31 August 2026 to 4 September 2026
Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
Europe/London timezone

On the road to extreme radiation hardness with the innovative batch of FBK nLGADs

4 Sept 2026, 09:20
20m
Peston Lecture Theatre

Peston Lecture Theatre

Plenary Talk Detectors for High Radiation & Extreme Environments Astrophysics, Space, and Extreme Environments

Speaker

Robert Stephen White (Universita e INFN Torino (IT))

Description

Good spatial and timing resolution in tracking systems for future High-Energy Physics experiments requires a good understanding of the mechanisms that cause sensor performance degradation under extreme irradiation.

A batch of p-in-n Low-Gain Avalanche Diode (LGADs) has been manufactured by the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), with a highly doped signal multiplication layer formed using n-type dopants (nLGADs) within a 55 µm-thick substrate. A novel design with a p++ ohmic contact and n+ gain implant accounting for the activation and diffusion of the gain layer dopants. The nLGAD batch features fourteen such wafers, varying by doping concentration, type of dopant (phosphorus or arsenic), diffusion, and implantation depth. The donor removal mechanism responsible for gain degradation due to irradiation is studied for nominal dopant concentrations of ~10$^{16}$ atoms/cm$^{2}$. This is investigated by irradiating subsets of the nLGAD devices with neutrons up to fluences of 1$\times$10$^{15}$ n$_{\rm{1~MeV~eq}}$ cm$^{-2}$ at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana.

Key results from the characterisation of these sensors include donor removal rates performed in the Torino laboratory, and timing performances both before and after irradiation using a plethora of ionising sources such as the 4 GeV/c electron beam at the DESY Test Beam Facility, the CERN SPS proton and pion beam, measurements with a $^{90}$Sr β source, and a ~ 5 keV X-ray source. These will also be supported by gain studies with 1060 nm IR, 404 nm blue, and 375 nm UV laser measurements with an SPA-TCT setup, and charge carrier information extracted in a TPA-TCT apparatus.

Alongside previous studies on the acceptor removal rate in the eXFlu batch of n-in-p LGADs, the results provide insight into the p+-n+ compensated LGAD designs of the CompleX1 batch of sensors. The design, simulations, and preliminary results of the CompleX1 batch will also be presented in the context of radiation tolerance on the path to refining pixel sensors optimised for operation at fluences up to ~1$\times$10$^{16}$ n$_{\rm{1~MeV~eq}}$ cm$^{-2}$ and beyond.

Author

Robert Stephen White (Universita e INFN Torino (IT))

Co-authors

Alessandro Fondacci (Universita e INFN, Perugia (IT)) Anna Rita Altamura (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) Arianna Morozzi (INFN, Perugia (IT)) Prof. Daniele Passeri (Universita e INFN Perugia (IT)) Federico Siviero (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) Francesco Moscatelli (IOM-CNR and INFN, Perugia (IT)) Giovanni Paternoster (Fondazione Bruno KEssler) Mr Leonardo Lanteri (Universita di Torino) Dr Ludovico Massaccesi (Universita di Torino) Marco Ferrero (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) Dr Marta Tornago (Universita di Torino) Matteo Centis Vignali (FBK) Mr Matteo Durando (Universita di Torino) Maurizio Boscardin (FBK Trento) Nadia Pastrone (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) Nicolo Cartiglia (INFN Torino (IT)) Omar Hammad Ali Roberta Arcidiacono (Universita e INFN Torino (IT)) Mr Simone Galletto (Universita di Torino) Tommaso Croci (INFN, Perugia Unit) Valentina Sola (Universita e INFN Torino (IT))

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