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CPAD 2026 at Seattle
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America/Los_Angeles
University of Washington
University of Washington
Alder Hall, 1315 NE Campus Pkwy, Seattle, WA 98105
Jinlong Zhang
(Argonne National Laboratory (US)),
Jonathan Asaadi
(University of Texas at Arlington),
Quentin Buat
(University of Washington (US)),
Shih-Chieh Hsu
(University of Washington Seattle (US))
Description
The Coordinating Panel on Advanced Detectors (American Physical Society Division of Particles & Fields) seeks to promote, coordinate and assist in the research and development of instrumentation and detectors for high energy physics experiments. CPAD 2026 Workshop will be on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, jointly organized by University of Washington and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
CPAD2026 Local
Participants
229
View full list
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08:00
Registration
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Plenary: Introduction Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Shih-Chieh Hsu (University of Washington Seattle (US))-
1
Welcome by UW
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2
Welcome by PNNLSpeaker: Daniel Stephens (ALD, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
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UW Instrumentation HighlightsSpeaker: Quentin Buat (University of Washington (US))
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CPAD Introduction and UpdatesSpeaker: Jonathan Asaadi (University of Texas at Arlington)
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1
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10:30
Coffee break
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Plenary: Instrumentation in AI Era and BRN Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Jonathan Asaadi (University of Texas at Arlington)-
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National InitiativesSpeaker: Maurice Garcia-Sciveres (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US))
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8
HEP in Genesis MissionSpeaker: Nhan Tran (Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (US))
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9
Panel Discussion on Instrumentation in AI Era and Potential BRN UpdatingSpeakers: Jennifer Ott (University of Hawaii Manoa), Marina Artuso (Syracuse University (US)), Maurice Garcia-Sciveres (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)), Nhan Tran (Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (US))
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7
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12:30
Lunch break
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RDC 1 Noble Element Detectors Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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10
Study of scintillation properties of solid argon
Liquefied noble elements, such as liquid xenon and liquid argon, are widely used in low-background physics experiments. They offer self-shielding due to their high density, high scintillation yield, the ability to extract an ionization signal via electron drift, multiple background-rejection techniques including pulse-shape discrimination, and ease of continuous in-situ purification. Despite these advantages, some classes of background remain difficult to address. One example is the β decay of $^{42}$K on the surfaces of the $^{76}$Ge-enriched inverted-coaxial point-contact (ICPC) detectors in LEGEND. With a Q-value of 3.5 MeV, these decays can deposit energy in the 0νββ region of interest at 2039 keV. In LEGEND, the ICPC detectors are immersed in ultra-pure liquid argon, which also serves as an active veto through the readout of its scintillation light. $^{42}$K ions, produced by the β decay of cosmogenic $^{42}$Ar dissolved in the argon, drift toward and collect on the germanium detector surfaces. One possible way to reduce this background to the level required by next-generation experiments is to replace the liquid with a solid-argon active veto, in which $^{42}$K ions are immobilized where they are produced while the scintillation-based veto is retained. In this talk, I will present preliminary projections of the background suppression factor achievable with this technique, followed by first experimental results from a silicon photomultiplier operated in solid argon to characterize its scintillation properties.
Speaker: Claudio Savarese (University of Washington) -
11
HydroX R&D towards a low-mass dark matter search using doped liquid xenon
HydroX is a proposed upgrade to enhance the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment's sensitivity to proton-mass-scale dark matter through the addition of a hydrogen-rich dopant in the detector's liquid xenon target. In this talk we discuss the status of current R&D efforts and preliminary data to establish the feasibility and performance of such an upgrade. We present preliminary measurements made with a methane-doped dual-phase xenon detector at the University of Michigan to quantify the dopant's impact on the primary scintillation (S1) and electroluminescent ionization signal (S2) using gamma-ray, neutron, and alpha particle sources.
Speakers: Kaiyuan Shi (University of Michigan), Scott Haselschwardt -
12
Pushing Dark Matter Searches To the Neutrino Floor With Crystal Xenon
We present the crystal xenon time-projection chamber (CXe TPC), a novel particle detector technology, as a proposed future upgrade to current liquid xenon (LXe) TPC experiments and as a standalone next-generation detector. A sensitivity-reducing hurdle for LXe-based dark matter searches is radon decay-chain betas, which produce the dominant background. Foundational tests using a sub-kg CXe TPC have shown upwards of 500x reduction in the radon background via radon exclusion across the crystal boundary. Additionally, increased electron drift speed is observed, which may lead to a reduced rate of accidental coincidence backgrounds that dominate the low-energy regime. Both of these properties of CXe help to improve sensitivity over LXe, while maintaining the general effectiveness of LXe as a detector medium. In this presentation, we discuss measurements of scintillation signals in CXe at the 10-kg scale, their dependence on crystal growth rate and other parameters, and a model of crystal growth up to the tonne-scale.
Speaker: Chloe O'Brien (University of Texas at Austin) -
13
Prospect of detecting the Migdal effect in liquid xenon
Liquid xenon-based dark matter experiments can gain substantial sensitivities to light dark matter interactions from the Migdal effect, which predicts that a nuclear recoil (NR) can be accompanied by detectable atomic ionization or excitation signals. This talk draws on our theoretical and experimental studies of NR Migdal interactions to discuss their predicted characteristics and observable signatures in liquid xenon detectors. I will discuss the challenges of directly observing Migdal signals using neutron-induced xenon recoils and present possible measurement strategies to achieve a much-needed confirmation.
Speaker: Dr Jingke Xu (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) -
14
HydroX: Signal production in an ethane-doped liquid xenon time projection chamber for light dark matter detection
HydroX is a novel detector technology proposed to extend the sensitivity of liquid xenon (LXe) time projection chambers (TPCs) to sub-GeV dark matter by using hydrogen as a dopant to provide more favorable energy transfer from incident particles. Recently, there has been an expanded effort to test different light hydrocarbons as dopants with better solubility in LXe than H$_2$, and measure their effects on electron transport properties in LXe and scintillation light in liquid and gaseous Xe. This talk will give an overview of the effort to test ethane, C$_2$H$_6$, as a dopant in LXe using the dual-phase TPC test stand at the Liquid Noble Test Facility (LNTF) at SLAC. I will discuss modifications enabling dual-phase operation, including injection of ethane and circulation. I will share preliminary results on signal reduction from our 4kg-scale Xe TPC and discuss future work.
Speaker: Hazal Deniz Zenger (Stanford/SLAC) -
15
Development and characterization of xenon-doped liquid argon detectors
Liquid argon and liquid xenon both play critical roles in high-energy physics experiments. Xenon doping can mitigate some limitations of liquid argon and improve overall detector performance. The CHILLAX program at LLNL has developed unique capabilities for heavy xenon doping in liquid argon and has systematically investigated both the challenges and benefits of this technology. In this talk, I will discuss the thermodynamic stability of xenon-doped argon systems and the potential applications of this mixed medium in neutrino and dark matter search experiments.
Speaker: Dr Jingke Xu (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) -
16
Modeling the LUX-ZEPLIN Detector Response at High Recoil Energies
The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has searched for dark matter interactions that can produce nuclear recoils up to approximately 270 keVnr, including those described by non-relativistic effective field theory and inelastic dark matter models. Modeling the detector response across this broad energy range requires calibration of both nuclear- (NR) and electronic-recoil (ER) populations beyond the conventional WIMP search region. In LZ, these responses are described using the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST). High-energy neutron calibration data showed a discrepancy with a model that extrapolates the low-energy NR response beyond its calibration regime. An additional energy-dependent suppression of the charge yield was therefore incorporated into the NEST NR model. For electronic recoils, calibrations in the high-energy region also revealed an energy dependence in recombination fluctuations needed to reproduce the observed ER-band width. These developments were incorporated into NEST v2.4.5 and used in LZ's recent high-energy dark matter search. This talk will present the underlying calibration measurements, detector response modeling, and validation.
Speaker: Kaiyuan Shi (University of Michigan)
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10
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RDC 11 Fast Timing 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
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17
Introduction
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Minimally Destructive, Fast Silicon Instrumentation for a Beam Velocity Monitor of Low-Intensity Semi-Relativistic Muon Bunches
Non-destructive beam instrumentation is an essential tool for accelerator operation, and a number of beam instrumentation techniques exist. However, conventional techniques are designed for bunches of $10^9-10^{11}$ particles, and lack the precision required to characterize low-intensity ($10^4-10^6$) muon bunches. Instrumentation for this regime is required for the development and operation of a muon ionization cooling demonstrator. A new instrumentation scheme is proposed, leveraging AC-LGAD sensor technology to develop a minimally destructive beam velocity monitor for low-intensity semi-relativistic muon bunches. This is the first beam monitoring system to use in-beam silicon sensors for bunch-by-bunch snapshots with picosecond precision. Bunch timing is reconstructed from a series of precision clock phases that digitally record discriminator signals from the pixel array. Timing information from multiple spaced planes is used to determine mean bunch momentum. Pileup is addressed by using time-over-threshold information to drop pixels which see multiple hits. Detailed simulation of a 25μm-pixel detector scheme in a muon cooling demonstrator reconstructs the momentum of low-intensity muon bunches to within 1% of its true value, and meets the precision requirement for setting up the beamline. Bunch-by-bunch momentum reconstruction in a proposed demonstrator, which has a 704 MHz repetition rate, would require fast discriminators, currently in development. Thus, current and emerging sensor technology would be adapted for a novel, in-beam momentum monitor to provide essential per-bunch feedback to the operation of next-generation muon accelerators.
