upgraded ND280. A 2nd cycle is scheduled for the end of 2024.
This talk will summarize detector design, construction methods, and solutions developed to overcome the several technical challenges involved. Results from the characterization and commissioning of the HATPCs will be highlighted, including the first results from neutrino beam data, along with the detector's basic performance concerning energy loss, spatial, and momentum resolution.Speaker: Dr Stefano Levorato (INFN Trieste (IT) and CERN) -
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Performance of a Pixel Time Projection Chamber
A Time Projection Chamber (TPC) module with GridPixes consisting of Timepix3 chips with integrated amplification grids have a high efficiency to detect single ionization electrons. This combination promises excellent tracking and dE/dx potential necessary to exploit the full physics reach of future colliders such as ILC, CLIC, CEPC, FCCee or EIC.
We have constructed a module with 32 GridPix chips and its performance was measured using data taken in a testbeam at DESY. The module was placed in between silicon detectors providing external tracking and then slided into the magnet at DESY. The analyzed data were taken at electron beam momenta of 5 and 6 GeV/c and at B = 0T and 1T.
The diffusion coefficients were measured with high precision. The tracking systematical uncertainties in the pixel plane were measured to be smaller than 13 microns.
The dE/dx or dN/dx resolution for electrons in the 1 T data was measured.
The projected particle identification performance of a GridPix TPC in ILD was evaluated. The expected pi/K separation for momenta in the range of 2.5-45 GeV/c is more than 4.5 sigma.Other Pixel TPC analysis results will be presented: the single electron efficiency at high hit rates, the characterization of hit bursts and the resolution in the precision plane as a function of the incident track angle.
Finally, also the status of a new GridPix production center at Bonn will be discussed.
Speaker: Jochen Kaminski (University of Bonn (DE))
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Semiconductor LGAD 1 EI9
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Convener: Werner Riegler (CERN)-
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LGAD Sensors and their Applications, an Overview from FBK
Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) are silicon sensors employing charge multiplication to achieve a charge gain in the order of 10. The initial development of these sensors was spur by the High Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), where these sensors will be used to measure the time of arrival of minimum ionizing particles with a precision of about 30 ps. To achieve this performance, LGADs improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the detector system due to their gain and have been engineered to withstand the harsh radiation environment of the HL-LHC experiments. A feature of the first implementation of LGADs is the presence of areas without gain between the readout channels, reducing the fill factor of the devices. Different technological solutions were explored to improve the LGAD fill factor, resulting in different sensor structures. Due to their time resolution for charged particles and improved SNR, LGAD sensors are finding applications outside high energy physics. FBK is active in the development of LGAD sensors and has accumulated experience with these sensors through the fabrication of several sensor batches. The features of different LGAD structures are summarized in this talk together with selected examples of the applications of LGAD sensors and their performances.
Speaker: Matteo Centis Vignali (FBK) -
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Performance of AC-LGADs in radiation hard environment and non-standard charge deposition
Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) are characterized by a fast rise time (~500ps) and extremely good time resolution (down to 17ps). For the application of this technology to near future experiments, the intrinsic low granularity of LGADs and the large power consumption of readout chips for precise timing is problematic. AC-coupled LGADs, where the readout metal is AC-coupled through an insulating oxide layer, could solve both issues at the same time thanks to the 100% fill factor and charge-sharing capabilities.
Extensive characterization of AC-LGAD devices with both laser TCT and probe station (IV/CV) will be shown in this contribution, comparing the effect of various parameters among the readout electrode dimensions (strip/pad metal contact length and width, pitch) and sensor production details (manufacturer, N+ layer resistivity, dielectric capacitance, bulk thickness, doping of the gain layer). We will present the first results on AC-LGADs irradiated with 1 MeV reactor neutrons at JSI/Ljubljana to fluences on the order of 1e13 to 1e15 n/cm2. Using a rotational stage in our laser TCT system, we will show our initial investigation of charge sharing in AC-LGADs for hits incident on the sensor at an angle to evaluate the effect of the tilted installation which is typical for silicon pixel and strip sensor modules in tracking detectors.Speaker: Dr Simone Michele Mazza (University of California,Santa Cruz (US)) -
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Innovative DC-coupled Resistive Silicon Detector for 4D tracking
In the past 10 years, two design innovations, the introduction of low-gain (LGAD) and of resistive read-out (RSD), have radically changed the performance of silicon detectors. The LGAD mechanism, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio by about a factor of 20, leads to improved time resolution (typically 30 ps for a 50-micron thick sensor), while resistive read-out, sharing the collected charge among read-out electrodes, leads to excellent spatial resolution even using large pixels (about 15 microns for 450-micron pixel size).
