Speaker
Christian Schmidt
(GSI Darmstadt)
Description
The Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) is one of the main detector
elements of the ALICE experiment at LHC. It is intended to serve for
electron identification over the expected large background of pions,
enhancing signal to background e.g. for J/Ψ by a factor of 20. The six layer
concentric detector barrel design additionally serves to enhance the overall
tracking capability of the ALICE tracking system. The TRD covers 20 ◦ in
azimuth and matches the coverage of the other central barrel detectors of
ALICE along the beam axis. The TRD barrel measures 7 m long and 7 m in
diameter. It is divided into 18 super-module angular sectors, consisting of
30 TRD drift chambers (MWPC) and integrated readout electronics each. The
TRD will collect data from 1.2 million individual readout pads. Data is
processed by on-detector analogue and digital electronics with the capability
to reconstruct tracks on-line and provide a trigger on high-momentum
electrons within six microseconds. To date, 60% of the TRD wire chambers
have been manufactured. The first complete super-module has been
assembled, tested with cosmic rays and is already installed in the ALICE
setup. This publication will give an outline of the TRD system concept.
Further, it will focus upon chamber manufacturing, system integration and
tests performed with the first super-module.
Author
Christian Schmidt
(GSI Darmstadt)
