In the context of the 2013 APS-DPF Snowmass summer study conducted by the U.S. HEP community, this white paper outlines a roadmap for further development of Micro-pattern Gas Detectors for tracking and muon detection in HEP experiments. We briefly discuss technical requirements and summarize current capabilities of these detectors with a focus of operation in experiments at the energy frontier in the medium-term to long-term future. Some key directions for future R&D on Micro-pattern Gas Detectors in the U.S. are suggested.
This is part of a document, which is devoted to the developments of pixel detectors in the context of the International Linear Collider. From the early developments of the MIMOSAs to the proposed DotPix I recall some of the major progresses. The need for very precise vertex reconstruction is the reason for the Research and Development of new pixel detectors, first derived from the CMOS sensors and in further steps with new semiconductors structures. The problem of radiation effects was investigated and this is the case for the noise level with emphasis of the benefits of downscaling. Specific semiconductor processing and characterisation techniques are also described, with the perspective of a new pixel structure.
The prospect of pileup induced backgrounds at the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) has stimulated intense interest in technology for charged particle timing at high rates. In contrast to the role of timing for particle identification, which has driven incremental improvements in timing, the LHC timing challenge dictates a specific level of timing performance- roughly 20-30 picoseconds. Since the elapsed time for an LHC bunch crossing (with standard design book parameters) has an rms spread of 170 picoseconds, the $sim50-100$ picosecond resolution now commonly achieved in TOF systems would be insufficient to resolve multiple in-time pileup. Here we present a MicroMegas based structure which achieves the required time precision (ie 24 picoseconds for 150 GeV $mu$s) and could potentially offer an inexpensive solution covering large areas with $sim 1$ cm$^2$ pixel size. We present here a proof-of-principle which motivates further work in our group toward realizing a practical design capable of long-term survival in a high rate experiment.
We present the first proof-of-concept simulations of detectors using biomaterials to detect particle interactions. The essential idea behind a DNA detector involves the attachment of a forest of precisely-sequenced single or double-stranded nucleic acids from a thin holding layer made of a high-density material. Incoming particles break a series of strands along a roughly co-linear chain of interaction sites and the severed segments then fall to a collection area. Since the sequences of base pairs in nucleic acid molecules can be precisely amplified and measured using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the original spatial position of each broken strand inside the detector can be reconstructed with nm precision. Motivated by the potential use as a low-energy directional particle tracker, we perform the first Monte Carlo simulations of particle interactions inside a DNA detector. We compare the track topology as a function of incoming direction, energy, and particle type for a range of ionising particles. While particle identification and energy reconstruction might be challenging without a significant scale-up, the excellent potential angular and spatial resolution ($lesssim 25^circ$ axial resolution for a keV-scale particles and nm-scale track segments) are clear advantages of this concept. We conclude that a DNA detector could be a cost-effective, portable, and powerful new particle detection technology. We outline the outstanding experimental challenges, and suggest directions for future laboratory tests.
A prototype particle tracking telescope has been constructed using Timepix and Medipix ASIC hybrid pixel assemblies as the six sensing planes. Each telescope plane consisted of one 1.4 cm2 assembly, providing a 256x256 array of 55 micron square pixels. The telescope achieved a pointing resolution of 2.3 micron at the position of the device under test. During a beam test in 2009 the telescope was used to evaluate in detail the performance of two Timepix hybrid pixel assemblies; a standard planar 300 micron thick sensor, and 285 micron thick double sided 3D sensor. This paper describes a detailed charge calibration study of the pixel devices, which allows the true charge to be extracted, and reports on measurements of the charge collection characteristics and Landau distributions. The planar sensor achieved a best resolution of 4.0 micron for angled tracks, and resolutions of between 4.4 and 11 micron for perpendicular tracks, depending on the applied bias voltage. The double sided 3D sensor, which has significantly less charge sharing, was found to have an optimal resolution of 9.0 micron for angled tracks, and a resolution of 16.0 micron for perpendicular tracks. Based on these studies it is concluded that the Timepix ASIC shows an excellent performance when used as a device for charged particle tracking.
A fiber detector concept has been realized allowing to registrate particles within less than 100 nsec with a space point precision of about 0.1 mm at low occupancy. Three full size prototypes have been build by different producers and tested at a 3 GeV electron beam at DESY. After 3 m of light guides 8-10 photoelectrons were registrated by multichannel photomultipliers providing an efficiency of more than 99%. Using all available data a resolution of 0.086 mm was measured.