This contribution presents the design strategy and the first results of the latest design evolution of silicon sensors for 4D tracking, the DC-coupled Resistive Silicon Detector (DC-RSD). The DC-RSD is a thin LGAD with a resistive DC-coupled read-out. This design leads to signal containment within a predetermined number of electrodes using isolating trenches (TI technology). Several test structures and application-oriented devices have been implemented in the wafer layout. The sensors, produced at FBK in the framework of the 4DSHARE project, have been fully characterized with a laser TCT system and recently tested at DESY with an electron beam.
The study of first prototype production will provide us with immediate feedback on the soundness of the DC-RSD concepts.Speaker: Roberta Arcidiacono (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) -
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Irradiation Studies of the Resistive AC-coupled Silicon Detectors
4D tracking will be a crucial component of any future collider experiment, as it provides pile-up discrimination (for high luminosity experiments) and time of flight (for precision experiments) without loss of spatial resolution. 4D tracking devices must be able to withstand the high radiation environment of the future collider experiments without a significant loss of precision. One such candidate is the Resistive AC-coupled Silicon Detector (RSD), a resistive AC-coupled LGAD developed for high-precision 4D tracking.
This contribution presents the studies of the properties of proton- and neutron- irradiated RSD sensors. Sensors from the latest RSD FBK production have been irradiated and characterized in the laboratory with static and dynamic (Transient Current Technique to simulate incident MIPs) measurements. These studies include quantifying gain layer deterioration and charge trapping within the sensor at fluences of 1.0e15, 2.0e15, and 3.5e15 cm^-2 of 1 MeV neutron equivalences with protons and neutrons. The results of this detailed irradiation campaign show the feasibility of RSDs for use in future colliders and provide a path for further improvements of their radiation hardness.
Speaker: Brendan Regnery (KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE))
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Systems: Operation EI7
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Convener: Jory Sonneveld (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL))-
188
Commissioning and Operation of the new two layer Belle II Pixel Detector
The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB asymmetric e+e⁻ collider recorded data from 2019 to 2022, before entering its first long shutdown. During this period, 428 fb⁻¹ of data were collected at the Y(4S) resonance, where the cross section for B-meson pair production is highest.
During the shutdown, the PiXel detector (PXD), which forms the inner two layers of the VerteX detector (VXD), was replaced by a new detector with a fully populated second layer. This PXD2 retains the DEPFET technology of its predecessor and thus comprises all-silicon modules integrating both the support structure and sensors with pixel sizes ranging from 50×55 μm² to 50×85 μm², thinned down to 75 μm in the sensitive region, resulting in a material budget of 0.21% X₀ per layer. Readout is handled by 14 ASICs of three types, which are bump-bonded to the sensors. The cooling system consists of a two-phase CO₂ system for the readout ASICs and N₂ gas flow for the low power sensor matrix.
Installation of PXD2 was completed in summer 2023, followed by full integration testing. Beam operation commenced in February 2024. Since May, PXD2 has been temporarily shut down for safety reasons after being partially damaged by two uncontrolled beam losses. PXD2 is expected to resume operation in 2025 after modifications on the accelerator side.
This presentation will cover the installation, commissioning, early operation and performance of PXD2 compared to PXD1, as well as the impact of beam-induced damage.Speaker: Bjoern Spruck -
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Operational experience and performance of the Silicon Vertex Detector after the first long shutdown of Belle II
In 2024 the Belle II experiment resumed data taking after the Long Shutdown 1, required to install a two-layer pixel detector and upgrade components of the accelerator.
We describe the challenges of this upgrade, reporting on the operational experience.
With new data, SVD confirmed the high hit efficiency, the large signal-to-noise and the good cluster position resolution.
Over the next years, the SuperKEKB instantaneous luminosity is expected to increase to target luminosity, resulting in a larger SVD occupancy caused by beam-background. Considerable efforts have been made to improve SVD reconstruction software by exploiting the excellent SVD hit-time resolution to determine the collision time (event-T0) and reject off-time particle hits. A novel procedure to group SVD hits event-by-event, based on their time, has been developed by using the grouping information during reconstruction, significantly reducing the fake rate while preserving the tracking efficiency.
The front-end chip (APV25) is operated in “multi-peak” mode, reading six samples. A 3/6-mixed acquisition mode, based on the timing precision of the trigger, has been successfully tested in physics runs to reduce background occupancy, trigger dead-time and data size.
Studies on the radiation damage have shown that, although the sensor current and the strip noise have shown a moderate increase due to radiation, the performance will not be seriously degraded during the lifespan of the detector.Speaker: Dr Krishnakumar Ravindran -
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Performance of the ALICE Inner Tracking System 2
The upgraded Inner Tracking System (ITS2) of the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is based on Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS). With a sensitive area of about 10 m^2 and 12.5 billion pixels, ITS2 represents the largest pixel detector in high-energy physics. The detector consists of seven concentric layers equipped with ALPIDE pixel sensors manufactured in the TowerJazz 180 nm CMOS Imaging Sensor process. The ALPIDE chips feature a pixel pitch of O(30 µm) reaching an intrinsic spatial resolution of about 5 µm. ITS2 has a very low material budget of 0.36% X_0/layer for the three innermost layers and 1.1% X_0/layer for the outer layers. The high spatial resolution and low material budget in combination with small radial distance of the innermost layer of 23 mm from the interaction point make the detector well suited for secondary vertex reconstruction as well as for tracking at low transverse momentum.
