Speaker
Description
After more than 15 years of operation, the ATLAS Pixel Detector will take its final data this June before being replaced with a new all-silicon detector (ITk) during LHC Long Shutdown 3. Its original part, consisting in 3 layers of planar pixel sensor was continuously operating well since the start of LHC collisions in 2008, while its innermost layer, the Insertable B Layer (IBL) at about 3 cm from the beam line, was installed in 2015 before the start of LHC Run2 and consisted of both planar and 3D pixel sensors.
The Pixel detector successfully collected data during LHC runs 1-3, under conditions that exceeded the original specifications by a large factor. Over the years, the Pixel Detector faced a number of technical and operational challenges, particularly in terms of radiation damage, occupancy, and trigger rate. This talk will describe the main issues encountered and the solutions that were found to ensure highest data quality and smooth operation throughout the lifetime of the detector. The lessons learned from the ATLAS Pixel Detector can provide valuable guidance for the design and operation of future experiments.