Expanding the precision timing frontier for particle tracking at hadron colliders

重叠质子-质子相互作用(堆积)数量的大幅增加是HL-LHC物理计划面临的主要实验挑战之一。减轻连环相撞影响的一种新颖而有力的方法是使用高精度的计时信息来区分发生在空间上非常接近但在时间上完全分开的碰撞。新型探测器的开发既能实现极高的位置分辨率，又能达到几十皮秒的时间，这对在这样的环境下运行至关重要。低增益雪崩二极管传感器(LGAD)具有较好的时间响应特性，但形成内部电场所需的边缘结构阻碍了小像素的形成。此外，还没有辐射的LGAD很难在ATLAS ITK像素探测器的最内层运行，也不会包括在LHCb实验的升级中。其他正在开发中的实现超快计时的选择是电极穿透主体的3-D传感器，以及新型单片传感器。需要改进的仪器设备提供必要的计时能力，以推动这些新型传感器的开发，用于LHC实验的升级和未来对撞机的实验。这些新设备将为STFC的所有科学领域和设施带来革命性的机遇，从粒子到核物理和光子科学。这笔赠款将允许采购12 GHz信号发生器和快速示波器(每个样本7.8 ps)，使传感器的操作更接近实际操作条件，并精确测量其(超快)响应信号，从而能够正确地表征超高速硅探测器(LGAD和3D传感器)。

The large increase in the number of overlapping proton-proton interactions (pileup) is one of the leading experimental challenges for the HL-LHC physics program. A novel and powerful approach to mitigating the effects of the pileup is to use high-precision timing information to distinguish between collisions occurring very close in space but well-separated in time. The development of novel detectors achieving both superb position resolution and a few tens of picoseconds timing is critical for operation in such environment. Low-gain avalanche diode sensors (LGADs) have shown suitable time response, but edge structures necessary to shape the internal electric field prevent the formation of small pixels. Furthermore, LGADs not yet radiation hard to operate in the innermost layers of the ATLAS ITk pixel detector or to be included in the upgrades for the LHCb experiment. Other options under development to reach Ultra-Fast Timing are 3-D sensors where the electrodes penetrate the bulk, and novel monolithic sensors.Improved instrumentation providing the necessary timing capability is needed to advance the development of these novel sensors for the upgrades of LHC experiments and experiments at future colliders. These new devices will bring revolutionary opportunities across all STFC's science areas and facilities, from Particle to Nuclear physics and Photon science.This grant will allow procuring a 12-GHz signal generator and fast oscilloscope (7.8 ps per sample) which will enable to properly characterise ultra-fast silicon detectors (LGADs and 3D sensors) by enabling the operation of the sensors closer to realistic operating conditions as well as precise measurements of their (ultra-fast) response signals.