R&D on High Voltage CMOS pixel sensors for future physics experiments

Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), a commercial technology process widely used for fabricating everyday devices like smartphones and tablets, is revolutionising how we measure charged particles in physics experiments. CMOS and High Voltage CMOS (a variant of CMOS) are game changers, as they enable the integration of both the sensor and its readout electronics into a single, monolithic device.

Currently monolithic CMOS detectors are at the forefront of detector R&D for beyond 2030 physics experiments at CERN, and other research facilities, where they will feature the challenging specifications of:

  • Low-mass: 100 μm thickness
  • High radiation tolerance: >1016 1 MeV equivalent neutrons per cm2
  • Fast-timing: 1 ns
  • Precise spatial resolution: <100 µm pixel size
  • High data rate: 100 MHz/cm2.

 

From sensor design and evaluation to application – The R&D towards a new monolithic detector essentially consists of two critical phases: the design of the sensor and its readout electronics according to a set of defined specifications, and the evaluation of the designed prototypes after their fabrication by a commercial foundry. The design phase involves using proprietary technology libraries embedded in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, such as:

  • Technology CAD: to anticipate the physical performance of the sensor before its fabrication
  • Cadence: to design and simulate the readout electronics of the sensor.

The evaluation of the fabricated prototypes is carried out with advanced instrumentation in laboratories and at test beams with particles at international facilities such as CERN and DESY.

 

This PhD project will focus on the R&D of a dedicated monolithic detector for application in High Luminosity LHC experiments, and it will be carried out with the Liverpool High Voltage CMOS R&D Group.

 

Why join us – The Liverpool Group led the R&D of the very successful RD50-MPW High Voltage CMOS generic prototypes. Currently we are very active in the R&D of a new High Voltage CMOS detector for the LHCb Mighty-Tracker detector upgrade (named RadPix), which is developed in collaboration with other national and international laboratories and universities, and the newly formed DRD3 collaboration. The Group includes postdocs, engineers and students.

 

What you can expect – You will be trained and become proficient in state-of-the-art techniques for detector R&D, including simulations, design, and performance evaluation of semiconductor devices. This PhD will often involve teamwork and joint problem solving between local and remote colleagues with complementary skills. Visits to national and international collaborators are possible. You will acquire important transferable skills in High Voltage CMOS technologies design.

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