Speaker: Cici Hanna (Princeton University) -
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Time-to-Digital Conversion of Cherenkov Radiation using Photonic Techniques
Fast timing detectors are an essential element of a particle physics experiment. Fast timing provides an additional handle on the spatiotemporal distribution of particles that can be used to achieve effective particle identification, improved position reconstruction, and separation of spatially overlapping physics processes. Traditional timing detector methods are often constrained by upper limits on clock speeds for time-to-digital conversion, limiting resolution to 10s of picoseconds. While creative methodologies exist, they often add great cost and complexity to the frontend electronics. We present a design for integrating a Cherenkov radiator into a photonic device to perform time digitization before detection, building off of the Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector design. Utilizing materials and techniques developed for Lithium Niobate-based integrated photonics, we can achieve greater timing resolution than with traditional electronics methods alone, thus improving overall particle reconstruction and enabling new opportunities for particle reconstruction well beyond our current capabilities.
Speaker: Noah Paladino (Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (US)) -
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Ultrafast diamond detectors for HENP and Plasma Physics
Single-crystal diamond is a wide-bandgap semiconductor with attractive material properties for fast timing detectors. The electron and hole saturation velocities exceed those of silicon, and thanks to the wide bandgap, the leakage current after irradiation is negligible and diamond detectors can even be operated at elevated temperatures (>300 °C). Recently, the exceptional breakdown field and thermal conductivity of diamond have resulted in significant investments by the power electronics industry, and substrate size and quality are improving rapidly.
We present ongoing work at SCIPP on diamond detectors for timing and high-bandwidth detection applications. Thin (30 µm) diamond detectors have been used for ion time-of-flight and X-ray detection in laser-plasma environments during a campaign at the Titan short-pulse laser (Jupiter Laser Facility, LLNL). Aiming at fusion diagnostics applications, we have developed high-bandwidth readout electronics and a novel electro-optic readout scheme, enabling long-distance signal transmission with rise times below 100 ps and immunity to EMP.
For single-MIP timing, the low charge yield of thin diamond sensors (~36 e-h pairs/µm) strongly motivates detectors with internal amplification. We present simulations of the timing performance of diamond detectors with gain, comparing them to 4H-SiC, GaN and silicon LGADs, and discuss the challenges and possible paths towards diamond-based LGADs.
Speaker: Andreas Gsponer (University of California Santa Cruz (US)) -
21
Using fast-timing to determine track position, time, and angles
Particle trackers at current and future colliders are increasingly incorporating precision timing. The ATLAS HGTD and CMS MTD, built for the HL-LHC, target time resolutions below 50 ps, and trackers for a future muon collider or 10 TeV hadron collider will require similar or better timing resolution with pixel pitches in the tens of microns.
Using device-level simulations, we show that an LGAD-based tracker with O(10 ps) hit time resolution and a pixel pitch in the tens of microns can determine the angle at which the track crosses the detector from the relative timing of neighboring pixels, without requiring a double layer. This effect must be accounted for when reconstructing the hit time of a cluster, since it can shift hit times by hundreds of picoseconds. We study how the angular reconstruction performance depends on pixel dimensions, and how intrinsic crosstalk between neighboring LGAD pixels can significantly distort current waveforms, timing, and the reconstructed angle. Finally, we present preliminary experimental measurements that support these findings.
Speaker: Victor Turbiner (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US))
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17
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RDC 7 Low-Background Detectors Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
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22
High-Purity Germanium Detectors for the LEGEND experiment
High-purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors have a long history of use in the search for the hypothesized neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) of $^{76}$Ge. LEGEND is a phased search for 0νββ using HPGe detectors enriched in the double beta decay isotope $^{76}$Ge, with the goal of an ultimate discovery sensitivity to a 0νββ half-life beyond 10$^{28}$ years. The first phase, LEGEND-200, located at LNGS, Italy, is presently acquiring physics data, and aims to acquire 1 tonne-year of exposure. The Inverted Coaxial (IC) Point Contact detectors were developed for the LEGEND experiment. They have a large mass of 2 - 4 kg, excellent energy resolution, and are capable of Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) due to their small p$^{+}$ electrode design. IC detectors will be the baseline technology for the future LEGEND-1000 phase, and are currently operating in LEGEND-200 alongside other detector geometries. In this talk, we’ll briefly discuss the signal formation in HPGe detectors, the detector geometries used in the LEGEND-200 experiment, their fabrication process, and the energy resolution and PSD performance observed in LEGEND-200.
This work is supported by the U.S. DOE, and the NSF, the LANL, ORNL and LBNL LDRD programs; the European ERC and Horizon programs; the German DFG, BMBF, and MPG; the Italian INFN; the Polish NCN and MNiSW; the Czech MEYS; the Slovak APVV; the Swiss SNF; the UK STFC; the Canadian NSERC; the LNGS and SURF facilities.
Speaker: Aparajita Mazumdar -
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Ricochet Experiment: Current Status and Future Directions presenter: Wouter Van De Pontseele
Coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEνNS) provides a low-energy probe of physics beyond the Standard Model, but detecting the sub-keV nuclear recoils induced by reactor antineutrinos demands cryogenic detectors with excellent energy resolution and robust particle identification. The RICOCHET experiment, located 8.8 m from the core of the Institut Laue–Langevin research reactor in Grenoble, France, began its science phase in July 2025 with the CryoCube: an array of germanium crystals with simultaneous heat and ionization readout. This dual readout enables event-by-event discrimination between electronic and nuclear recoils, which is key to reaching the CEνNS signal region. We present the status of data taking, particle identification, and plans for upcoming runs.
We will also discuss the complementary Q-Array and the path beyond the current detector generation: smaller crystals and transition-edge sensors offer a route to sub-10 eV resolution, with microwave multiplexing enabling scalable arrays. We report results from an aluminum microwave SQUID multiplexer developed with Lincoln Laboratory, achieving 20–30 pA/√Hz TES current noise, with further reduction demonstrated using a traveling-wave parametric amplifier. Finally, we describe ongoing efforts to implement the multiplexed readout chain on the open-source QICK RFSoC platform.
Speaker: Wouter Van De Pontseele (Colorado School of Mines) -
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Progress Towards sub-keV Nuclear Recoil Facility at MINOS, Fermilab
We present ongoing progress in developing a sub-keV nuclear recoil calibration facility at NEXUS (located underground in MINOS at Fermilab) for future calibration of cryogenic detectors in rare-event searches. Initially developed as a part of SuperCDMS operations, project development is centered on a segmented backing array and a 2.5-MeV Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) neutron generator. The backing array consists of plastic scintillator (EJ-200) detectors
instrumented with a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) readout, enabling scintillation-based detection of scattered neutrons. The facility provides a controlled platform for studying low-energy nuclear recoil detector response, ionization yield, and threshold behavior, ultimately enabling improved sensitivity for rare-event searches.Speaker: Pratyush Kumar Patel (Northwestern University) -
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Design, Construction, and Characterization of a Highly Segmented Neutron Backing Array for Nuclear Recoil Calibration
I will present the design, construction, and commissioning of a highly segmented neutron backing array developed for low-energy nuclear recoil calibration measurements as a contingent of SuperCDMS operations. The array consists of plastic scintillator (EJ-200) detectors instrumented with silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) readout arranged in a highly segmented geometry to provide precise angular information for neutron-scattering measurements. This segmentation enables neutron scattering angles to be reconstructed and, through two-body elastic-scattering kinematics, provides a constraint on the corresponding nuclear recoil energy in a target detector. Commissioned in tandem as support for cryogenic detectors, this array will improve sensitivity, allowing for more precise study of low-energy detector response, ionization yield, and threshold behavior. I will describe the detector design, construction, readout and data acquisition system, scintillator response characterization, and calibration of the individual detector elements.
Speaker: Isabella Foti (Northwestern University) -
26
Modeling and Design of the HONEYCOMB Detector
I will present progress on the design of the HOdoscopic Neutrino EnergY CryOgenic Multiplexed Bolometer (HONEYCOMB), a detector concept for instrumenting a highly segmented low-threshold detector for dark matter and neutrino physics. The detector aims to achieve eV-scale energy thresholds, few kg mass, and attain background rejection through its highly segmented design. This geometry can be used for a variety of sensors, including TESs, MKIDs, and qubit-based sensors. I will present results from recent modeling of in GEANT4 and G4CMP of a HONEYCOMB detector, and discuss future directions for this design.
Speaker: Prof. Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano (Northwestern University) -
27
The DAMIC-M CCD Array
Skipper CCDs have emerged as the leading technology for the direct detection of sub-GeV dark matter, combining single-electron sensitivity with low backgrounds. DAMIC-M represents the next major step in scaling this technology, with an array of 104 skipper CCDs comprising nearly one gigapixel of imaging area. Building an array at this scale presented a new challenge for skipper-CCD experiments: consistently packaging, handling, and testing a large number of high-quality devices while maintaining stringent radiopurity requirements. In this talk, I will describe the design of the DAMIC-M CCD array and the production campaign carried out at the University of Washington, including measures to limit cosmogenic activation and radon-induced contamination. The campaign was highly successful, resulting in twenty-six science-grade CCD modules that will be deployed in the DAMIC-M cryostat at the Modane Underground Laboratory by the end of 2026.