This contribution will review the detector performance during the LHC Run 3 and give an overview on the calibration methods and running experience.Speaker: Nicolo Valle (INFN Sezione di Pavia (IT)) -
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Operational Experience and Performance with the ATLAS Pixel detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN
The tracking performance of the ATLAS detector relies critically on its 4-layer Pixel Detector. Its original part consisting in 3 layers of planar pixel sensor is continuously operating since the start of LHC collisions in 2009, while its innermost layer, the Insertable B Layer (IBL) at about 3 cm from the beam line, was installed in 2014 before the start of LHC Run2 and consists of both planar and 3D pixel sensors.
As the closest detector component to the interaction point, this detector is subjected to a significant amount of radiation over its lifetime. At present, at the end of 2024 Run3 LHC collisions, ATLAS Pixel Detector on innermost layers, is operating after integrating fluence of O(10**15) 1 MeV n_eq cm-2.
The ATLAS collaboration is continually evaluating the impact of radiation on the Pixel Detector.
In this talk the key status and performance metrics of the ATLAS Pixel Detector are summarised at various levels of fluence and bias voltage values, putting focus on performance and operating conditions with special emphasis to radiation damage and mitigation techniques adopted, with prediction of their evolution until the end of LHC Run3 in 2026.
These results provide useful indications for the optimisation of the operating conditions for the new generation of pixel trackers under construction for HI-LHC upgrades.Speaker: Kerstin Lantzsch (University of Bonn (DE))
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Coffee & Posters B
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Gas detectors: MM EI8
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Convener: Jona Bortfeldt (Ludwig Maximilians Universitat (DE))-
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Design and performance of a new single channel PICOSEC Micromegas detector with metallic and resistive anodes
The PICOSEC Micromegas (MM) is a gaseous detector for a precise timing measurement at the level of tens of ps. It combines a Cherenkov radiator equipped with a photocathode and a two-stage MM amplification structure. During the proof-of-concept phase, the first detector achieved an excellent time resolution below 25 ps for measurements with 150 GeV muons. Current developments towards applicable detector are progressing in several areas, including scaling the detector for larger areas, studies of the robust photocathode materials, implementation of the resistive detectors, multichannel readout and the optimization of the detector design. This work presents a new single channel detector prototype, developed to improve stability and ensure signal integrity to optimize timing performance. The first tests on the new detector, utilizing a MM with a metallic anode (Φ10 mm) and a CsI photocathode, achieved an excellent time resolution of 12.5 ps in muon beam tests. Due to the improvements observed on MM with metallic anode, the design was adapted to a resistive MM. Single photoelectron measurements were performed to evaluate the signal characteristics of both prototypes with metallic and resistive anodes. Additionally, timing performance was assessed with either CsI or DLC photocathode during beam tests, and both detectors exhibited similar time resolution. During these measurements, the impact of vertical digitization noise on the time resolution was also observed and investigated.
Speaker: Antonija Utrobicic (Rudjer Boskovic Institute (HR)) -
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Optimizing the PICOSEC Micromegas Detector Technology, for precise timing applications
The PICOSEC-Micromegas (PICOSEC-MM) detector is a novel gaseous detector providing precise timing on the order of tens of picoseconds. The precision is achieved by eliminating the time jitter from charged particles in ionization gaps, using UV Cherenkov light emitted in a crystal, and captured by a Micromegas photodetector coupled with a photocathode. Timing resolution below 25 ps for MIPs was demonstrated in single-channel prototypes. This study investigates key aspects, including the search for different resistive technologies, resistive sharing and uRWELL, resilient photocathodes, addressing technological challenges, developing scalable front-end/back-end electronics, as well as research of eco-friendly gas mixtures. New single and multi-channel detector prototypes have been designed to withstand the intense particle flux environment and face timing requirements of possible application scenarios. Test beam campaigns showed improvement in the timing response uniformity reaching 17 ps time resolution, per single-pad level. Various readout options, including custom preamplifiers, fast charge-sensitive preamplifiers, and digitization using SAMPIC, were explored to support multi-channel module readout. The PICOSEC Micromegas detectors have proven able to offer good timing resolution over large detection areas and provide flexible readout granularity for potential spatial resolution, making them an appealing technology for precise timing systems and fast photon detection.
