Project P7  

Advanced Photodetectors

Participants: CERN, LNF, Photonis, PSI; ER: 2 yrs (contact person: C. Joram, CERN)

Development and application of novel photodetectors

The development of novel photodetectors like Hybrid Photodetectors (HPD) and Geiger-mode Avalanche Photodiodes (G-APD), pursued during the past years in close collaboration with industry, led to exciting perspectives for applications ranging from particle physics (e.g. calorimetry, particle identification, tracking using scintillating fibres) to astro-particle physics and medical imaging. The ongoing development program covers concept, design, construction and performance evaluation of various photodetectors. Most of the work is done in close collaboration with the industrial partner Photonis. The project comprises 3 lines of activities: (1) Integration of an X-HPD in a pressure sphere and measure performance under water. (2) Design, construction and test of a scintillating fibre tracker module for ATLAS with G-APD readout. Test of a prototype of a highly granular lead-scintillating fibre or tile-wave­length shifter calorimeter readout with G-APDs at the Frascati Test Beam facility. (3) In collaboration with PSI: Test of a positron emission tomography (PET) camera based on long axially oriented crystals with wavelength shifter strip readout with G-APDs.