Speaker: Prof. Alvaro Chavarria (University of Washington)
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22
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RDC 9 CalorimetryConveners: Marina Artuso (Syracuse University (US)), Minfang Yeh
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14:00
Introduction
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highlights of the CALOR workshopSpeaker: Yongbin Feng (Texas Tech University (US))
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30
An Overview of the ePIC Barrel Imaging Calorimeter for the Electron-Ion Collider
The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is a next-generation collider designed to enable precision studies of the quark and gluon structure of nucleons and nuclei across a broad kinematic range. Achieving its physics goals requires electromagnetic calorimetry that accurately reconstructs electrons and photons while providing excellent pion discrimination. The Barrel Imaging Calorimeter (BIC) is being developed as the electromagnetic calorimeter for the barrel region of the ePIC detector to meet these requirements.
The BIC is a hybrid detector concept that combines a lead/scintillating-fiber (Pb/SciFi) sampling calorimeter with high-granularity silicon imaging layers. The imaging layers, based on the low-power AstroPix monolithic active pixel sensor, provide detailed spatial information on electromagnetic shower development, while the Pb/SciFi structure provides the primary energy measurement and shower reconstruction. Together, these complementary technologies enable precise energy and position reconstruction, strong electron–pion discrimination, and the separation of closely spaced electromagnetic showers, including those from neutral-pion decays. As the BIC program advances toward final design readiness, this presentation will provide an overview of the detector concept and its physics-driven requirements, highlight recent progress in detector development, and present results from test-article characterization and beam-test studies toward the realization of the full BIC detector.
Speaker: Dr Manoj Jadhav -
31
Performance of High-Granularity Dual-Readout Calorimeter with High Energy Particle Beams
Calorimeters play a critical role in current and future high-energy and nuclear physics experiments, from the LHC to the FCC, the EIC, and future muon colliders. Building on the success of earlier dual-readout calorimeter (DREAM) studies, we developed the High-Granularity Dual-Readout Module (HG-DREAM) at Texas Tech University. Compared to the original DREAM module using photomultiplier tubes, HG-DREAM achieves a 24-fold increase in transverse segmentation enabled by SiPM technology. The readout system integrates CAEN FERS 5202 modules for charge integration and CAEN V1742 modules for waveform digitization, the latter operating at 5 GS/s sampling rate.
We studied the performance of HG-DREAM with high-energy particle beams at the CERN SPS H8 beam line in 2025 and 2026. The main goals are to measure the effect of the finer transverse granularity and to use the distinct Cherenkov and scintillation pulse shapes to improve energy and timing reconstruction. We also tested new fibers of different materials, radii, and optical properties. In addition, we explore effective longitudinal segmentation through precision timing, and we investigate AI/ML techniques that use the fine-grained shower structure to improve performance further. Preliminary results will be presented.
Speaker: Yongbin Feng (Texas Tech University (US)) -
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Test Beam Studies of a Segmented Crystal Dual-Readout Calorimeter Module
We present initial results from measurements of a new multi-layer electromagnetic calorimeter prototype constructed as part of the CalVision R&D program on dual-readout calorimetry. The prototype comprises a main volume of BGO crystals arranged in a 5x5 matrix and a higher granularity front section composed of PbWO$_4$, providing good containment for multi-GeV-scale EM showers. Each BGO crystal is instrumented with four SiPMs to ensure a large light collection area. Optical filters, fast-shaping amplifiers, and 5 GS/s digitizers provide sampled waveforms allowing for differentiating Cherenkov and scintillation signal components. For the PbWO4 section each crystal is instrumented with a single SiPM channel, and signal amplitudes are recorded. The full readout consists of 100 and 49 channels for the rear and front sections, respectively. This talk will review the requirements for a hybrid (EM+Hadronic) dual-readout calorimeter as envisioned in IDEA detector concept, the design and testing of the EM calorimeter prototype, and first results from data taken with electrons in the DESY II Test Beam Facility at the end of August 2026.
Speaker: Bob Hirosky (University of Virginia (US)) -
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GPU-Accelerated Optical Simulation for Dual Readout Calorimetry with Celeritas
For future collider designs focussing on producing Higgsstrahlung events, the majority of final states contain multiple jets from the hadronic decays of W, Z, and Higgs bosons. To distinguish between the W and Z bosons, a high-resolution calorimeter is required to reconstruct the jet energy. Dual readout calorimetery utilizes the differences in the Cherenkov and scintillation profiles of the EM and non-EM components of a shower to improve jet energy resolution. Since the energy resolution relies upon characterizing these optical processes, precision optical simulations are necessary to predict and calibrate the detector response. The high multiplicity of optical photons in a single event heavily limits the event throughput on traditional CPU architectures, motivating the development of new GPU-accelerated optical photon physics in the Celeritas Monte Carlo code. Celeritas is a GPU-accelerated particle transport Monte Carlo code with an optimized optical photon transport loop. With simulation data from the CalVision Dual Readout group, the performance of Celeritas’ optical photon offloading will be compared to Geant4, as well as validation of the physics results from both codes. Finally, the state of Celeritas optical physics will be summarized, along with current development plans and goals.
Speaker: Hayden Richard Hollenbeck (University of Virginia (US)) -
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A Simulation Approach to Dual-Readout Calorimetry
In the approaching post-LHC era, it is clear that current calorimeter technologies need improvements in energy resolution to achieve the physics goals of a Higgs factory. Dual-readout calorimetry does this by comparing signals of both scintillation and Cherenkov light to more accurately determine the electromagnetic fraction in a hadronic shower. To this end, the CalVision group has created a GEANT4-based simulation to predict experimental results from a crystal electromagnetic calorimeter. This report describes the creation of a simulation data set for usage in physics studies of dual-readout calorimetry. The specific application of this data to the training of neural networks for implementation in on-detector ASICs is also outlined.
Speaker: Walker Bennett Hendricks (Baylor University (US))
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14:00
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16:00
Coffee break
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RDC 1 Noble Element Detectors Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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35
Controlling Charged Liquid Surfaces and Extraction-Grid Effects in Dual-Phase Noble-Element Detectors
Dual-phase noble-element detectors rely on electron extraction through a liquid-gas interface whose dynamical state is not fully characterized. Accumulated charge on the liquid surface and extraction grid can couple to surface waves, electrode fields, and fluid motion, potentially producing delayed electron emission, nonuniform extraction, and transient changes in S2 amplitude and shape. These effects may become more important as detectors scale: each unit area of the liquid surface collects charge from a taller liquid column, while the characteristic distance and time required to remove residual surface charge to perimeter sinks can also increase with detector size. As rare-event searches become sensitive to increasingly extreme response tails, improved understanding of such time-dependent detector-state effects becomes important for both background modeling and signal classification.
We propose controlled measurements of surface charge, surface motion, extraction efficiency, S2 waveform response, and delayed electron emission. We also discuss two complementary design strategies: active control and removal of charge accumulated on the liquid surface and extraction grid, and alternative extraction geometries that eliminate the conventional immersed extraction grid. These approaches could reduce delayed backgrounds and provide more stable and uniform charge extraction in future dark-matter and CEvNS detectors.
This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-2024749Speaker: sergey pereverzev (LLNL) -
36
Development of a Liquid Argon Purity Monitor Utilizing Electron Drift
The upcoming LEGEND-1000 experiment will conduct a search for Neutrinoless Double Beta-Decay with 1-ton of high purity germanium detectors enriched to >90% in $^{76}$Ge. These detectors will be deployed into liquid argon for operation using a new system known as the lock. High purity argon is critical to preserve scintillation light yield and reject background events. To measure argon purity during lock prototyping, we are developing an argon purity monitor to be deployed in-situ during lock prototyping. We aim to reach a sensitivity on the order of 10s of parts per trillion by measuring the lifetime of electrons drifted across the volume of the purity monitor. In the future, we plan to deploy the purity monitor in solid argon to measure electron mobility and drift velocity in solid argon. In this talk we highlight the design process and the underlying physics of purity monitors utilizing electron drift.
Speaker: Samuel Bellman (University of Washington) -
37
Developing low-threshold liquid argon time projection chambers with photo-sensitive dopants for rare-event experiments
Dual-phase liquid argon TPCs can reach sub-keV thresholds by counting single ionization electrons, as DarkSide-50 showed. These thresholds are still limited by argon's 15.8 eV ionization energy and by the large share of nuclear recoil energy that is lost as heat. We present an R&D program to lower them by doping LAr with xenon and with photo-sensitive dopants, both of which have lower ionization energies than argon. Xenon doping raises the ionization yield and makes energy that would otherwise be lost as heat detectable. Photo-sensitive dopants also convert scintillation light into ionization electrons, and because they are hydrogen-rich, they add ¹H as a light target that is kinematically well matched to low-mass dark matter. The effect of either kind of dopant on eV-scale nuclear recoils has never been measured. We describe LOADED, a dual-phase TPC, and a cryogenic system based on proven xenon-doping techniques. We also describe ways to stop electroluminescence from re-ionizing the dopant, and planned neutron calibrations. This technology could enable tonne-scale searches for light dark matter and reactor CEνNS.
Speaker: Iftikhar Ahmad (University of California, Riverside) -
38
Novel Paths to Charge Collection in Argon TPCs
Liquid argon underpins a broad program of neutrino and rare-event searches, while ongoing R&D continues to push toward lower thresholds and finer granularity. At this frontier, some of the most interesting low-energy signals may be carried by only tens of ionisation electrons. Accessing signatures such as coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering therefore requires not only amplifying this charge, but understanding its journey from creation to collection.
We report on two complementary hardware efforts that inform one another. LArCADe (Liquid Argon Charge Amplification Devices) develops nanofabricated doped-silicon tip arrays to create intense localised fields for charge focusing and amplification, with recent KOH wet-etch fabrication at the UCSB Nanofabrication Facility. MOSAIC (Material-Oriented Signal Architecture in Cryogenic Detectors) studies doped Si wafers as candidate electrode materials, probing how their electrical properties influence charge collection and signal formation and feed back into tip design.