Speaker: Alexandra Kallitsopoulou (CEA / IRFU / Université Paris-Saclay (FR)) -
194
Resistive High Granularity Micromegas for Future Detectors
In the framework of the ECFA Roadmap for Detector R&D the presented work aims to establish the use of single amplification stage resistive MPGD based on Micromegas (MM) technology as a tracking/tagging detector for future HEP experiments. The main characteristics of the proposed solution are: ability to efficiently operate up to 10 MHz/cm2 counting rate; high granularity readout with small pads (~ 1 mm2); good spatial and time resolutions (below 100 𝜇m and 10 ns, respectively). Optimization of the spark protection system, stability and robustness under operation are the primary challenges of the project. Several MM detectors have been built and tested, with different sizes, ranging from small active area (4.8x4.8 cm2), to medium size (400 cm2) up to large active area (40x50 cm2), implementing different configurations of the resistive spark protection layer. Two families can be defined based on the different charge evacuation method: pad-patterned embedded resistors and double-layer of Diamond Like Carbon structures foils.
Characterization and performance studies, conducted using radioactive sources, X-rays and particle beams, will be presented. A comparison of the results obtained with different resistive layouts is provided, with a particular focus on the response under high-rate exposure. Key results on efficiency, tracking and timing performance from test-beam data will be presented, including also preliminary data on the first large size prototype.Speaker: Massimo Della Pietra (University Federico II and INFN, Naples (IT)) -
195
A new monolithic proportional gas detector with a micro-gap electron multiplier structure directly integrated on top of a finely pixelated readout ASIC
We describe the design, fabrication and initial test of a new generation of Gas Pixel Detector where the amplification structure is built directly on top of a CMOS ASIC. In this concept the chip works at the same time as readout electronics, collection plane and electron amplification structure.
We use an ASIC from the XPOL family, successfully operating on-board the IXPE polarimetric and imaging space telescope. It comprises 100k 50 um pitch hexagonal pixels and a large area analog readout, combined with a very fine pitch 1-D or 2-D gas proportional charge amplifying structure based on the concept of the micro-gap chamber.
The charge multiplying structure is built directly on the uppermost metal layer of the chip, i.e. on the metal pads which act as the charge collecting electrodes each connected to the input stage of their respective individual pre-amplifier. This is achieved by adding two thin (about 2 μm thick) finely patterned layers, one insulator and one metal, as a post-processing micro-fabrication step. These three layers together constitute the anode-cathode gap of a micro-gap like charge multiplication structure.
The goal is to exploit the intrinsic sub-micron precision of the process and the extremely small exposed dielectric material to improve the compactness, space and energy response uniformity and the gain stability over time.Speaker: Carmelo Sgro'
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Semiconductor LGAD 2 EI9
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Convener: Thomas Bergauer (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
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Radiation-Resistant Thin LGADs for Enhanced 4D Tracking
Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) with an active thickness of $\sim$50 $\mu$m have shown precise timing capabilities, achieving resolutions around 30 ps, as well as precise spatial resolution. As of now, their performance seem not to be affected by the radiation, at least up to fluences of 2.5$\times$10$^{15}$ 1 MeV n$_{eq}$/cm$^2$. In late 2022, FBK developed a batch of thin LGADs with thicknesses between 15 and 45 $\mu$m, which proved that reducing the substrate thickness further enhances timing resolution and radiation tolerance.
The sensors feature an engineered design optimized for high electric fields and thin substrates, together with the use of boron and carbon co-implantation in the multiplication region, improving the sensors radiation resistance. These are the most radiation-tolerant LGADs produced by FBK, so far.
Extensive tests, including I-V and C-V measurements, laser stimuli, and charged particle interactions, were performed before and after irradiation. The study focused on how reduced thickness impacts collected charge and timing resolution, crucial for high-performance sensors in radiation-heavy environments.
This new generation of LGAD sensors sets a benchmark for radiation-resistant detectors, offering enhanced timing precision and durability, critical for high-energy physics applications. The latest results on sensor characterization before and after irradiation will be presented, along with the most recent timing resolution outcomes.
Speaker: Anna Rita Altamura (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) -
197
Characterization and Irradiation Studies of the Novel nLGAD Concept
Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) show outstanding precision timing performance for high-energy physics (HEP) particle detection and will be employed in detector upgrades for the High-Luminosity LHC. However, traditional p-type LGADs face limitations in detecting low-penetrating particles, such as soft X-rays and low-energy protons. To address this, n-type LGADs (nLGADs) have been developed. This study presents an overview of the efforts to characterize nLGADs produced at IMB-CNM, focusing on initial device characteristics and their performance after proton irradiation. Step-by-step irradiation with low fluences and high-fluence exposures were conducted to explore the impact on the device performance. Investigations cover the electrical characterisation of the devices before and after irradiation. Advanced techniques like Two Photon Absorption -Transient Current Technique (TPA-TCT) and UV TCT were employed to study electric field distributions and the reduction of gain after irradiation. Neutron irradiation of nLGADs is currently underway to complement existing studies by comparing radiation-induced degradation from different particle types, providing insights into donor removal in the gain layer. Combined with prior research on acceptor removal in standard pLGADs, this work offers valuable input for advancing nLGAD technology and developing future HEP detector concepts, such as the compensated LGAD.
