Semiconductor detector R&D for tracking, timing and particle identification for future experiments in particle physics

by Prof. Jennifer Ott (University of Hawaii)

Thursday 8 Jan 2026, 16:15 → 17:30 Europe/Berlin

ENC-D114 (ENC)

Particle physics experiments pose challenging requirements on semiconductor detectors: fine segmentation and precise timing resolution are required simultaneously with low power consumption, low mass and high radiation tolerance. Here I will present ongoing developments and future directions in semiconductor sensor research and development for high-energy and nuclear physics.

After an introduction of the pixel tracking detector upgrades and new timing detectors to be installed at the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider at CERN, I will focus on the application of precision timing with silicon sensors related to flavor physics. The PIONEER experiment at Paul Scherrer Institute will utilize low-gain avalanche diodes (LGADs) for the study of charged pion decays, leading towards particle tracking in 5 dimensions. On the other hand, the addition of a time-of-flight detector layer to the Belle-II experiment in Japan is being explored to provide novel capabilities at low transverse momenta in the context of B meson physics.

More broadly, I will discuss the evolution of LGAD sensors and readout electronics for ultrafast timing, and also touch upon the integration of thin film technology into particle detectors.