In parallel, TRANSLATE (TRANSport in Liquid Argon of near-Thermal Electrons) is being developed within the group as a dedicated microscopic Monte Carlo framework for electron transport in argon. Its recent extension to electron-ion recombination incorporates the Coulomb field of the ionisation track directly into the transport allowing the influence of drift field, ionisation density, and track orientation to arise naturally from simulated electron-ion interactions.
Together, these efforts take steps toward a closed loop between microscopic theory, detector design, and experiment: where models guide what we build, measurements test those assumptions, and the resulting feedback shapes future low-threshold liquid-argon readout.Speaker: Dr Sparshita Dey (Fermilab) -
39
First Results from the Scintillating Bubble Chamber Liquid Argon 10 kg (SBC-LAr10) Detector
The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) collaboration proposes a superheated liquid argon bubble chamber to detect sub-keV nuclear recoils (NR), enabling detection of both light dark matter scattering and coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS). The technology is projected to be sensitive to scattering from GeV-mass WIMPs and MeV-energy neutrinos. SBC consists of two projects: SBC-LAr10, a 10 kg liquid argon bubble chamber at the MINOS site at Fermilab used for calibration, and SBC-SNOLAB, a second bubble chamber at SNOLAB aimed at the dark matter search. In this talk, I will present the preliminary results from SBC-LAr10, including representative raw events, gamma rejection performance, and determination of NR threshold. I will also describe next steps for SBC, including an update on SBC at SNOLAB and the potential for novel measurements of neutrinos with a deployment at a reactor source.
Speaker: Ryan Zhang (University of California, Santa Barbara) -
40
Optical imaging of high-energy interactions in dual-phase xenon time projection chambers
Dual-phase xenon time projection chambers (TPCs) are optimized for keV-scale signals and lead the search for WIMP dark matter interactions. Natural xenon contains ~8.9% 136Xe, which is a neutrinoless double beta decay (0𝜈𝛽𝛽) candidate, making xenon TPCs also sensitive to this rare process. However, 0𝜈𝛽𝛽 of 136Xe would produce signals at the MeV range, and current TPC signal readout strategies do not provide optimal position reconstruction for such high-energy interactions. In this talk, I will present an optical imager design optimized for VUV sensitivity which can discriminate 0𝜈𝛽𝛽 signals from the most troublesome background, multiply-scattering gamma-rays near the 136Xe 0𝜈𝛽𝛽 Q-value. The imager can be integrated into current dual-phase xenon TPC designs without significant modification, enabling a single detector to simultaneously search for low-energy dark-matter interactions and high-energy 0𝜈𝛽𝛽 signals.
Speaker: Dr Adam Tidball (University of California, Davis; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) -
41
Spectroscopy of VUV luminescence in dual-phase xenon detectors
Dual-phase xenon time projection chambers (TPCs) are a leading technology for direct dark matter detection. They rely on prompt scintillation in the liquid phase and electroluminescence from electrons extracted into a gaseous amplification region to reconstruct particle interactions. Precise, unbiased measurements of these signals are essential for improving xenon response models and reducing systematic uncertainties in future searches. This talk presents new measurements of scintillation and electroluminescence spectra in a dual-phase xenon TPC — the first measurements of both signals in a single setup under equilibrium conditions. The measurements reveal a ~4 nm shift between the peak wavelength of the two signals and a modest yet visible difference in wavelength between the singlet and triplet emission in the liquid phase.
Speaker: Kelsey Oliver-Mallory
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35
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RDC 6 Gaseous Detectors 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
Conveners: Babak Azmoun (Brookhaven National Laboratory), Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))-
42
Development of Low-Mass Carbon-Fiber Wire Drift Chambers for Low-mass tracking Detectors
Low-mass tracking is a key requirement for future lepton-collider detectors, where material within the tracking volume contributes to multiple scattering and can limit momentum resolution. Gaseous drift chambers (DCHs) offer large tracking volumes with intrinsically low material budgets; however, conventional tungsten-based sense wires contribute to the overall DCH material budget. Carbon-fiber-based wire configurations offer a promising alternative for further reducing this contribution, provided their electrical, mechanical, and signal-formation characteristics can satisfy the requirements of practical chamber operation.
This development builds on our group's broader research program in advanced composite materials and detector mechanics, including the design, fabrication, and characterization of lightweight carbon-fiber structures for large-scale particle detectors such as CMS and ePIC. Our R&D encompasses structural optimization, thermal management, material characterization, and precision manufacturing, with an emphasis on minimizing material while maintaining mechanical stability and detector performance. These activities provide a foundation for extending composite technologies beyond passive support structures toward functional detector components.
This contribution presents initial results from the development of a carbon-fiber wire DCH for future lepton-collider tracking, including material-budget simulations comparing alternative carbon-fiber-based wire configurations with a conventional tungsten-wire baseline. The status of a small-scale prototype, simulations corresponding to its geometry, and ongoing studies of detector response will also be presented.Speaker: Caden Glenn (Purdue University (US)) -
43
Discussion: Update of RDC6 PrioritiesSpeaker: Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))
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42
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RDC 7 Low-Background Detectors Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
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44
Spurious charge findings in the MAS-CCD for next-generation astronomical instruments
Spurious charge (SC), generated by the clocking of the gate phases, is a dominant noise source in single-electron-resolution CCDs and a critical parameter for the next generation of low-noise astronomical detectors. We present a systematic experimental study of SC in the multiple-amplifier sensing CCD (MAS-CCD), characterizing its dependence on the horizontal-clock voltages, the pixel readout time, the number of charge transfers, and the physical region of the sensor. Using a covariance-based technique that leverages the MAS architecture to measure SC directly from standard readout images, we disentangle the SC generated in the active serial register from that generated in the extended register between amplifiers. We find that the MAS extended-register contribution is small, which supports extending the number of in-line amplifiers without degrading performance. Among the operating parameters, the voltage swing and the number of transfers both affect SC, but the time the charge spends under the clock gates is the dominant factor—motivating faster readout schemes to minimize SC. Using a a set of purpose-built clocking sequences, we further identify localized generation sites along the active region, visible as hot columns, and characterize their temporal behavior as a step toward resolving the underlying trap time constants that could explain SC generation. These results establish a practical framework for fast, systematic SC characterization and inform the design of MAS-CCD sensors for future ground- and space-based spectroscopic instruments.
Speaker: Miqueas Gamero (Fermilab) -
45
Mu2e Cosmic Ray Veto: From Commissioning to Sustained Cosmic-Ray Operation
The Mu2e Cosmic Ray Veto (CRV) suppresses cosmic-ray backgrounds that could mimic the experiment’s rare conversion-electron signal. It uses four-layer scintillator modules with SiPM readout to achieve the high veto efficiency required for Mu2e. The CRV is now progressing toward sustained cosmic-ray operation and is being operated as a complete system to exercise calibration, reconstruction, monitoring, slow controls, and DAQ integration. Preliminary measurements show veto efficiencies above 99.9%, and Run-2 studies indicate that low projected deadtime can be achieved while preserving performance. The ongoing cosmic-ray campaign is testing stability, timing and synchronization, calibration, automated processing, and data quality while resolving remaining electronics and DAQ issues. This talk will present recent CRV performance, lessons from cosmic-ray running, and the remaining steps toward full installation and integration with the Mu2e detector for Run-1.
Speaker: Dr Natalie Harrison (University of Virginia) -
46
Characterizing Long-Lived Charge Traps in Skipper-CCDs
The Skipper Charge Coupled Device (CCD), used by the SENSEI and DAMIC-M experiments, is currently the leading technology for detecting sub-GeV dark matter due to its single-electron sensitivity and low background rate. One of the main efforts of the SENSEI experiment has been to work on reducing single-electron backgrounds. One possible source of this background could arise from lattice defects in the silicon trapping and releasing charge on a timescale long enough to produce uncorrelated single-electron events. In this talk we present a characterization of charge-traps in the SENSEI detector and the impact of the observed population on the single-electron rate.
Speaker: Ansh Desai (University of Oregon (US)) -
47
Radon Emanation at Cryogenic Temperatures
Radon is a major background concern for many low-background experiments, and emanation assays are essential for screening detector materials and characterizing radon backgrounds. In upcoming neutrino and dark matter experiments using cryogenic liquids, temperature and surface properties can affect radon levels. This talk will present a radon-emanation measurement system that uses ultralow-background proportional counters and introduce EMANATE, a new simulation tool for modeling radon emanation in liquid cryogens.
Speaker: Christopher Jackson -
48
Alphas as a Source of Chip-Wide Correlated Errors
Correlated error bursts causing decoherence in superconducting qubits have been detrimental to quantum error correction schemes, with recent work by Google showing approximately once per hour correlated bursts in their qubits. Over the past decade, it has been shown that ionizing radiation contributes to this effect, with cosmic rays being commonly identified. However, with advent of bandgap-engineering, the reduced sensitivity to energy depositions in a substrate implies that only the highest energy events should be the problem, but it has not yet been definitively shown which type of ionizing radiation is the culprit.
At PNNL, we have fabricated custom alpha sources from the Po-210 isotope with activities of 10 or less decays per minute. These sources have been placed with direct line of sight to a 4 cm$^2$ sapphire substrate patterned with an array of nine superconducting detectors (MKIDs) operating at 10 mK. We have measured the multiplexed response of these resonators to different sources of ionizing radiation, for which alphas demonstrate a specific signature when interacting with the substrate via high-amplitude, highly correlated events. In this talk, we will discuss these results as they pertain to superconducting qubits, as well as outline the next steps in fully disentangling signatures due to different types of ionizing radiation.
