First survey of centimeter-scale AC-LGAD strip sensors with a 120 GeV proton beam

TL;DR

This paper reports the first beam test results of centimeter-scale AC-LGAD strip sensors, demonstrating their potential for large-area, high-precision 4D tracking in particle physics experiments like the EIC.

Contribution

It provides the first survey and performance evaluation of centimeter-scale AC-LGAD sensors, optimizing electrode design for improved spatial and timing resolution.

Findings

Achieved 18 micron spatial resolution

Achieved 32 ps timing resolution

Demonstrated suitability for EIC timing layers

Abstract

We present the first beam test results with centimeter-scale AC-LGAD strip sensors, using the Fermilab Test Beam Facility and sensors manufactured by the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Sensors of this type are envisioned for applications that require large-area precision 4D tracking coverage with economical channel counts, including timing layers for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC), and space-based particle experiments. A survey of sensor designs is presented, with the aim of optimizing the electrode geometry for spatial resolution and timing performance. Several design considerations are discussed towards maintaining desirable signal characteristics with increasingly larger electrodes. The resolutions obtained with several prototypes are presented, reaching simultaneous 18 micron and 32 ps resolutions from strips of 1 cm length and 500 micron pitch. With only slight modifications, these sensors would be ideal candidates for a 4D timing layer at the EIC.