Ultra-high resolution radiation sensors

Silicon sensors have been the key instrument for enabling all the great discoveries at particle accelerators over the last few decades.

Their technology has evolved hugely since their introduction in particle physics experiments over 40 years ago, but it is now slowing down because of fundamental aspects related to their design. An entirely new approach has been proposed by Liverpool scientists to produce devices with more than two orders of magnitude improvement in their resolution. This would lead to unprecedented performance for this type of sensor and open an enormous field of applications, firstly in high energy physics but also in other areas of science.

The working principle of these devices has been demonstrated, and future improvements will require detailed simulations, electronics design and characterization. Moreover, the extremely small pixel sizes lead to arrays of large numbers of individual sensitive cells (with 3 or more orders of magnitude density increase with respect to the pixel sensors currently used in the particle physics experiments at the LHC at CERN). The readout of such a high pixel density represents a major challenge that requires simulations into various operating scenarios and the application of new algorithmic approaches based on Machine Learning.

This project will be offered by the particle physics cluster in close collaboration with the microelectronics group of the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) in Trento, Italy. The student will get the opportunity to spend around 21 months in each location. A 6-months industry placement will complement the comprehensive training offered by LIV.INNO.

For any enquiries please contact Prof Gianluigi Casse on: gcasse@hep.ph.liv.ac.uk

To apply for this opportunity, please visit: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/how-to-apply/ and click on the 'Ready to apply? Apply online' button, to start your application. Please ensure you quote the following reference on your application: PPPR027 - Ultra-high resolution radiation sensors.