Speaker: Samuel Watkins (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA) -
49
Novel Characterization of Materials for use in LXe Chromatographic Rn Reduction System
Future liquid xenon (LXe) low background experiments such as those searching for dark matter or neutrinoless double beta decay will have to grapple with Rn-222 and its decay chain products as a significant background. Promising results in gas phase chromatography measurements indicated that liquid phase chromatography using synthetic charcoal could be a viable strategy for Rn removal from LXe. These results led to the creation of the Removal of Liquid Impurities via Chromatography (ReLIC) program at SLAC National Accelerator Lab. The ReLIC program is focused on determining the feasibility and performance of a phase swing chromatography system to remove Rn-222 from LXe at scale. In this talk, I will present novel measurements of the properties of synthetic charcoal and silver exchange zeolite as chromatographic media for such a system, and what these measurements mean for the feasibility of the phase swing system.
Speaker: Liam Sherman
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44
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RDC 9 Calorimetry 103 (Alder Hall)
103
Alder Hall
Conveners: Marina Artuso (Syracuse University (US)), Minfang Yeh-
50
GPU-Accelerated Optical Simulation Workflow with Simphony
We present a GPU-accelerated optical simulation approach based on Simphony (sic), integrating the GeGeDe and edep-sim packages with Simphony through a thin plugin interface. Simphony, based on NVIDIA OptiX and developed as a fork of Opticks, performs GPU-accelerated optical-photon transport, including scattering, absorption, and detection. As part of this work, Simphony has been extended with GPU-based wavelength-shifting physics and asynchronous task management, enabling parallelism between CPU and GPU and improving overall throughput. Monte Carlo truth information is preserved throughout the GPU simulation, allowing detected photons to be traced back to their parent particles.
Using a DUNE-sized benchmark toy detector, we demonstrate agreement with Geant4, with less than 0.25% disagreement in detected photon counts and approximately 1000× speed-up for optical simulation. This GPU-based Simphony workflow enables efficient simulation of large numbers of optical photons and complex optical systems, making detailed optical studies more practical for large-scale detectors and novel detector concepts. The modular approach can be readily extended to other scintillation-based detector technologies.Speaker: Xuyang Ning (Brookhaven National Laboratory (US)) -
51
Development of Opaque Liquid 3D-projection detector (OL3D) at Brookhaven National Laboratory
Three-dimensional projection scintillator detectors have demonstrated excellent imaging and tracking performance in recent accelerator-based neutrino experiments. To build on this concept, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and collaborators are developing a liquid implementation that removes physical voxel boundaries while preserving fine-grained three-dimensional reconstruction. The approach employs an opaque liquid scintillator with a controlled, short scattering length, enabling high-resolution imaging with submerged orthogonal wavelength-shifting fiber readout and reduced mechanical complexity. This design offers additional advantages, including heavy-metal loading to reduce the effective radiation length. Two prototype detectors with fully active liquid volumes and 3D fiber readout have been constructed at BNL and recently characterized in a proton beam. This contribution presents the detector concept, measured optical properties of the opaque scintillator, and initial beam-test results on tracking and timing performance.
Speaker: Guang Yang (Brookhaven National Lab) -
52
Development of Water-based Liquid Scintillator: Results from 1-ton and 30-ton Demonstrators at Brookhaven National Laboratory
Water-based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS) has emerged as a compelling medium for next-generation, large-scale neutrino experiments. By combining the high light yield of organic scintillators with the directionality and cost-effectiveness of Cherenkov detectors, WbLS offers enhanced particle detection opportunities. Following benchtop studies characterizing the fundamental properties of WbLS, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and collaborators have transitioned to ton-scale demonstrators. We report on the performance of a 1-ton and a 30-ton detector, which have been operational for more than 3 years and 2 years, respectively. These prototypes serve as testbeds for validating the long-term stability of the WbLS medium at scale. In addition, physics parameters such as the scintillation yield, transparency and attenuation length were measured at unprecedented scale. All the latest results will be presented in the talk.
Speaker: Praveen Kumar (University of Alabama) -
53
FLASH: Photon-Level Time-Resolved Calorimetry with Digital SiPMs
Future collider calorimeters will require highly granular, precision-timed photon detection to fully exploit the spatial and temporal development of particle showers. We present FLASH, a digital SiPM concept based on SPAD arrays with direct single-photon time stamping at the O(10–50 ps) level. This architecture replaces integrated analog waveforms with sparse, time-tagged photon hits, providing a path toward scalable, low-noise, high-granularity optical calorimetry.We present studies of the sensor architecture and its expected performance, together with ongoing development toward a prototype device through a recently funded SLAC LDRD. We also discuss integration with an HG-DREAM-like dual-readout calorimeter, where photon-level timing could provide additional information on the development of hadronic showers and enable new reconstruction techniques for future collider detectors.
Speaker: Christopher Madrid (Texas Tech University (US)) -
54
MAPS ECal for Particle Flow Calorimetry
Particle flow calorimetry builds on the high precision of the tracking system with high granularity in the calorimeter that can distinguish the source of energy depositions. The electromagnetic calorimeter (ECal) plays a key role in this technique. Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) employed in the ECal, with sub-mm^2 pixels and sub-nanosecond timing, offer the potential for extremely good performance in this role. This opportunity builds on the development of the optimized MAPS for tracking, the NAPA (NAnosecond timing Pixel for large Area sensors) program of compact timing pixel front ends optimized for the low-power operation needed in large-area detectors. The unprecedented granularity along with excellent timing of this approach will be used for hadron jet resolution improvement, including through optimization based on pattern recognition analysis using AI approaches.
Speaker: James Brau (University of Oregon) -
55
Automated SiPM Quality Control for the ePIC Longitudinal Forward Hadronic Calorimeter
The ePIC Longitudinal Forward Hadronic Calorimeter (LFHCal) is a steel plastic scintillator sampling calorimeter with SiPM-on-tile readout, covering a pseudorapidity range of (1.2 < $\eta$ < 3.5). It consists of 60 layers of steel absorbers and scintillator tiles, corresponding to approximately 6 interaction lengths. The large number of SiPMs required for the detector makes fast, reliable, and consistent quality control essential. To address this challenge, we have developed a robotic testing setup for the quality control of Hamamatsu S14160-1315PS SiPMs. The system measures the I–V curve, single-photon spectrum, breakdown voltage, gain, and dark current of each SiPM. With a throughput of approximately 500 SiPMs per day, the automated system significantly reduces the time and manual effort required for large-scale testing. In addition, a separate automated optical inspection setup incorporating convolutional neural network (CNN)-based image classification has been developed to identify surface imperfections in SiPMs.
This presentation describes the design, operation, and results of both automated setups. Furthermore, using the large dataset collected from approximately 20,000 SiPMs tested to date, we compare the performance of several methods for extracting the breakdown voltage $(V_{\mathrm{br}})$ from I–V curves.
Speaker: Prakhar Garg (Yale University) - 56
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50
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Reception and Poster Session
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57
Simulation of 4D Fabric: a NIFTY-fied Pixel ROC
Current generation pixel detector readout chips are prone to data congestion and local failures that can cause a larger-scale loss of channels or event data. On-chip intelligent networks between groups of pixels could forego these issues by avoiding single-point-of-failures and dynamic routing around congestion or failed network nodes. We developed a simulation framework to understand key aspects of these networks and determine the best topology, routing algorithm, and other aspects arising from using an on-chip network. For the 4D Fabric project, a readout chip has been simulated with the same geometry as the ITkPix readout chip for the upgrade of the ATLAS detector tracker for the HL-LHC. This will serve to develop a baseline for an on-chip network to be used for the development of a scalable Pixel detector readout chip digital architecture to be used for 4D Pixel detectors at future collider experiments.
Speaker: Caleb Ceravolo -
58
VDD-Agnostic Die-to-Die Interface for Chiplet Based Detectors on a Passive Interposer
Future high-energy physics (HEP) experiments will require increasingly dense, low-noise and power-efficient readout systems capable of operating in extreme environments. Furthermore, these detectors will require an increasing number of functionalities, including, but not limited to power management, high-speed I/O, and low-noise analog front-end electronics. In 2019, the Office of Science published a report called the “Basic Research Needs for High Energy Physics Detector Research & Development” that proposed the development of verified System-on-Chip (SoC) IP for the different functionalities required, and creating a database of reusable IP for the HEP community. This approach, however, requires each functional block to be designed and tested for each technology node that detectors will be fabricated in, and all functional blocks cannot be implemented in its ideal technology node (e.g. a mature BiCMOS node for a low-noise analog front end and a cutting-edge CMOS node for digital logic), limiting system performance and efficiency. Furthermore, upgrading a single functional block in the detector requires the entire chip to be re-designed and re-tested. For these reasons, we believe that a System-in-Package (SiP) or “chiplet” based approach, where each functional block can be designed as a standalone die and integrated together on a common interposer, would be a viable method to create a database of verified, re-usable chiplet IP for the HEP community. The simplest implementation of this would be a passive silicon interposer which only contains routing for power and data. This would allow each functional block to be designed in a technology tailored to its function and allow designers to upgrade single functional blocks without requiring a re-design of the entire detector system.
