LHCb Upgrade 2 bridging Oct 2023 - March 2024

The second major upgrade of the LHCb detector, LHCb Upgrade II, will maximise the discovery potential of the High Luminosity LHC by providing unique detection capability. The experiment is designed to exploit the high production rate of heavy flavoured (beauty and charm) particles in LHC collisions, enabling precision searches for physics beyond the Standard Model through loop processes. LHCb Upgrade II builds on the existing infrastructure of the LHCb experiment, with upgrades to all subdetector systems and new elements that will provide capability to resolve particles from different collisions in the same bunch crossing through the use of precision timing information. Data will be recorded at much higher rates than currently possible, leading to a broad and exciting physics programme.

This application is for 6 months bridging funding between an R&D phase and a subsequent preconstruction phase of UK work on LHCb Upgrade II. It provides crucial continuity of effort, that is essential for the UK to maintain leadership in the international project. UK effort is focussed on specific, strategic technologies that will enable the physics goals of LHCb Upgrade II to be achieved while also achieving broad impact.