C. Da Via

First operation of a 72-k element hybrid silicon micropattern pixel detector array

Abstract We have constructed and tested silicon pixel detector arrays of 96 × 378 (36 288) sensor elements with 75 μm × 500 μm area. The low-noise signal processing circuit associated with each element occupies an identical area on a bump-bonded readout chip. The pixel cell response for ionizing particles is binary with an adjustable threshold between 4000 e − and 15 000 e − . Single chips, the array of 6 ladders and a double array have been characterized in particle test beams and in the Omega experiment WA97 at CERN. The two arrays together, staggered by ∼ 4 mm cover hermetically a 53 mm × 55 mm area with 72 576 pixels. The proportion of properly functioning pixels was 98% in the first 36 k pixel array and 80% in the second one. The ∼ 1% “always-on” pixels could be masked electronically. After masking the rate of “spurious noise hits” was −8 of the identified particle hits while with beam off no hits at all were recorded With a beam trigger most events consisted of a single cluster with a single hit. At the 8000 e − threshold an efficiency > 99% was measured. Tracks were reconstructed with a precision of 22 μm. The proportion of double hits (∼ 11%) depends only slightly on threshold and detector bias voltage, and for these double hits a precision of 10 μm on the particle position was obtained.

A new plastic scintillator with large stokes shift

Abstract We have developed a new plastic scintillator with the novel characteristic of highly localized light emission; scintillation and wavelength shifting take place within a few tens of micrometers of the primary ionization. The new scintillator consists of a scintillating polymer base [polyvinyl toluene (PVT) or polystyrene (PS)] doped with a single wavelength shifter, 1-phenyl-3-mesityl-2-pyrazoline (PMP), which has an exceptionally large Stokes shift and therefore a comparatively small self-absorption of its emitted light. In other characteristics (e.g. scintillation efficiency and decay time) the performance of the new scintillator is similar to a good quality commercial plastic scintillator such as NE110.

Experience with a 30 cm2 silicon pixel plane in CERN experiment WA97

Abstract A multi-chip, large area hybrid silicon pixel detector has been integrated in a particle physics experiment for the first time. The plane had 72K 75 μ m × 500 μ m sensor elements, covering a total area of about 30 cm 2 . It was constructed and characterized in a collaboration between heavy-ion experiment WA97 and R&D project RD19. Several such planes will be incorporated in a hyperon telescope, in order to improve tracking in the high multiplicity environment of central lead-lead collisions at the SPS. Results on the characterization of this detector in a proton beam at the Omega spectrometer at CERN are presented and discussed.

Test beam results of 3D silicon pixel sensors for the ATLAS upgrade

Results on beam tests of 3D silicon pixel sensors aimed at the ATLAS Insertable B-Layer and High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) upgrades are presented. Measurements include charge collection, tracking efficiency and charge sharing between pixel cells, as a function of track incident angle, and were performed with and without a 1.6 T magnetic field oriented as the ATLAS inner detector solenoid field. Sensors were bump-bonded to the front-end chip currently used in the ATLAS pixel detector. Full 3D sensors, with electrodes penetrating through the entire wafer thickness and active edge, and double-sided 3D sensors with partially overlapping bias and read-out electrodes were tested and showed comparable performance.

Use of silicon and GaAs pixel detectors for digital autoradiography

Solid state detectors made of Si (4.8/spl times/8 mm/sup 2/) and GaAs (6.4/spl times/8 mm/sup 2/) pixel matrices bump-bonded to the Omega2 and Omega3 electronic read-out systems, developed at CERN for H.E.P. experiments, have been used to obtain autoradiographic images of clusters of human epithelial cells and DNA fragments separated via electrophoresis, both labeled with /sup 32/P. The system has shown a good minimum detectable activity per unit area of 2.10/sup -4/ cps mm/sup -2/, and has proved linear for a count rate in the range 0.2-20 cpa, typical of autoradiography. The pixel dimensions are 75/spl times/500 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ (Si-Omega2) and 50/spl times/500 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ (GaAs-Omega3), respectively. We are able to clearly localize clusters of cells which have incorporated the radioactive tracer and DNA fragments on an electrophoretic gel on paper (blots).

