Recent progress of the ATLAS Planar Pixel Sensor R&D Project

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in planar pixel sensor technology for the ATLAS detector upgrade, focusing on high radiation tolerance, cost reduction, and improved edge designs to meet HL-LHC requirements.

Contribution

It presents new experimental results and simulations on irradiated sensors, edge optimization, and cost-effective sensor development for high-luminosity collider environments.

Findings

High radiation tolerance of planar sensors demonstrated

Successful development of slim/active edge designs

Cost reduction strategies for large-area sensors explored

Abstract

The foreseen luminosity upgrade for the LHC (a factor of 5-10 more in peak luminosity by 2021) poses serious constraints on the technology for the ATLAS tracker in this High Luminosity era (HL-LHC). In fact, such luminosity increase leads to increased occupancy and radiation damage of the tracking detectors. To investigate the suitability of pixel sensors using the proven planar technology for the upgraded tracker, the ATLAS Planar Pixel Sensor R&D Project was established comprising 17 institutes and more than 80 scientists. Main areas of research are the performance of planar pixel sensors at highest fluences, the exploration of possibilities for cost reduction to enable the instrumentation of large areas, the achievement of slim or active edge designs to provide low geometric inefficiencies without the need for shingling of modules and the investigation of the operation of highly irradiated sensors at low thresholds to increase the efficiency. In the following I will present results from the group, concerning mainly irradiated-devices performance, together with studies for new sensors, including detailed simulations.