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Physics

Detector R&D: towards the luminosity frontier for NP

Medium Energy Physics

Critical detector R&D to enable next-generation NP experiments to operate in harsh, high-luminosity experiments

When pushing next-generation experiments and facilities into the luminosity frontier, we have to mitigate challenges due to high detector rates, damaging background radiation, strong magnetic fields, and extreme temperatures, which will spoil a detector’s performance. This intensity frontier is the cornerstone of the Medium Energy Phyiscs R&D effort.

Pixelized MCP-PMT Technology

Fast light sensors to enable RICH/Cherenkov detectors in areas with high magnetic fields.

Incom (Inc.) generation 2 LAPPD, to be used with Argonne-developed pixelization board.

Our group heads the development of next-generation pixelized microchannel-plate photo-multipliers (MCP-PMTs). We are developing an optimized large-area version of this device, in collaboration with Incom (Inc.), to be used at SoLID. Simultaneously, we aim to build out our unique in-house technology of glass-backed 10x10cm devices, which allow for very fine-grained pixelization. High-resolution (in space and time) sensors that can work in strong magnetic fields will be important for all the RICH/DIRC designs for EIC. Our strong relation through SBIR with Incom provides a direct avenue towards affordable commercialization of our technology, and we collaborate with Nalu Scientific to develop dedicated readout ASICs. This technology can play a key role at EIC, neutrinoless double-beta decay, and countless other experiments.

Super-conducting Nanowire Detectors

Efficient, fast sensors for a high-radiation, high-field environment

Prototype nanowire sensor for use as a highly-sensitive photon and particle detector.

We have a strong program in superconducting nanowire sensors, a collaboration between the Medium Energy Physics group and the Material Science Division. We have found that these sensors can operate in fields up to (at least) 7 tesla, which means that these sensors can operate inside accelerator magnets. We are developing a novel concept for a high-resolution rad-hard detector around superconducting nanowires, which has a good potential for a near-beamline tagging detector in the far-forward region future collider experiments, such as EIC. We have the capability to manufacture the nanowire sensor onsite and are developing the readout electronics for cold electronics, together with the HEP electronics group and Nalu Scientific. The EIC R&D program endorsed our R&D effort, supporting our upcoming beamline tests.

Ultrafast Silicon Detectors for EIC

Leverage ultrafast silicon to simplify the EIC barrel region

LGAD test-beam setup at Fermilab. During this test, we reached a timing resolution of 15ps.

Our group developed the TOPSiDE detector concept for EIC. TOPSiDE stands for Time-of-flight Optimized PID Silicon Detector for EIC,” with a central philosophy to simplify the central region for the EIC detector by minimizing the need for dedicated particle-identification systems. This is possible through the use of ultrafast silicon detectors (UFSD), assuming a timing resolution of at least 10ps. We recently reached a 15ps timing resolution in a beamline test at Fermilab. The pathway towards a sub-10ps sensor is clear, as this is achievable through a thinner (20μm) sensor. Our UFSD R&D effort is a collaboration of the Medium Energy Physics group with the HEP Division and with UC Santa Cruz.