In order to take advantage of these chiplet-based technologies for HEP applications, a common die-to-die (D2D) communication interface must be adopted. However, each die will require a power supply according to its technology node, so communication must occur between chips with varying ranges of power supply levels. While AC-coupling can alleviate this issue, it requires series capacitors that must be integrated on the chiplet, which can significantly increase area, or on the interposer, which would not available on passive interposers. Furthermore, encoding is required to reduce baseline wandering, which adds transceiver complexity. DC-coupled links, however, greatly simplify the link architecture and allow for the direct connection of the transmitter and receiver. This allows simple, compact, and high-speed transceiver designs that minimize latency and power consumption, which are essential for these D2D links to ensure SiP performance and efficiency remain high. For these reasons, we propose a standard, passive-interposer based transceiver architecture for D2D links, capable of VDD-agnostic communication. Upon startup, the connected transceivers run a common calibration procedure in which the power supply levels are compared, and the common power-supply level for each transceiver is set to the minimum value. This allows for reliable operation while maximizing the allowable swing, ensuring high signal integrity with minimal equalization required. The transceiver utilizes a single-ended voltage-mode architecture, minimizing the required area, and eliminating static power dissipation as opposed to current-mode solutions. The proposed system is verified in simulation for a 65 nm CMOS mode. The transceivers are designed to operate at 1.2V and 2.5V respectively at a data rate of 4 Gb/s for a passive silicon interposer channel reach up to 10 mm.
Speaker: Nicholas St. John (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
59
The Project 8 Cavity CRES Apparatus: A Low-Background Resonant-Cavity Detector for Precision Electron Spectroscopy
Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES) determines an electron's kinetic energy from the frequency of its cyclotron radiation in a magnetic field. Project 8 developed CRES to make a direct kinematic measurement of the neutrino mass using tritium beta decay with a multi-phase approach toward 40 meV neutrino mass sensitivity. The first two phases demonstrated the principle of CRES (Phase I) and produced the first CRES spectrum of the tritium beta-decay endpoint (Phase II). In Phase II, we did not observe any background events beyond the tritium endpoint in 82 days of data taking and demonstrated an energy resolution of 1.66 ± 0.19 eV with ^{83m}Kr conversion electrons.
The Cavity CRES Apparatus (CCA), currently being commissioned at the University of Washington, is a resonant-cavity implementation of CRES. The CCA is designed to demonstrate sub-eV energy resolution and other technologies required to scale CRES to larger detection volumes while preserving its intrinsically low-background character. The resonant microwave cavity enhances the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the extremely weak (~fW) 26 GHz cyclotron radiation signal and makes the detection of the sideband structure associated with the electron's axial motion possible. Improved understanding of the electron trajectory will allow correction for variations in the magnetic field sampled by individual electrons and, therefore, will lead to more precise energy reconstruction. We present the design and commissioning status of the CCA and progress on developing precision calibration methods.
Speaker: Ali Kurmus (University of Washington) -
60
Ultra-Fast 4H-SiC LGADs for 4D Tracking
4H-SiC is a promising material for future collider timing and tracking detectors because of its high carrier saturation velocity, low leakage current, and thermal stability. We present recent progress on 4H-SiC Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) developed by LBNL, NCSU and BNL, covering gain-layer optimization and the first AC-coupled 4H-SiC LGADs.
We studied how gain-layer doping affects timing performance. The best time resolution occurs at moderate gain (about 20–50), where the transition from electronic-noise-dominated jitter to multiplication shot noise sets the optimum operating point. And We present the first experimental demonstration of 4H-SiC AC-coupled Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (AC-LGADs) for 4D tracking, which provide simultaneous precision timing and position measurement.With conventional DPC and CFD reconstruction, it achieves position and timing resolutions of about 10 µm and 20 ps under UV-TCT. A transformer-based neural network trained on the full waveforms improves these to below 5 µm and about 15 ps. These results establish 4H-SiC AC-LGADs as a promising technology for future 4D tracking detectors.
Speaker: Tao Yang (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) -
61
Methods for Pulse Analysis and Data Cleaning with the BeEST Phase-III Heavy Neutrino Search
The aim of the Beryllium Electron capture in Superconducting Tunnel junction (BeEST) experiment is to identify theorized heavy neutrino mass eigenstates. This is investigated via the electron capture (EC) decay of $^{7}$Be by measuring the recoil energy spectrum of the $^{7}$Li product with superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) sensors. To enable precise modeling of the decay's spectral characteristics, large amounts of data are needed. In the BeEST Phase-III, data was collected via hours-long measurements taken in many separate sessions. Consequently, slight differences in experimental conditions may be propagated into the datasets themselves. In this work, we present on statistical methods used to identify and correct (where possible) disagreements in spectral calibration and energy resolution for these datasets; this is done primarily by conducting statistical tests on the pulse shapes as well as the spectral peak produced by K-capture into the ground state of $^{7}$Li measured in different experiments. Intra-experiment testing is also undertaken to search for temporally dependent degradation effects. The results allow us to restore the viability of some miscalibrated datasets and provide a statistical basis for which sets to exclude from model fitting.
Speaker: David Raji (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) -
62
Open Source AI-Assisted Analog Design for Room Temperature and Cryogenic Detector Electronics
Custom-designed analog circuits are fundamental to many particle-detector readout systems, but transistor-level circuit design remains a largely expert-driven and iterative process. We present Open-Source Analog design Machine(OSAM), a framework for AI-assisted transistor-level analog design that combines (g_m/I_D)-based sizing, SPICE simulation, and large-language-model-guided design refinement. Given circuit-level performance specifications, OSAM uses (g_m/I_D) lookup tables derived from simulated transistor characteristics together with analytical design relations to determine initial operating points, bias conditions, and device sizes. DC, AC, and transient simulations are performed using ngspice. The resulting circuit performance and transistor operating information are provided to the LLM, which proposes constrained modifications to circuit parameters. These modifications are then evaluated through subsequent SPICE simulations, forming a closed-loop design process that combines physics-based initialization, numerical simulation, and LLM-guided refinement.
The framework is demonstrated in the open-source Sky-130 process using a Miller-compensated two-stage operational amplifier, with open-loop gain, unity-gain bandwidth, phase margin, and slew rate specified as design targets. The target specifications are achieved within a small number of closed-loop LLM refinement iterations.
We further extend the methodology to 77 K cryogenic operation using cryogenic transistor models developed at UTA. This enables the same physics-guided methodology to generate and evaluate transistor-level circuits using cryogenic device models, providing a path toward automated design of custom analog electronics for detector systems spanning room-temperature and cryogenic operation.Speaker: ASHISH RIMAL (University of Texas at Arlington) -
63
Pulsed Power-over-Fiber for Low-Noise Cryogenic Electronics and Quantum Sensors
Power-over-Fiber (PoF) provides galvanically isolated power delivery to electronics operating in cryogenic, high-voltage, and electromagnetically sensitive environments. A principal challenge for scaling PoF beyond individual channels is the cold-stage heat load associated with optical-to-electrical conversion. We are developing a pulsed PoF architecture in which optical power is duty-cycled and combined with cryogenic energy storage and local regulation, decoupling peak electronic load from instantaneous optical power.
We will present results from the SLAC PoF R&D program, including cryogenic characterization of optical power converters in collaboration with Michigan State University, development of a programmable pulsed laser driver, cryogenic-compatible energy-storage and low-dropout-regulator electronics, and hardware for cryogenic characterization of FBK digital silicon photomultipliers. Measurements in liquid nitrogen have demonstrated optical-to-electrical conversion efficiencies approaching 60% (808nm,77K), providing a baseline for evaluating the thermal benefit of pulsed operation.
The next phase will integrate these components into a reusable cryogenic power platform and characterize efficiency, output noise, transient response, and thermal load under dynamic detector-electronics loads down to 77 K. The platform will also provide isolated power for cryogenic characterization of 28-nm ASICs developed through the complementary Cryo-PDK effort.
We are additionally extending the concept of galvanic isolation to 4 K quantum instrumentation by investigating optical bias of SQUID series arrays. A cryogenic photodiode operated in photovoltaic mode will be characterized for loaded I–V response, responsivity, temperature dependence, and conversion of laser-intensity noise into bias-current noise, followed by a direct comparison of optically and electrically biased SQUID operation. These studies explore PoF not as an experiment-specific power system, but as a general low-noise, low-thermal-load power architecture for cryogenic detector and quantum instrumentation.Speaker: Dr Evan Van de Wall (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US)) -
64
Quantized WaveNet Inference for Real-Time Axion Dark Matter Detection on FPGAs
Axions are leading dark-matter candidates that may appear in resonant detectors as faint sinusoidal signals buried in detector noise. The TIDMAD benchmark, derived from a real axion dark-matter experiment, provides time-series data sampled at approximately 10 MHz, motivating real-time denoising directly on FPGA-based detector electronics. We present a porting and quantization pipeline for deploying a WaveNet on the TIDMAD dataset. The model is converted to a regression-based architecture, validated across PyTorch and Keras/QKeras implementations, and evaluated using both post-training quantization and quantization-aware training. We find that 16-bit fixed-point quantization preserves the floating-point model’s denoising behavior with negligible numerical degradation. The resulting quantized model is designed for downstream high-level synthesis with frameworks such as hls4ml.
Speaker: Akbota Assan (University of California, San Diego) -
65
Charge Readout Planes development and status for DUNE Vertical Drift Detector
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation experiment designed for precision measurements of long-baseline neutrino oscillations, as well as searches for rare phenomena such as supernova neutrino bursts and proton decay. The DUNE far detector consists of liquid argon time-projection chambers (LArTPCs), which provide the large fiducial mass and high spatial resolution required for neutrino physics and rare-event searches. In the vertical drift (VD) LArTPC, a horizontal cathode divides the active volume into two drift regions, with ionization electrons drifting towards anodes located above and below the cathode. The electrons are detected by 3 m $\times$ 3.4 m Charge Readout Planes (CRPs), large-area charge-sensitive anodes based on perforated printed circuit boards with conductive strips providing three readout views for 3D reconstruction. Following the successful development and testing of CRP prototypes, the design has evolved toward a configuration suitable for large-scale production and integration. This contribution will present the current status of the CRP program, recent developments of the anode design and assembly, and results from full-scale CRP testing in the recent NP02 cold-box campaign and ProtoDUNE-VD at CERN. The experience gained from these activities provides important input for the production, qualification, and installation of the CRPs for the DUNE-VD far detector.
