LHCb Upgrade: Beyond the Energy Frontier
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
LHCb is a particle physics experiment operating at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. It is the world's leading physics experiment in its field and has a unique capability to explore physics beyond the Standard Model. LHCb's main aim is to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model through precision tests of matter anti-matter asymmetries (CP violation) and rare decays of particles containing beauty and charm quarks. The experiment also has world-class programmes in other areas due to its unique design and coverage of an angular region closer to the beams that at the other main LHC experiments.
The opportunity now exists to dramatically increase the reach of LHCb's programme and to widen its physics profile. The UK groups propose to lead the upgrade of the VELO (Vertex Locator), the most precise vertex detector at the LHC, and LHCb's unique RICH (Ring Imaging Cherenkov) particle identification (PID) system. A programme of physics performance studies, computing, reconstruction software and trigger algorithm development, and involvement in a new scintillating fibre tracker complements this work.
The opportunity now exists to dramatically increase the reach of LHCb's programme and to widen its physics profile. The UK groups propose to lead the upgrade of the VELO (Vertex Locator), the most precise vertex detector at the LHC, and LHCb's unique RICH (Ring Imaging Cherenkov) particle identification (PID) system. A programme of physics performance studies, computing, reconstruction software and trigger algorithm development, and involvement in a new scintillating fibre tracker complements this work.
Planned Impact
The LHCb Upgrade offers strategic economic impact opportunities for UK Industry through the two major UK-led detectors (VELO, RICH), the novel scintillating fibre technology, and the DAQ and computing farm. External benefits include the development of novel pixel and cooling technology applicable to cancer treatment, molecular microscopy, light sources and fusion centres, and photon detectors applicable to medical imaging and positron emission tomography. The construction project has strong training opportunities for PhD students. LHCb-UK also has an enviable track record in public outreach through media, talks, exhibits and science festivals. A major exhibition on the theme of anti-matter will be sought for use at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition, and use at regional science museums.
Publications
Adinolfi M
(2016)
LHCb Upgraded RICH 1 Engineering Design Review Report
Adinolfi, M
(2016)
LHCb Upgraded RICH 1 Engineering Design Review Report
Akiba K
(2019)
LHCb VELO Timepix3 telescope
in Journal of Instrumentation
Akiba K
(2016)
Characterisation of Medipix3 silicon detectors in a charged-particle beam
in Journal of Instrumentation
Akiba K
(2018)
Radiation Damage Effects and Operation of the LHCb Vertex Locator
in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Alexander M
(2018)
Mapping the material in the LHCb vertex locator using secondary hadronic interactions
in Journal of Instrumentation
Balossino I
(2017)
The HPS electromagnetic calorimeter
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Buchanan E
(2017)
The LHCb Vertex Locator (VELO) Pixel Detector Upgrade
in Journal of Instrumentation
Fernandez Prieto A
(2020)
Phase I Upgrade of the Readout System of the Vertex Detector at the LHCb Experiment
in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Folkestad Å
(2017)
Development of a silicon bulk radiation damage model for Sentaurus TCAD
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
| Description | The LHCb RICH detectors and the LHCb Si vertex detectors are the two most innovative and unique feature of the LHCb experiment; they are crucial for the precision measurements LHCb undertakes and a main UK responsibility. The LHCb upgrade will substantially increase LHCb's sensitivity to "new physics", unknown particles and effects that might provide answers to questions such as the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe and dark matter. The next stage of the LHCb experiment will require to cope with higher instantaneous luminosities which result in larger number of tracks produced in the collisions. As such, the detectors have to undergo major upgrades and satisfy the requirements of a novel trigger scheme. We designed several hardware components. We procured both, the carbon fibre composite and the glass mirrors. In close collaboration with CERN, the mirrors got coated. We are now in the process of final assembly of the mirror components and then will move on to quality control and alignment. The new LHCb-upgrade vertex detector, an innovative Si pixel sensor, as been studied in a testbeam environments, providing crucial information about its performance and radiation tolerance. Our readout software for the testbeam beam telescope is used by various other users of the facility. Our mechanical engineer designed various aspects of the LHCb-RICH upgrade mechancis. These have entered the RICH upgrade Engineering Design Report. The scope of the role of the Bristol mechanical engineer has been expanded, following an exceptional peformance. A Bristol Technician has carried out crucial work dismanteling the old RICH 1 detector, desiging and assembling crucial components of the RICH 1 mirror system, and the RICH installation period. Bristol RAs and students are receiving and quality-assuring RICH mirrors at CERN. In the past months, Bristol played a critical role in the assembly and initial alignment of the LHCb RICH 1 mirrors, which was carried out under difficult conditions during COVID travel bans and lockdowns. In addition, a Bristol technician played a critical role in the overall RICH 1 installation spending about 100 days at CERN, often again with substantial difficulties due to COVID travel restrictions. |
| Exploitation Route | The Si pixel chip development for the LHCb VELO upgrade has many potential uses as a radiation-hard pixel sensor with fast timing capabilities. Both, the VELO and the RICH work has impact on the UK and international flavour physics community as it facilitates a new level of precision in flavour physics, with the potential to transform our understanding of particle physics. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Healthcare |
| URL | https://cds.cern.ch/record/2158851 |
| Description | Graphcore's IPUs |
| Organisation | Graphcore |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Evaluating Graphcore's novel IPU processors, and, for the first time, implementing Particle Physics relevant software on them. Of particular interest not only to us, but also the community interested in these novel processors, is that we did not only use IPUs for machine learning (although we did that, too), but also non ML applications (Kalman Filter). Our work was also beneficial to our industrial partner in optimising and debugging their API. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Cloud Access to IPUs and technical support. |
| Impact | Paper: https://inspirehep.net/literature/1812756 (accepted for publication) |
| Start Year | 2019 |