The upgrade of the LHCb Vertex Locator

TL;DR

The paper discusses the planned upgrade of the LHCb Vertex Locator (VELO) detector to a pixel-based silicon detector, enhancing performance at higher luminosities for future LHC runs.

Contribution

It introduces a new pixel-based VELO detector design with improved proximity to the beam and reduced material, supported by simulations showing maintained performance after radiation damage.

Findings

Enhanced detector proximity to the beam improves vertex resolution.

Reduced material modules decrease multiple scattering effects.

Simulations confirm sustained performance after high integrated luminosity.

Abstract

The LHCb experiment is set for a significant upgrade, which will be ready for Run 3 of the LHC in 2020. This upgrade will allow LHCb to run at a significantly higher instantaneous luminosity and collect an integrated luminosity of $50\,\text{fb}^{-1}$ by the end of Run 4. In this process the Vertex locator (VELO) detector will be upgraded to a pixel-based silicon detector. The upgraded VELO will improve upon the current detector by being closer to the beam and having lower material modules with microchannel cooling and a thinner RF-foil. Simulations have shown that it will maintain its excellent performance, even after the radiation damage caused by collecting an integrated luminosity of $50\,\text{fb}^{-1}$.