Speaker: Niccolo' Gallice (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
66
Keeping GPU Tracking-as-a-Service in Sync with Athena Through Shared Memory
Tracking-as-a-service is a way to offload GPU-heavy work to a server when reconstructing tracks in the ITk for the ATLAS Phase-II Event Filter. The design is to have CPU-only Athena clients send hits to a NVIDIA triton server running ACTS traccc algorithm chain. For the reconstructed tracking results to be valid, the client and the server must agree on the detector geometry, conditions and magnetic field settings. At the current stage, we have client-side Athena and the server build their own copies from parsing separate json files. This could lead to silent disagreements between the client and the server. We present the fix to this problem by having Athena as the single source of all the detector inputs. The detector geometry, conditions and magnetic field settings are produced by Athena and allocated into a shared memory region where the server can directly access and read.
Speaker: Owen Huang (University of Washington (US)) -
67
A NIFTY Simulation of the LArPix Readout Architecture
LArPix is a low-power, self-triggering ASIC architecture designed for 2D pixelated charge readout in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs), specifically the DUNE Near Detector. The architecture utilizes modular tiles hosting 10x16 arrays of interconnected readout ASICs that are configured in a static way to pass data chip-to-chip toward four readout aggregator chips on the edge of the tile. This talk will present a NIFTY simulation study of intelligent routing algorithms within the LArPix network that are designed to dynamically bypass faulty ASICs, manage network back-pressure, and balance traffic across the array. To evaluate the LArPix network performance under realistic physics conditions, we input hit distributions from LArTPC Monte Carlo simulations into the NIFTY simulation framework, which then generates realistic data loads and tracks each data packet hop-by-hop as it passes between chips towards the readout aggregators. Using high-occupancy hit distributions from neutrino beam spill simulations, we study the performance of different intelligent data routing algorithms and also measure optimal design attributes such as buffer size and chip heartbeat frequencies.
Speaker: Deion Elgin Fellers (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)) -
68
Complete Ion Screening Amplification Structure
In light of recent developments in MPGD readout technology, we review foundational assumptions about MPGD amplification structure design in an attempt minimize ion backflow. Starting with Integrated grid as a baseline, we postulate various different aperture shape designs and compare them via Garfield++ simulations. We specifically highlight the competition between the ion backflow and the collection efficiency of each design and discuss the tradeoffs of each.
Speaker: James Harrison (University of Hawai'i) -
69
Learning MOSFET Models from I–V Data: A Neural Surrogate Approach Validated on the Open SKY130 Process
Front-end ASIC design for particle detectors requires device models that are accurate under the intended operating conditions. Applying foundry-calibrated compact models, including those available through open-source process design kits (PDK), beyond their characterized operating range, such as at cryogenic temperatures, requires further validation and, where necessary, refinement. We investigate a complementary, data-driven approach to modeling MOSFET DC characteristics without explicit extraction of compact-model parameters. Using simulated room temperature characteristics from the open-source SkyWater SKY130 PDK as a controlled benchmark, we train a residual neural network to predict drain current from gate width, gate length, and terminal biases. Derivative (Sobolev) supervision constrains the bias dependence of the predicted current, with accuracy evaluated for both drain current and transconductance. Across 15 MOSFET geometries excluded from training, the surrogate achieves a mean on-region current error of 1.3%, a mean threshold-voltage error of 1.8 mV, and a mean transconductance error of 3.6% relative to the reference simulations. Accuracy decreases at short channel lengths and near the boundaries of the sampled geometry range. We also apply the methodology to measured room temperature MOSFET characteristics, using 28 devices for training and testing and three additional devices held out for validation. The held-out devices were selected to include geometries both within and outside densely sampled regions of the training set, probing interpolation as well as generalization to new geometries. In preliminary results, median relative drain-current errors are 4–6% for two validation devices and 18% for the third. The highest-error device falls within a sparsely sampled gate-width interval, suggesting that limited geometry coverage may contribute to the reduced accuracy. Finally, we discuss our ongoing efforts to apply this approach to MOSFET characteristics measured by our group at 77 K and the challenges of modeling these cryogenic data.
Speaker: Nishan Niraula (University of Texas at Arlington) -
70
Quantum sensing with novel f-electron based materials
f-electrons have weak orbital overlap between their orbitals and neighboring ligand orbitals, which naturally results in materials with small electronic energy scales (low band gaps, small Fermi velocities, etc), making them promising detector candidates for low-mass dark matter for which they are kinetically extremely well matched. Furthermore, they possess anisotropic velocities and dielectric constants, which would enable background discrimination in directional searches. Lastly, some heavy fermion superconductors have nodes in the superconducting gap that will allow for the excitation of quasiparticles from arbitrarily small excitations. Consequently, our hypothesis is that heavy fermion superconductors provide enhanced flexibility and increased sensitivity for low threshold quantum detectors. Here we present an update on our work to develop Eu based Zintl compounds as narrow band gap detectors. In addition, we report on the fabrication and preliminary results of thin film CeCoIn5 kinetic inductance detectors.
Speaker: Filip Ronning (Los Alamos National Lab) -
71
FEB2 Analog Performance for the ATLAS LAr Calorimeter: Bridging Performance to Design
The higher proton-proton collision rates of the CERN High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) requires a full replacement of the ATLAS liquid argon (LAr) calorimeter precision readout electronics. The updated LAr frontend readout system is implemented on the Frontend Board 2 (FEB2) that conditions and digitizes 128 calorimeter channels using a collection of radiation-tolerant ASICs custom-designed for this purpose. In addition to analog performance and radiation tolerance requirements over a life expectancy of 20 years, the FEB2 board and the ASICs are designed with scalability as a first-order requirement, with 1524 FEB2 boards needing to be installed to cover the almost 200k LAr calorimeter channels to be read out. Each channel is amplified, split into two overlapping gain scales, and shaped before both gain scales are digitized with 15-bits of granularity at 40 MSPS and streamed off-detector in real time without buffering. The FEB2 performance has been validated to meet the challenging specifications in a ~1%-scale system test across multiple boards inside a mock front-end crate (FEC). The measured equivalent noise current (ENI) is dominated by the input-referred noise of the preamplifier/shaper ASIC which operates at room temperature. Coherent noise between channels is measured to be about 1.2% of the total noise when measured over around 1500 channels, and the coherent noise scales sub-linearly with the addition of more channels. In response to LAr-shaped calibration pulses, the FEB2 achieves <0.1% energy resolution and <100 ps time resolution for large pulses. Long-term stability tests were also performed in the FEC. This presentation focuses on the design decisions at the ASIC, chipset interface, PCB, and architecture level, that were implemented to achieve these results. Lastly, we also discuss specific lessons learned and design revisions done to improve these performance metrics across multiple design iterations.
Speaker: Rui Xu (Columbia University (US)) -
72
Open-Source Waveform-Sampling ASIC Development: Design and Prototype Implementation in GF180MCU
We present the design of the first prototype from this program: a waveform-sampling ASIC in the open-source GF180MCU process, modeled on the IRSX digitizer of the Belle II TOP detector. The program is introduced in a companion talk. The prototype targets the 'wafer.space' GF180MCU shuttle (GDS due December 2026) and is a reduced-scale demonstrator. The test chip has one channel of four sampling cells, each with its own hold capacitor and comparator, and the cells share a ramp generator and a Gray-coded counter. All four samples are digitized in parallel with 8-bit Wilkinson capture. The design utilizes an AI-assisted, human-in-the-loop workflow based on open-source tools for circuit design, layout, and verification.
Unlike the IRSX, the cells use bottom-plate sampling. The sampled input and ramp voltage drive the top plate of the hold capacitor through dedicated switches, whereas the bottom plate connects to a constant reference voltage through a switch and feeds the comparator directly. This configuration maintains a fixed-threshold comparator decision and makes charge injection independent of the input voltage, eliminating signal-dependent distortion and leaving only a constant pedestal. We will discuss the sampling scheme, the choice of hold capacitor, comparator, simulation results across PVT and mismatch, digital-on-top integration of analog blocks, and the current status toward tape-out.
Speaker: Vikas Kumar (University of Hawaii at Manoa/ECE) -
73
Diagnostic tools for a cold atomic tritium beam for Project 8 cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES) neutrino mass measurements
Project 8 has pioneered the technique of cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES) to probe the neutrino mass. In CRES, a beta decay electron in a magnetic field produces cyclotron radiation that can be detected and used to recover the electron energy; the neutrino mass can be extracted near the endpoint of the electron spectrum. Molecular tritium, the beta source used in previous experiments, suffers from endpoint smearing due to rovibrational modes, driving an effort to develop an atomic tritium source. Project 8 will require 10$^{15}$ atoms per second at $~$5 mK to reach a neutrino mass sensitivity of 40 meV. To characterize the atom beam flux from 2000 K to 5 mK, we are developing several characterization tools. One otherwise-valuable tool, a quadrupole mass analyzer that is sensitive to low masses (Hiden DLS-20), will have limited utility in the strong-magnetic-field environment of the magnetic evaporative cooling beamline. We describe here our work developing a wire detector that detects atoms via the change to its resistance when atoms recombine into molecules on its surface. We also describe our work characterizing the beam using the wire detector, quadrupole mass analyzer, and a rotating chopper to periodically interrupt the beam.
