UK-ATLAS TRACKER UPGRADE
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Introduction
During the design, construction and installation of the current SCT numerous design and material problems were overcome. With the high luminosity anticipated for the new upgraded ATLAS silicon tracker the existing design can no longer cope with these demands and a new approach is required to construct a new high-power tracking detector.
In conjunction with UK, international institutions and industrial collaborators the Sheffield group is contributing to the UK-ATLAS Upgrade engineering programme in what is now the research and development phase of the project. New technologies and materials are now available at lower cost than previously adopted methods. Novel techniques can now be adopted and trialed for what could become the future industry standard.
Our current areas of research include:
- Thermal Managment:
The ATLAS upgraded tracker has a number of design requirements that need to be met for successful long term reliability and performance. One of the biggest problems to overcome in tracking detector design is the cooling system required to remove significant heat loads generated through high power electronics. Other factors include sub zero temperature operation in a highly radioactive atmosphere.
During the construction and commissioning of the current ATLAS SCT the boundaries of the available technology were quickly reached and numerous material and design issues addressed. As part of the Thermal Management working group, the Sheffield group is looking at reliable joining technologies for the proposed ATLAS upgraded tracker cooling system.
Following review in June 2008 baseline cooling methods have been reccommended and adopted. A connector-less cooling system capable of high pressure running is desired. The Sheffield engineers are now developing tube-tube joining techniques with UK industry.
- Power Tape Testing:
The upgraded tracker for ATLAS will require many monre channels than the existing detector to cope with high luminosity running. The need for very compact, very low mass solutions for power handling to the sensors is crital to future sucess. During the construction of the current SCT many problems were found with the reliabilty of power lines and connectors. Flat power tapes or "Low Mass Tapes" are the standard we have adopted and in collaberation with Oxford and Glasgow Universities we are designing long term test equipment for these LMT's.
The manipulation testing equipment under development at Sheffeild will test the long term reliability of LMT's using Pneumatic actuators to flex the tapes and provide real time feedback of fatigue to the traces within the power tapes.
- Thermal Managment:
- Presentations:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
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