CAREER: Silicon Pixel Detector R&D for Super-LHC

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER proposal is for the development of novel solid state detectors for experimental particle physics research, and for creating a science outreach program designed for girls in impoverished rural settings. The PI, Julia Thom of the Department of Physics at Cornell University, will lead a program to develop silicon pixel detectors for the Compact Muon Spectrometer at the upgraded Large Hadron Collider (Super-LHC) at CERN. The research goal to understand the origin of electroweak symmetry breaking relies on the precise measurement of charged particle trajectories provided by silicon pixel detectors. In the Standard Model of elementary particle physics, electroweak symmetry breaking is associated with the existence of a Higgs particle which has yet to be discovered. While the discovery of the Higgs Boson is most likely to occur at the standard LHC, the increased luminosity at the Super-LHC will provide the statistical power to study its properties in detail. The discovery of the Higgs particle and the measurement of its quantum numbers are of utmost importance in particle physics today. The proposed program includes design, simulation and testing of cutting-edge pixel sensor technology that can withstand the extremely high radiation doses and tracking densities at the Super-LHC. This work will be carried out in collaboration with researchers at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and partners in industry. Based at Cornell University in upstate New York, the PI has learned that there are no regular science education programs that target schools in surrounding poor rural communities. In particular, the number of girls in this region pursuing higher education in science or engineering is alarmingly low. The proposal includes initiating a program that provides mentoring and science summer camps for girls, teacher workshops, and regular visits to six schools that have been classified as high-need and that show particular interest in this program. The program will be implemented in collaboration with a professional educator, whose research interest in science education in rural poverty settings matches the goals of the PI. Intellectual Merit: The development of a new silicon pixel detector is essential to take advantage of the luminosity upgrade of the LHC for detailed studies of many of the new and possibly revolutionizing phenomena that are expected at the TeV energy scale. Since no known technology can withstand the enormous particle rates expected at the Super-LHC, the development of innovative silicon pixel detector technology built on the recent progress of the silicon processing industry would be a breakthrough in the field of particle detection. If successful, this development would have many important applications in x-ray imaging for biology and astrophysics. Broader Impact: The research project requires an extensive collaboration between the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell, and partners in industry. The project provides an opportunity to provide graduate and undergraduate students with the experience of interdisciplinary research at the cutting-edge of pixel detector technology. The science education program would encourage girls in underserved rural areas to pursue careers in science and engineering, serve as a tool for the professional development of teachers, and bring the excitement of science to the broader community.