Speaker: Veronika Kraus (Vienna University of Technology (AT)) -
198
Exploring the Design and Measurements of Next-Generation 4H-SiC LGADs
This contribution presents the design, production, and initial testing of newly developed 4H-SiC Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs). The evaluation includes performance metrics such as the internal gain layer’s efficiency in enhancing signal generation. Initial laboratory and Transient Current Technique (TCT) measurements provide insight into the device’s stability and response to the signal.
Due to the increase of availability provided by the industry, 4H-SiC is emerging as a strong candidate for the next-generation of semiconductor detectors. These new sensors are promising due to the inherent radiation tolerance of 4H-SiC and its stable operation across a wide temperature range. However, due to the materials wider-bandgap compared to standard silicon, and difficulty to produce layers thicker than 50 \textmu m, an internal charge multiplication layer needs to be introduced.
The presented 4H-SiC LGADs, fabricated by OnSemi, are optimized for an N-type substrate/epi wafer. The initial TCT and laboratory test results demonstrate fast charge collection and uniform multiplication across multiple samples produced on a single wafer, aligning well with the performed TCAD simulations.
Speaker: Maria Marcisovska (Czech Technical University in Prague (CZ)) -
199
Hybrid pixel detectors for high-performance soft X-ray experiments using LGAD sensors
In collaboration with Fondazione Bruno Kessler, the Paul Scherrer Institute is developing Low-Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) sensors for soft X-ray science at synchrotrons and free electron lasers. While hybrid pixel detectors using standard silicon sensors are limited to photon energies above 1 keV due to quantum efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio constraints, LGAD technology extends their use to soft X-rays. Techniques such as Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) can benefit from the high frame rates and large area coverage offered by these detectors. This contribution presents the development of inverse LGAD (iLGAD) sensors for soft X-rays, focusing on their use with the charge-integrating JUNGFRAU chip in RIXS experiments. We utilize rectangular pixels with a 25 µm pitch that enable high spatial resolution through position interpolation. Results from pilot experiments at the European XFEL and SwissFEL are discussed, along with ongoing improvements and future plans
Speaker: Dr Viktoria Hinger (Paul Scherrer Institut)
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196
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Systems: Misc EI7
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Convener: Manfred Jeitler (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
200
The LHCb RICH Upgrade
The LHCb experiment was upgraded during the Long Shutdown 2 of the LHC (2019-2021) to collect data at five times the instantaneous luminosity of Runs 1 and 2 (2 x 10^33 cm-2 s-1) using a triggerless data acquisition system. Upgrade I for the RICH system consists of new photon detectors and readout electronics together a new optical system for RICH1, with the purpose to continue to provide excellent particle identification at the new operating luminosity. The front-end readout system features an FPGA based programmable time-gate for allowing the suppression of backgrounds like scintillation, signal induced noise and out-of-time photons. The gate is currently operated at 6.25 ns, suppressing the backgrounds by a factor of four. After a vacuum incident affecting the operation of LHCb in 2023, this has been a productive year with the collection of over 9 fb-1 in 2024. The key performance indicators of the LHCb RICH system will be presented together with the performance in particle identification.
Speaker: Gabriele Simi (Universita e INFN, Padova (IT)) -
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The LHCb Mighty-Tracker
The LHCb experiment will undergo its high luminosity detector upgrade to operate at a maximal instantaneous luminosity of 1.5 × 1034cm−2s−1. This increase poses a challenge to the tracking system to achieve proper track reconstruction with a tenfold higher occupancy. In Upgrade II, new tracking stations, called Mighty-Tracker, will replace the Scintillating Fibre (SciFi) Tracker. The Mighty-Tracker comprises of silicon pixels in the inner region and scintillating fibres in the outer region. The silicon pixels provide the necessary granularity and radiation tolerance to handle the high track density expected in
the central region, while the scintillating fibres are well suited for the peripheral acceptance region.
