Particle Physics Research Centre Equipment Grant Proposal

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The Particle Physics Research Centre works to understand the secrets of the universe at the smallest scales, pushing back the frontier of human knowledge. We do this through collider and low background experiments and through developing new instruments that form part of these experiments. We also work with industry to ensure that our skills and knowledge can be applied to real world applications for more widespread benefit.Our collider programme is centred on the Large Hadron Collider and its High Luminosity upgrade at the CERN facility in Switzerland. Here we focus on beyond the standard model physics and precision Higgs physics. Our beyond the standard model physics programme is driven by searches for dark matter inspired new particles and searches motivated by 'anomalies' - deviations from the standard model expectations that could be hints of new particles or forces. The Higgs programme is driven by the need to understand the particle we helped to discover a decade ago, where every new measurement is part of an ongoing journey of scientific discovery as we delve deeper into the unknown. Our low background experiment programme focuses on understanding the nature of neutrinos through current projects including ANITA, NOvA and MINERvA, and working on the development of the DUNE mega science project that is expected to start taking data later this decade. Longer term we are also working toward future neutrino factory, NuSTORM. One of the key questions we are probing with neutrinos is why the universe is matter dominated. The observed matter-antimatter asymmetry is truly a reflection of the question "Why are we here?". Without this asymmetry the universe would be very different, and put simply we might not otherwise have come to exist.Synergy between our collider and low background experiment programmes comes from working toward direct detection of dark matter through application of semiconductor technology for future test facilities as a feasibility study for next generation experiments, and decades of studying matter-antimatter asymmetry in quarks.The equipment purchased with this grant will enable us to work on new kinds of radiation detector for future fundamental science projects, including cylindrical vertex systems for the Electron Ion Collider and Future Circular Collider and new kinds of low background sensor for dark matter searches. The equipment will accelerate workflow for measurement of devices for our technology transfer programmes, reducing the time to transfer our capabilities and new inventions from the research lab to real world application. This will also enable us to create a new microelectronic facility as a partner to our nano-fabrication facility that will create a multidisciplinary environment to explore applications of new kinds of quantum technology being developed by applied scientists at QMUL for our fundamental science programmes.