Exploitation of High Voltage CMOS sensors for tracking applications in physics experiments and beyond

硅跟踪探测器位于许多粒子和核物理实验的核心，用于测量碰撞或衰变过程中产生的带电粒子的轨迹。这些探测器的规格很多，而且往往极具挑战性，因为它们需要以尽可能高的精度跟踪实验中每秒产生的数十亿带电粒子。用于当前一代物理实验的最先进的硅跟踪探测器由平面工艺中的混合传感器(结合单独的读出芯片)和工业标准CMOS工艺中的单片传感器组成。虽然这两种方法在目前的实验中都得到了成功的应用，例如欧洲核子研究中心大型强子对撞机(LHC)的ATLAS和Alice实验，但它们不能在单一设备上满足未来实验的所有要求。工业标准高压cmos(HV-cmos)工艺中的单片硅传感器是满足下一代物理实验所有规格的最有力候选者。HV-CMOS型传感器将传感单元(即像素)和读出芯片集成在一个可薄至50微米的单一器件(即传感器芯片)中。HV-CMOS型传感器提供良好的空间分辨率、快速的时间分辨率、出色的抗辐射能力，所有这些都以极具竞争力的单位面积成本实现。它们于2007年首次提出，自那以来已显着成熟。即将进行的实验，如瑞士PSI的Mu3e实验和欧洲核子研究中心LHCb实验的Might Tracker升级，将展示其在未来大型跟踪系统中的应用。在这项研究中，我提议在两个物理实验中部署我在研究计划的第一阶段已经开发的高性能HV-CMOS传感器芯片，这两个物理实验将导致令人兴奋的新物理的发现。我将首先在德国COSY同步加速器上进行绝地合作提出的质子电偶极矩(PEDM)搜索，然后在欧洲核子研究中心的高光度LHC上升级LHCb Velo探测器。使用我的高性能HV-cmos传感器芯片，我将组装技术演示器，并在利物浦的洁净室和国际设施中对它们进行评估，以证明它们符合这些实验所要求的规格。我将寻求将我的高度耐辐射的UKRI-MPW传感器技术商业化，用于物理学以外的商业应用。为了造福更广泛的社会，我将瞄准粒子束治疗、电子显微镜、核设施监测和空间领域的应用。我还将提供大面积、高性能的HV-CMOS型传感器，它将整合我研究计划第一阶段学到的所有经验教训。

Silicon tracking detectors sit at the core of many particle and nuclear physics experiments to measure the trajectory of charged particles produced in collisions or decay processes. The specifications for these detectors are many and often extremely challenging, as they need to track with the highest possible accuracy the many billions of charged particles that are produced every second in an experiment. The state-of-the-art in silicon tracking detectors for the current generation of physics experiments consists of hybrid sensors in planar processes (combined with a separate readout chip) and monolithic sensors in industry-standard CMOS processes. While both approaches are successfully deployed in current experiments, such as the ATLAS and ALICE experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, they are not able to meet all the requirements of future experiments in a single device. Monolithic silicon sensors in industry-standard High Voltage CMOS (HV-CMOS) processes, a variant of CMOS, are the strongest candidate to meet all the specifications for the next generation of physics experiments. HV-CMOS sensors integrate the sensing cell (i.e. the pixel) and the readout chip in a single device (i.e. a sensor chip) that can be as thin as 50 micrometers. HV-CMOS sensors provide good spatial resolution, fast time resolution, excellent radiation tolerance, all at very competitive cost per area. They were first proposed in 2007 and have matured significantly since then. Upcoming experiments that have selected or propose HV-CMOS for their silicon tracking detector, such as the Mu3e experiment at PSI in Switzerland and the Mighty Tracker upgrade for the LHCb experiment at CERN, will showcase its use for large tracking systems for the future.In this research, I propose to deploy the highly-performant HV-CMOS sensor chips I have developed already in the first phase of my research programme in two physics experiments that will lead to the discovery of exciting new physics. I will target the proton Electric Dipole Moment (pEDM) search proposed by the JEDI collaboration at the COSY synchrotron in Germany initially, followed by the LHCb VELO detector upgrade at the High Luminosity LHC at CERN. Using my highly-performant HV-CMOS sensor chips, I will assemble technology demonstrators and evaluate them in the Liverpool clean rooms and international facilities to demonstrate they meet the specifications required by these experiments. I will seek the commercialisation of my highly radiation tolerant UKRI-MPW sensor technology for commercial applications beyond physics. To benefit the wider society, I will target applications in particle beam therapy, electron microscopy, nuclear facility monitoring and space. I will also deliver large area highly-performant HV-CMOS sensors that will incorporate all the lessons learned during the first phase of my research programme.