Particle Physics Consolidated Grant from the University of Sheffield - ATLAS, ATLAS upgrade, T2K, FNE, MICE, EDELWEISS/EURECA, DMGS, SNO+, R&D, KE

We are living in an exceptional age for discoveries in particle physics and particle astrophysics with potential for producing step changes in understanding of the composition of matter and the structure of the Universe. The research we plan with this consolidated grant in particle physics and particle astrophysics at Sheffield is at the core of these discoveries. Firstly, we appear to be near answering the fundamental question of what gives particles mass. In this field Sheffield will continue to play a leading role in the ATLAS experiment that now looks to be on the verge of solving the mystery by detecting the famous Higgs Boson. Our ATLAS work, where we are currently the only UK group heavily involved in the flagship 4-lepton channel Higgs search, will aim to confirm the first evidence for excess reported in Dec. 2011. Simultaneously work will continue in the equally fundamental hunt to find supersymmetric particles and on radiation modeling and detector tests for the ATLAS upgrade anticipated as the next experiment. We currently provide the UK spokesman for ATLAS.
A second recent major advance, made by the T2K experiment in 2011, reports evidence for a non-zero third neutrino mixing angle. This potentially unlocks progress to experiments in so-called charge-parity (CP) violation to answer the mystery of why the Universe contains matter and virtually no anti-matter. Our T2K and neutrino group will focus on contributing further analysis to confirm the new results but also, using our membership of the LBNO and LBNE collaborations, progress key new detector technology towards a next generation long baseline neutrino experiment to see CP violation. For this our focus will be with liquid argon technology, our pioneering work on electroluminescence light readout for that, and our simulation work on backgrounds from muons. The latter is key also to our on-going work towards an experiment to see if the proton decays, an issue at the core of understanding Grand Unified Theories of physics. Closely related and vital for our neutrino programme is continued participation in SNO+, aimed at understanding solar neutrinos, and the MICE experiment with its related R&D on high power particle beam targets for future neutrino beams.
Technological developments recently led to significant improvement in sensitivity of detectors to WIMP dark matter with key contributions from the Sheffield group towards EDELWEISS and DRIFT. Exploiting our leadership in background mitigation strategy, calibration and data analysis, our future work will concentrate on EDELWEISS operation and data analysis, as well as on developments towards ton-scale cryogenic experiment EURECA. The group is also uniquely well positioned to contribute through new work aiming to see, or exclude, a definitive galactic signature for the claimed low mass WIMP events. Our pioneering work on directional WIMP detectors will see a new experiment installed at the UK's Boulby underground site, DRIFTIIe, while our continued analysis of data from DM-ICE17 at the Antarctic South Pole, for which we supplied the NaI detectors, will seek an annual modulation galactic signature and inform design of a new experiment there planned for 2013.
Our generic detector R&D is vital to underpinning the group, closely related to a vigorous knowledge exchange programme that now includes funded projects involving 15 different companies. Highlight activity here will include development of particle tracking technology in liquid argon relevant to neutrino physics and astrophysics, new gas-based directional neutron programmes with relevance for homeland security, and new muon veto R&D. The latter links to our KE programme on CO2 underground storage technology. We plan first deployment of test detectors at 760m depth by 2013. This is part of the group's contribution to key social agendas in climate change and crime prevention.

The Sheffield group has a strong record of outside impact through KE activity that since 2009 has roughly tripled to include funded projects with government, industry or medical priority areas, particularly in energy and environment. Currently 15 UK companies are involved, with other activity across several non-physics departments, other Universities and government organisations. Notable are:
A major new funded programme on application of particle physics muon detector technology to carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). We are leading with Sheffield departments in geo-mechanics, engineering and law, in cooperation with Durham University and Petrofac Ltd., CO2DeepStore Ltd. and National Grid Carbon, a programme to develop deep bore hole muon tomography to monitor underground stored CO2. This has potential huge impact in the multi billion CCS industry.
A strong effort to spin out dark matter work into sensitive fast neutron detection for homeland security and crime prevention includes: a major funded programme to produce large area (m2) next generation scintillator portal monitors for airborne cargo; a project developing neutron activation for detection of explosives; a project building hand-held neutron detectors for in-field monitoring of nuclear material and dirty bombs; a project to use cosmic rays in nuclear security; a project with Leverhulme, through the DRIFT DM programme, to build a gas-based directional fast neutron detector for security. These activities have potentially huge impact in the multi-billion security industry.
New work for the medical industry has started with funded programmes spun out from T2K work with LabLogistic Ltd. and Southern Scientific Ltd. to develop new liquid scintillator and photo-sensor technology for in-blood tissue diagnostics, and a new programme with the Hallamshire Hospital to spin out our noise extraction data analysis techniques, developed in gravitational wave research (LIGO), for application to brain wave analysis.
Our long-standing cooperation with Cleveland Potash Ltd. (CPL) has aided development of the deep underground Palmer laboratory into a new interdisciplinary low background E-futures laboratory. Here we have projects developing radio-assay and climate change including the SKY-II project to study cosmic ray effects on climate change. There is impact across non-physics projects including biology and underground science and to provide the UK with a world-class facility.
Linked to FNE we have a new programme with Alan Auld Engineering Ltd. to produce new rock engineering simulations transferred via joint supervision of undergraduate and PhD students. They received £350K EU funding as a direct result of our collaboration and also now sponsor a PhD student with us. Linked here is work also with Rhyal Engineering Ltd. for their expertise building massive tanks aiming to expand expertise and promote greater presence in European markets and with Technodyne Ltd. joint work on new cryogenic liquid pumps that can impact their market in LPG tank design.
A major new success is a funded industrial programme to spin out our expertise from ATLAS engineering into the aerospace industry with VCB Group Ltd. This will allow creation of a prototype based on an existing high performance welding system. The principle objective is to transfer an advanced technique developed for automatic joining of ultra thin wall aerospace based metal alloy tube to the VBC group, a UK based SME.
Finally, from our liquid argon work and generic detector R&D there are many worldwide, multi-disciplinary motivations to develop generic cheap liquid argon technology. Specifically we work with Electron Tubes Ltd. and Sensl Ltd. regarding SiPMTs, PMT and associated apparatus. Results of our tests of Sensl SiMPTs already feature in their marketing materials. Involvement with e2V Technologies Ltd. is also ongoing due to their need to develop new CCDs for cryogenic applications.