To address the needs of LHCb, a new monolithic High Voltage CMOS sensor called MightyPix is currently being developed for the silicon region. The MightyPix sensor, based on the High Voltage
CMOS series, is specifically designed to meet the anticipated requirements in terms of pixel size, timing resolution, radiation tolerance, power consumption and data transmission among other parameters, while being compatible with the LHCb 40 MHz readout system. Recent progress towards MightyPix have been achieved, including evaluation of fabricated prototypes and design towards the next chip iteration MightyPix2. Additionally, recent advancements in the mechanical and electronic design of the silicon modules, including cooling, will be presentedSpeaker: Oscar Augusto De Aguiar Francisco (The University of Manchester (GB)) -
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Upgrading the CMS Muon System for High Luminosity LHC
The CMS Muon system is undergoing a comprehensive upgrade to prepare for the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), ensuring optimal performance under increased particle rates and luminosity. Key upgrades include enhancements to existing detectors and electronics, as well as the addition of new muon stations to expand coverage and improve resolution. The upgrades include enhancements to both the front-end and back-end electronics for the Drift Tubes (DT) and Cathode Strip Chambers (CSC), as well as back-end electronics for the Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC). Additionally, new detectors, such as improved Resistive Plate Chambers (iRPC) and Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM), are being introduced. New on-board DT electronics will enhance resolution and trigger capabilities, while iRPC chambers will improve efficiency at high rates. Additionally, new GEM stations will extend pseudorapidity coverage and boost momentum resolution. Production and installation of these components are planned during upcoming technical stops, ensuring the CMS Muon system is fully equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the HL-LHC. This talk will provide an overview of the current progress, challenges, and test results, illustrating the CMS collaboration’s preparation for the next phase of high-energy physics research.
Speaker: Muhammad Bilal Kiani (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) -
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The Mu3e Scintillating Fiber Timing Detector
We present a compact scintillating fiber timing detector developed for the Mu3e experiment. Mu3e is a novel experiment that will search for the charged lepton avor violating neutrinoless mu+ -> e+e-e+ decay with unprecedented sensitivity of 10^-16. In cojunction with the Si-pixel tracker, the fiber detector will allow for a full 4D track reconstruction (in space and in time).
We will report in detail the development of the SciFi detector, from the scintillating fibers through the SiPM array photosensors up to the front-end electronics and the data acquisition, including the
time calibration of the detector. The SciFi detector is formed by staggering three layers of Kurary SCSF-78 250 um multiclad scintillating fibers. The fiber ribbons are coupled at both ends to multi-channel silicon photomultiplier arrays. We will focus on the performance of this very thin (thickness of ~720 um, i.e. < 0:2% of a radiation length) fiber detector in terms of the achieved timing resolution of ~250 ps, matched clusters detection effciency of ~97%, and spatial resolution of ~100 um. We will also report on developments to improve the light yield of existing scintillating fibers.
The 3000 channels of the fiber detector will be read out with a dedicated mixed mode ASIC,the MuTRiG, especially developed for this experiment. We will discuss in detail the functioning, operation, and performance of the MuTRiG ASIC, and the development of the front-end electronics.Speaker: Sandro Bravar (Universite de Geneve (CH))
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19:30
Conference Dinner Palais Ferstel, Strauchgasse 4, 1010 Vienna
Palais Ferstel, Strauchgasse 4, 1010 Vienna
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Registration
Registration Desk is open from 08:30 – 13:00
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Plenary Neutrino/DM EI7
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Convener: Manfred Jeitler (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))-
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Liquid detectors for neutrino detection and rare event searches
Liquid detectors have been used since the 1950s for the discovery of neutrinos and today are widely used in neutrino physics, dark matter searches and astroparticle experiments. These detectors mainly use cryogenic noble liquids, water or liquid scintillators as target medium.
To address fundamental open questions in neutrino physics and rare event searches, more sensitive and larger liquid detectors are needed. A dedicated R&D program on instrumentation and technology is being developed, including pixelated TPCs, efficient VUV photon detection systems, low noise cryogenic electronics, new target materials, and large infrastructures and facilities.
In this talk the main technological advances and challenges in liquid detectors will be covered, including ongoing and planned small- and large-scale experiments exploiting liquid targets.
Speaker: Ines Gil Botella (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecno) -
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The DarkSide 20k experiment construction at LNGS
The DarkSide-20k experiment is the latest generation dual-phase Liquid Argon-TPC hunting for Dark Matter. In particular, its goal is to discover or to extend the current sensitivity limits on the search for WIMP-like particles. This detector brings together the successful concept of the DarkSide-50 detector, and the experience gained on large volume membrane cryostats developed within the DUNE program. It features large-area, SiPM-based optical planes for light readout, and it exploits a unique target, i.e. argon extracted deep underground (underground argon, UAr) and depleted from its beta-decaying isotope 39Ar, therefore extremely radio-quiet.
Currently, the detector design is being finalized, with construction of the TPC components starting next year. In the meantime, the main cryostat that will contain the detector has been constructed in Hall C of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy. At the same time, characterization and production of the SiPM-based photo sensors started in LNGS facility NOA, with the goal of starting assembling the readout planes in late 2025.
This contribution will describe the DarkSide-20k detector, and then it will report on the ongoing activities. At LNGS underground: construction of the cryostat and the atmospheric argon (AAr) cryogenic plant were completed. AAr will provide the thermal bath in which the main detector, filled with UAr, will be operated. At LNGS on the surface: preproduction and characterization of the photon detector units (PDUs), which will then be long-term tested in Napoli and analysed for failures in Pisa. Several other PDU test sites were put into operation across the collaboration, and their activities will be presented.
