The ATLAS experiment is replacing its inner detector
with a new Inner Tracker (ITk), with the new device in place by 2026.
The collision intensity and radiation background will mean that
both the particle sensors and their associated readout electronics must
be more radiation-tolerant and run at much higher data
transfer speeds. In Toronto we will be building prototype silicon
sensor assemblies in association with Celestica, a company specializing in the
fabrication of high-density electronics. As part of this project we will be testing and characterizing miniature silicon sensors that have been irradiated in a reactor.
This is to simulate how the real sensors will behave after being exposed to radiation from the LHC beams. We use a probe station, a Strontium-90 source, and a laser system at low temperature to study the sensors.
One, or more, students involved with this project will help to modify our sensor testing setup, take data with the miniature sensors, and help to understand the interesting
physics of these devices. There is plenty of scope for electronics, hardware, software and most of all, thinking. All in the environment of a small self-contained experiment.
The picture opposite shows one of our first complete silicon sensor modules, with its associated readout chips.
Contact: Bob Orr.
At CERN a student with, for example, an
IPP summer fellowship or
participating in the project through the
Woodsworth Science Abroad program, will be
able to join our efforts in understanding how the prototype ITk readout electronics
responds to neutron and ionizing radiation dosage.
This work will use intense radioactive sources and particle beams at CERN.
Contact: Richard Teuscher or
Pekka Sinervo
ATLAS Detector Simulation:
Upgrades to the ATLAS detector for the High-Luminosity LHC era, starting in 2026,
also include the design and construction of a
new readout system for the existing liquid argon calorimeter.
The ATLAS Toronto group is involved in a number of ways, including the
development of the signal processing techniques that will be used to extract the
energy and timing of calorimeter signals, using digital filtering techniques.
This position involves simulation work related to these studies.
Some prior knowledge of electronics and signal processing techniques would be advantageous.
Contact:
Peter Krieger
The ATLAS Toronto group is also involved in the development of a simulation
of the ITk detector, and studies of its performance.
The ITk will have to function in an environment where the LHC
beams will create up to 200 collisions at one time.
We will be working to better understand and improve the simulation
software the ATLAS collaboration has developed to model and predict the performance
of the tracking system.
Contact: Pekka Sinervo
We will consider applications from students not holding a USRA
award, but USRA recipients are given priority. There may be some
opportunity for some of these students to spend at least part of the
summer at CERN, but that will depend on funding and the nature of the project.
For more information, contact the people listed above for each position.
