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Characterisation of the first large-scale prototypes for the ALICE ITS3 Upgrade

Paniskaki, Styliani LU (2024) FYSM63 20241
Particle and nuclear physics
Department of Physics
Abstract
This thesis deals with the characterization of the approved inner tracker upgrade of the ALICE experiment involving an innovative and ultra-thin silicon detector with a cylindrical geometry. During this thesis work, Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) were studied for the first large-scale prototype of the upgrade, together with a sensor of the same technology with smaller size. Properties of the detectors were studied with test beams, resulting in information about the detection efficiency and spatial resolution of the pixel matrix of the prototypes. The smaller prototype was also tested under nominal irradiation levels, in order to evaluate the performance of the detector under the actual conditions in the ALICE experiment over time.
Popular Abstract
It is of utmost importance in experimental physics to perform very precise measurements, in order to be able to accept or reject the theoretical predictions. In high-energy physics, such measurements are conducted in specially designed detectors, that are located all around the world. The biggest complex of such detectors is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, which includes the largest particle accelerator in the world, the so-called Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

At the LHC, several experiments are conducted, and one out of the four major experiments is A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE), which primarily studies collisions between heavy nuclei. The ALICE experiment consists of several different detectors,... (More)
It is of utmost importance in experimental physics to perform very precise measurements, in order to be able to accept or reject the theoretical predictions. In high-energy physics, such measurements are conducted in specially designed detectors, that are located all around the world. The biggest complex of such detectors is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, which includes the largest particle accelerator in the world, the so-called Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

At the LHC, several experiments are conducted, and one out of the four major experiments is A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE), which primarily studies collisions between heavy nuclei. The ALICE experiment consists of several different detectors, where each one of them has a specific role. One of them is the Inner Tracking System (ITS), whose primary role is to reconstruct the tracks of particles produced after the collisions in the LHC. This master thesis project focuses on the ITS detector.

At regular intervals, LHC is shutdown for 2-3 years in order to perform maintenance on the detectors or install new upgraded detectors. In the next such long shutdown, a new ITS is planned to be installed, the so-called ITS3, that will change the three innermost tracking layers by using the ground-breaking technology of bent silicon pixel detectors.

The ITS3 detector, in addition to the bending of the silicon, uses the technology of stitching, where all the electrical parameters of the detector are interconnected, thus reducing the need for mechanical support. Since this technology was used for the first time in High-Energy Physics, this thesis focuses on the characterization of the first large-scale prototypes of the new ITS3 detector, with a view to understand their functionality.

During the thesis work, tests were conducted on the prototypes under beam conditions at the CERN facility, where the detection efficiency and spatial resolution were determined, after the appropriate analysis. Different number of pixels and different sizes of pixel pitches, as well as different layouts in the circuits were used in the prototypes, so as to find the most effective design for the new detector. The prototypes were also irradiated, to test their performance in the course of time, at levels similar to the irradiation in the ALICE detector in the future.

All studies conducted on these prototypes, are going to be used for the design of the final ITS3 detector, for the purpose of improving ALICE track reconstruction precision in the future. (Less)
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author
Paniskaki, Styliani LU
supervisor
organization
course
FYSM63 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
ALICE, ITS3, MAPS, MOSS, babyMOSS, efficiency, spatial resolution
language
English
id
9158216
date added to LUP
2024-06-05 07:51:41
date last changed
2024-06-05 07:51:41
@misc{9158216,
  abstract     = {{This thesis deals with the characterization of the approved inner tracker upgrade of the ALICE experiment involving an innovative and ultra-thin silicon detector with a cylindrical geometry. During this thesis work, Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) were studied for the first large-scale prototype of the upgrade, together with a sensor of the same technology with smaller size. Properties of the detectors were studied with test beams, resulting in information about the detection efficiency and spatial resolution of the pixel matrix of the prototypes. The smaller prototype was also tested under nominal irradiation levels, in order to evaluate the performance of the detector under the actual conditions in the ALICE experiment over time.}},
  author       = {{Paniskaki, Styliani}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Characterisation of the first large-scale prototypes for the ALICE ITS3 Upgrade}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}