Speaker: Andrea Zani (Università degli Studi e INFN Milano (IT)) -
206
The SuperFGD for the upgraded T2K Near detector - Operation and performance
After the long construction phase until 2024, we recently started operation of the SuperFGD for the upgraded T2K Near detector. To improve the systematic uncertainty for the neutrino oscillation measurement in the T2K experiment, especially sensitivity to measure the CP violation in the neutrino sector, the SuperFGD plays a key role as a fully active tracking detector with the fine-grained structure and 2 tons of target mass. The detector has a novel structure, consisting of approximately 2 millions of 1 cm^3 plastic scintillator cubes, about 56k wave-length shifting fibers penetrating the cubes from 3 directions, and many readouts such as MPPCs and electronics. It provides a capability to detect short tracks with low energy, excellent detection efficiency for 4-pi angle, and neutron detection capability. This report will cover the SuperFGD construction, operational experience, and status of detector performance evaluations.
Speaker: Tatsuya Kikawa (Kyoto University)
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204
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10:40
Coffee
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Plenary Quantum EI7
EI7
Convener: Christoph Schwanda-
207
Quantum measurement systems and applications to particle physics and cosmology
Recent progress in quantum measurement systems is remarkable. There are new proposals and R&D that utilize quantum enhancements not adopted before. Examples include superconducting quantum sensors, atom interferometry, quantum spin sensors, etc. They are mainly motivated by industrial applications toward secure communications systems, quantum computing, and highly sensitive sensors. Given the excellent potential of the new quantum measurement systems, there are also new proposals to use them for particle physics and cosmology.
In this review, I will survey currently available and emerging technologies and their applications to explain where we stand. I will then discuss future directions and new proposals for particle physics and cosmology.Speaker: Masashi Hazumi (KEK) -
208
Superconducting Qubits as Particle Detectors: Exploring Sensitivity to Ionizing Radiation Impacts
Superconducting qubits, widely employed in quantum computing, are emerging as promising candidates for innovative particle detection methods due to their sensitivity to small energy deposits. In this work, we explore the potential of transmon qubits as particle detectors through experiments conducted on a chip manufactured at the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems (SQMS) Center at Fermilab and tested in a shielded underground facility at the INFN Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS). The system was fully characterized using GEANT4-based simulations and irradiated with gamma sources of variable activity to assess the qubits' response to different levels of radiation.
Using a fast decay detection protocol with tens of microseconds resolution, we monitored the state transitions of the qubits. Results show that transmons successfully detect particle interactions under controlled gamma irradiation, demonstrating a correlation between radiation exposure and state changes. However, in the absence of controlled gamma sources, similar rates of radiation-like events were observed on chips tested both above ground at Fermilab and underground at LNGS, demonstrating that intrinsic noise sources dominate over cosmic and environmental radiation.
This study offers new insights into the use of superconducting qubits as particle detectors and highlights the need of identifying and mitigating dominant noise sources to improve detector performance and advance quantum-enhanced instrumentation.Speaker: Dr Ambra Mariani (INFN - Sezione di Roma)
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207
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Plenary selected R&D EI7
EI7
Convener: Florian Reindl (Vienna University of Technology (AT))-
209
Towards Eco-Friendly gas solutions for Resistive Plate Chambers: A sustainable alternative to SF₆
The Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) are gaseous detectors with excellent timing performance used for muon triggering in LHC experiments. They operate using a gas mixture of C2H2F4/i-C4 H10/SF6, which allows their operation in avalanche mode, essential for high-luminosity collider experiments. This mixture provides optimal gas density, low current, and a large separation between avalanche and streamer modes, ensuring high efficiency, rate capability, and longevity. The gas mixture has a high Global Warming Potential (GWP), due to C2H2F4 (GWP~1450, being the GWP of CO2=1) and SF6 (GWP~22400). Since both gases are no longer recommended for industrial use, their availability will gradually reduce, making the search for an alternative gas mixture an urgent priority. The most challenging component to replace is the SF6, which acts as streamer suppressor, enabling RPC operation at low currents, essential for high rate capability. In this study, the SF6 is replaced with the Chloro-Trifluoropropene, C3H2ClF3 (GWP~ 1). The performance of the RPC detector, including efficiency, streamer probability, and time resolution, has been evaluated at high γ-irradiation rates, simulating conditions expected at the High Luminosity LHC and future colliders. The status of the aging campaign conducted on these environment-friendly gas mixtures is also presented. Additionally, the feasibility of using a gas mixture in future experiments with GWP=10 by replacing both C2H2F4 and SF6, has been explored.
Speaker: Giorgia Proto (Max Planck Society (DE)) -
210
Embedding the Timepix4 in Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors
The combination of gaseous detectors with high-granularity charge readout offers very specific possibilities, which otherwise could not be achieved. Examples are high-resolution tracking of low-momentum particle beams (i.e. requiring low-material budget), X-ray polarimetry and the detection of low-energetic (< 2 keV) X-rays, as well as rare-event searches that rely on event-selection based on geometrical parameters.
