R. Harper

Recent results from the ATLAS SCT irradiation programme

Abstract The irradiation facility at the CERN proton synchrotron, set up to irradiate full-size prototypes of silicon microstrip detectors for the ATLAS semiconductor tracker, is described and measurements of the detector currents during irradiation are reported. The detector dark currents can be described by bulk radiation damage models demonstrating the radiation hardness of the detector design and allowing the current damage factor α and the acceptor introduction term β to be determined. Results from testbeam studies of a module with an irradiated detector and binary readout in a magnetic field and with the beam incident over a range of angles are reported. The hit efficiency and spatial resolution satisfy the requirements for the SCT provided the detector is operated at the full charge collection voltage. The Lorentz angle was not found to be affected by the irradiation.

Evolution of silicon microstrip detector currents during proton irradiation at the CERN PS

Prototype ATLAS silicon microstrip detectors have been irradiated to the dose predicted for 10 years of LHC operation with 24 GeV protons at the CERN PS whilst cooled to the ATLAS design operating temperature. The detector currents were monitored during irradiation, which allows the predictions of bulk radiation damage parameterizations to be tested. Values for the damage constant a and the rate of acceptor creation b have been calculated and are in agreement with those previously published for the irradiation of silicon diodes. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 29.40.Wk; 61.82.Fk