Speaker
Description
The GridPix detector, based on the Timepix chip, is traditionally used in TPC-like configurations with the pixel chip oriented parallel to the incoming particle direction. In this contribution, we present an alternative application developed in the context of a feasibility study for a potential FASERν detector upgrade. We report on test beam campaigns conducted at the ELSA accelerator in Bonn, where a GridPix detector was operated with the chip facing the beam directly. A dedicated simulation framework and a custom track reconstruction and data analysis chain have been developed to characterize the detector response in this unconventional geometry. Despite several hardware challenges encountered during the tests, we successfully extracted performance benchmarks and identified key operational characteristics. A follow-up test beam is planned for fall 2026 with an improved setup and the possible use of a Timepix3 chip for enhanced timing and readout performance. Although we will not continue this specific application for FASERν because mass production of Timepix chips has stopped, our results still show how flexible GridPix technology can be, and may give other researchers ideas for using it in direct-beam configurations.
| Name of the speaker | Konstantinos Spyrou |
|---|---|
| Eligible for the Georges Charpak Young Scientist Award. | yes |