In this presentation, a new research line within the CERN EP R&D programme is shown, where the Timepix4 is embedded into Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs). The Timepix4 is advantageous because of its size (~ 7 cm² active area with 448 x 512 square pixels of 55 µm pitch) and its Through Silicon Vias (TSVs). The latter enables a full connection of the ASIC from the back side. Thus, it can be tiled on four sides, allowing it to cover even large areas without losing active area.
In terms of detector technologies, both triple-GEM and µRWELL are employed. The triple-GEM serves mainly as a technology demonstrator and helps to understand the signal induction and acquisition processes. A first detector prototype was already operated successfully, resulting in the first X-ray image taken with a TSV-Timepix4. The µRWELL is still in the exploration and production phase, with a µRWELL read out by a Timepix4 (without embedding technology) expected soon.
Speaker: Lucian Scharenberg (CERN, University of Bonn (DE)) -
211
Advances in SiC-Detectors for HEP and Medicine
In recent years, silicon carbide (SiC) has gained growing interest as a material for radiation-hard particle detectors due to its increasing availability for industrial power devices. Compared to silicon, SiC offers lower leakage currents post-irradiation, higher thermal conductivity, and larger charge carrier saturation velocity. Its suitability for particle detection and the influence of radiation-induced defects on its performance are under intensive study in the HEP community. This presentation highlights recent research on 4H-SiC conducted at HEPHY Vienna.
4H-SiC p-in-n sensors, neutron-irradiated up to fluences of 1e18 neq/cm², have been characterized for their current-voltage (IV) and capacitance-voltage (CV) behavior, as well as their charge collection efficiency (CCE). For fluences <1e15 neq/cm², UV-TCT measurements revealed a CCE exceeding 100% under forward bias, which depends on beam focus and charge injection rate. Based on these measurements, a 4H-SiC bulk radiation damage model was developed for TCAD simulations. It accurately predicts the loss of rectification in forward bias, capacitance flattening, and CCE degradation after irradiation.
Further work includes a TCAD design of a 4H-SiC low-gain avalanche diode (LGAD) for an upcoming production run, the design of amplifier electronics and sensors using a 2μm 4H-SiC-CMOS process, and studies using 4H-SiC devices as active dosimeters and for characterizing FLASH beams at a local ion beam cancer therapy center.Speaker: Sebastian Onder (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT)) -
212
Status and performance of the ALPHA-g detectors
The ALPHA-g experiment at CERN's Antiproton Decelerator recently published the first direct measurement of the gravitational free fall of antihydrogen [Nature 621, 716–722 (2023)]. The anti-atoms were produced and trapped in a magnetic-minimum trap and slowly released by ramping down the upper and lower solenoidal coils. One of crucial prerequisite for experiment sensitive to gravitational force is a detector system capable of localization of antihydrogen annihilation products (typically 3 to 4 charged pions) with sufficient vertical precision, while suppressing the rate of cosmic ray background.
Because of the required length and available space between cryostats (detector height >2.3m and radius between 10.6cm and 24.3cm), radial time projection chamber was chosen as a tracking detector and a thin barrel scintillator detector was installed around it for time of flight discrimination. This contribution will describe the design, commissioning and performance of both detectors, their readout electronics and reconstruction. Recent improvements in calibration and background suppression with multivariate analysis will also be shown.
Speaker: Dr Ina Carli (TRIUMF (CA))
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209
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15:10
Coffee
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Plenary ML & Awards EI7
EI7
Convener: Manfred Krammer (CERN)-
213
Fast Machine Learning at the Edge for Particle Detectors
There is a growing demand for intelligent instrumentation to enable rich data extraction from detectors without overwhelming data rates. Machine Learning (ML) deployed close to the detector, in the data acquisition chain, provides opportunities to select and efficiently compress relevant data. In 2024 both the CMS and ATLAS experiments at the LHC have used ML in their first stage hardware event filters to select interesting collision data from the sea of background. This achievement showcases the strong cooperation between ML experts, domain scientists, and hardware developers in the adoption of ML ‘at the edge’. Techniques and tools enabling the efficient use of ML in hardware include extreme quantization; optimized ML architectures; and low latency, low power, and high throughput hardware implementations. This talk will describe the technology behind edge ML, as well as applications in particle detectors and other domains including medical imaging and earth observation, demonstrating the transformative potential across diverse fields.
Speaker: Sioni Paris Summers (CERN) - 214
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215
ICFA AwardsSpeaker: Francesco Forti (INFN Sezione di Pisa and Universita' di Pisa)
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216
Award Talk
"Single barium ion identification for background-free neutrinoless double beta decay searches" by Ben Jones
Speaker: Ben Jones - 217
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213
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08:30