Test Beam Characterization of 3-D Silicon Pixel Detectors

Three-dimensional (3-D) silicon detectors are characterized by cylindrical electrodes perpendicular to the surface and penetrate into the bulk material in contrast to standard Si detectors with planar electrodes on the top and bottom. This geometry renders them particularly interesting to be used in environments where standard silicon detectors have limitations, such as, for example, the radiation environment expected in an upgrade to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. For the first time, several 3-D sensors were assembled as hybrid pixel detectors using the ATLAS-pixel front-end chip and readout electronics. Devices with different electrode configurations have been characterized in a 100 GeV pion beam at the CERN SPS. Here, we report results on unirradiated devices with three 3-D electrodes per 50times400 mum2 pixel area. Full charge collection is obtained already with comparatively low bias voltages around 10 V. Spatial resolution with binary readout is obtained as expected from the cell dimensions. Efficiencies of 95.9%plusmn0.1% for tracks incident parallel to the electrodes and of 99.9%plusmn0.1% for tracks incident at 15deg are measured. The homogeneity and charge sharing of the efficiency over the pixel area are measured.

Gallium arsenide pixel detectors for medical imaging

Gallium arsenide pixel detectors processed on a 200 μm Semi-Insulating (SI) Hitachi substrate were bump-bonded to the Omega3 electronics developed at CERN for high energy physics [1]. The pixel dimensions are 50 μm × 500 μm for a total of 2048 cells and an active area of ∼0.5 cm2. Our aim is to use this system for medical imaging. We report the results obtained after irradiation of the detector with different X-ray sources on phantoms with different contrasts. The system showed good sensitivity to X-rays from 241Am (60 keV) and 109Cd (22.1 keV). It is also sensitive to β− particles from 90Sr as well as from 32P which is used as a tracer for autoradiography applications. The inherent high absorption efficiency of GaAs associated with the self-triggering capabilities of the pixel readout system reduced considerably the acquisition time compared with traditional systems based on silicon or emulsions. The present configuration is not optimised for X-ray imaging. The reduction of the pixel dimensions to 200 μm × 200 μm together with the integration of a counter in the pixel electronics would make the detector competitive for applications like mammography or dental radiology. For certain applications in biochemistry, such as DNA sequencing, where good spatial resolution is required only in one direction, the present setup should allow the best spatial resolution available up to now with respect to other digital autoradiographic systems. DNA sequencing tests are now under way.

3D Active Edge Silicon Detector Tests With 120 GeV Muons

3D detectors with electrodes penetrating through the silicon wafer and covering the edges were tested in the SPS beam line X5 at CERN in autumn 2003. Detector parameters including efficiency, signal-to-noise ratio, and edge sensitivity were measured using a silicon telescope as a reference system. The measured sensitive width and the known silicon width were equal within less than 10 mum.

Characterization of semi-insulating GaAs for detector application

Radiation detectors work as Schottky devices. The Schottky contact of the investigated detectors consists of a Ti/Pt/Au layer on the front-side of a 500?m thick semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The back-side is an alloyed Ge/Au ohmic contact.The structure of these contacts are squares with sides of between 1,5mm and 5mm. In order to seperate the behaviour of the contacts, an independent determination of those parameters of the bulk material which are responsible for a satisfactory functioning of the detector are necessary. We present a theoretical model of the detector which simulates detector properties according to relevant parameters such as the resistivity p, the mobility ? of the charge carriers, the energy level EDD and concentration NDD of the bulk-defects and the leakage-current jL of the device. The aim of this study is to determine these parameters experimentally and compare materials from different suppliers. The relevant parameters are then used for the detector simulation.

Progress on high-resolution tracking with scintillating fibres: a new detector based on capillaries filled with liquid scintillator

Abstract The capabilities of a new detector based on capillaries filled with liquid scintillator have been investigated. Tests have been performed using various scintillating cocktails and readout systems. With the best combinations, and for light propagation over a few centimetres, the hit density is as high as 5 hits/mm. For propagation over distances greater than 10 cm, an attenuation length of ∼95 cm is measured. A spatial resolution of σ ≅ 12 μ m is obtained with capillaries of 20 μm bore.