Speaker: Meg Wynne (University of Washington) -
74
In-Situ Cryogenic Magnetometry With Helium-3 NMR For Neutrino Mass Measurements
Precise in-situ magnetometry is a crucial tool for achieving 40-meV sensitivity to the electron-neutrino-weighted mass sum from the tritium beta decay electron energy spectrum that the Project 8 collaboration has proposed to measure via its novel cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES) technique. Magnetic field uniformity over the fiducial cryogenic volume is required at the 0.1 ppm level, for which high-precision magnetometry is vital. We describe a system for performing helium-3 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in a modified resonant cavity based detector compatible with both magnetometry and the CRES science signal. Outside the detection volume, helium-3 will be spin-polarized to a fraction approaching unity via metastability exchange optical pumping (MEOP) at room temperature. It will then be fed into the cryogenic modified cavity, and used to perform in-situ magnetometry. A prototype apparatus is under construction at the University of Washington.
Speaker: Paul Kolbeck (University of Washington) -
75
Design of Lamina-based Microchannel Plate Gamma-ray Detectors Incorporating Surface Direct Conversion
The Laminar Microchannel Plate (LMCP) design incorporating surface direct conversion (SDC) is a proposed design approach for high-resolution gamma ray detectors. The design is compatible with high-throughput fabrication methods therefore attractive for applications requiring high coverage and fiducial volume. A key challenge is that the space of design possibilities is simply too large to explore by fabrication trial and error. In this investigation, Monte Carlo simulations were used to guide efforts to optimize a subset of variables that characterize the design of the individual lamina unit cell for SDC of 511 keV gamma rays in Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography (TOF-PET) applications: 1) lamina material type, 2) lamina dimension 𝑇, and 3) lamina dimension 𝜏.The first variable explored different types of lamina material for their ability to generate primary electrons,starting with both low-𝑍 (𝑍< 20) and high-𝑍 (𝑍>50) mono-elemental materials,and then moving on to complex low-𝑍 materials of borosilicate glass and Kapton. When the effects of the combination of both lamina material type and the second variable explored in this investigation (lamina dimension 𝑇) were investigated, results indicated that both mono-elemental and complex low-𝑍 materials only exhibited primary electron generation efficiencies higher than those obtained for high-𝑍 materials when 𝑇 was greater than 177.8 mm. The final variable explored in this investigation for the design of the lamina was the critical lamina dimension 𝜏, which impacts the escape efficiency of the primary electron. For the lamina dimension 𝜏 = 125𝜇m, a maximum primary electron escape efficiency of ∼43% was obtained when the lamina material is Kapton and its lamina dimension is 304.8 mm. These simulation results pave the way for understanding the fabrication process of this novel detector architecture for ToF-PET.
Speaker: John Shelton (University of Arizona) -
76
SpikePID: Neuromorphic Cluster Counting in Future Drift Chambers
In collider experiments, particle identification (PID) in drift chambers has traditionally relied on the ionization energy loss ($dE/dx$), whose resolution is fundamentally limited by large Landau fluctuations. Instead, cluster counting ($dN/dx$) measures the number of primary ionization clusters, which is Poisson in nature with smaller statistical fluctuations and can offer higher separation power. However, measuring $dN/dx$ at drift chambers proposed for future colliders requires high-resolution waveforms which result in very large data rates. Running the reconstruction at the edge would drastically reduce the bandwidth required to transmit data off the detector. In this work, we propose applying spiking neural networks (SNNs) to this task due to their sparse and low-power characteristics. We show that our model achieves better PID performance than traditional derivative-based methods, and that when synthesized to an FPGA, its resource utilization is small and the inference latency is compatible with the constraints of future collider experiments, making the SNN an excellent algorithmic candidate for real-time data readout in future drift chambers.
Speaker: Ho Fung Tsoi (University of Pennsylvania (US))
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57
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08:00
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08:00
Morning Coffee
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Plenary: Agencies and International Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Mitchell Soderberg-
77
ECFA and DRDsSpeaker: Thomas Bergauer (Austrian Academy of Sciences (AT))
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78
DOE RemarksSpeakers: Dr HELMUT MARSISKE (U.S. Department of Energy Office of High Energy Physics), Helmut Marsiske (DOE HENP)
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79
NSF RemarksSpeaker: Jim Shank (NSF)
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80
Panel Discussion on Instrumentation AdvocacySpeakers: Angela Fava (Fermilab), Bob Hirosky (University of Virginia (US)), Dr Peter Sorensen (LBL / Berkeley Lab), Rakshya Khatiwada (Fermilab/Illinois Institute of Technology)
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77
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10:30
Coffee break
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Facilities Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Conveners: Richard Saldanha, Sally Seidel (University of New Mexico (US))-
81
The Noble Liquid Test Facility at Fermilab
The Noble Liquid Test Facility (NLTF) at Fermilab is a liquid argon detector R&D facility open to the national and international HEP community. The facility consists of 4 liquid argon permanent cryostats, ranging from 250L up to 3000L, open space for small open dewar testing and an optical test stand facility capable of measuring the optical properties of materials and characterizing photon detectors.
NLTF’s strongest advantage is its capability to provide ultra-pure LAr in a reliable manner. Its inline filters are capable of filtering all of the three biggest contaminants for standard LAr detectors, O2 and H2O down to < 1ppb and N2 < 1ppm. This is critical for the users of the test stands as small levels of impurities can dramatically change the efficiency of LArTPCs for the collection of charge and light. The smallest cryostat is mainly used for material testing, a service provided to the international HEP community interested in understanding how the introduction of a specific material might affect the electron lifetime in LAr. The test stands can be equipped with a purity monitor, which allows measuring the electron lifetime in real time, as well as gas sampling and analyzing, and in the near future, local recirculation and filtering.
The facility has hosted many successful R&D projects, which have published their results in well-known journals and talks. A few examples of such projects are the characterization of VUV metalenses, the testing of new filter media capable of filtering N2 from LAr, high voltage studies and direct charge amplification in LAr, and various doping studies.Speaker: Flor de Maria Blaszczyk (Fermilab) -
82
The Visibility of Large Upset Events in Superconducting Qubits from Electron Impacts
The interaction of ionizing radiation with superconducting qubits can lead to large-scale correlated errors that are problematic, as they cannot be fixed by conventional error correction techniques. These radiation induced upset events have mostly been studied using the natural radiation in the environment and manmade radioactive sources, making it difficult to directly correlate the observed upset event rate to the incident flux of ionizing radiation. To directly measure the probability of observing a radiation induced upset event in superconducting qubits, we performed a controlled irradiation of eight fixed-frequency transmon qubits by ~15 MeV electrons from a pulsed radiofrequency electron linac coupled to the dilution refrigerator. This Controlled Linac Irradiation of Quantum Experiments (CLIQUE) facility allowed precise time correlation between the electrons from the accelerator and the qubit response, simplifying the study of ionizing radiation induced upset events. Furthermore, the electron flux was continuously monitored during the irradiation allowing the direct correlation between the observed qubit upset rate with the incident flux of high-energy electrons. For relaxation errors, the probability of an electron impact to cause a visible upset event was found to be near 100%. For excitation errors, this upset probability was ~50%.
Speaker: Dr Alan Hunt (Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory) -
83
Fermilab’s Underground Facilities for Quantum Sensing
The infrastructure associated with building a large accelerator complex created some very unique spaces at Fermilab. In particular, the MINOS tunnel, excavated as part of the NuMI neutrino beam delivering neutrinos to the MINOS, MINERVA, and NOVA experiments, is an easily-accessible 100m underground experimental space. The rock overburden at this depth blocks 99.5% of all cosmic ray muons, and nearly all hadronic showers, creating a unique, low-background environment for novel detector development and calibration. The NEXUS and QUIET laboratories, each equipped with dilution refrigerators for 10mK detector operation, are harnessing this opportunity. I will highlight the unique capabilities of these testbeds, as well as some of the interesting results that have come out of them. I will briefly touch on some of our ongoing studies and proposed experiments for the near future.
Speaker: Daniel Baxter (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, USA) -
84
Opportunities at the Sanford Underground Research Facility
The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) began operation in 2007 as a facility dedicated to advancing compelling multidisciplinary scientific research. SURF is one of the deepest laboratory sites and offers the largest footprint in the world for scientific pursuits, including physics campuses at a depth of 1.5 km where the LUX-ZEPLIN and CASPAR experiments currently operate (the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR has completed operations; LEGEND support continues, but some clean laboratory space is available now). SURF is also home to the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) that will host the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). SURF provides ultra-low background environments, low-background assay capabilities, and electroformed copper is produced at the facility.
SURF is eager to host new experiments, and to that end, SURF is preparing to increase underground laboratory space. The initial phase of construction is complete allowing for development of new large caverns on the 4850L (1500 m, 4200 m.w.e.) on the timeframe of next-generation dark matter and neutrino experiments (early 2030s). SURF is actively investigating new and existing infrastructure to support quantum information science and additional particle astrophysics opportunities.
Speaker: Jaret Heise (Sanford Underground Research Facility) -
85
The Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory
The Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, or TUNL, is a nuclear physics accelerator facility located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC. It is a consortium of 4 universities, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. It hosts a storage ring Free-Electron Laser (FEL) and the High Intensity Gamma-ray Source (HIGS). The FEL can produce coherent photon beams in a wide range of wavelengths from IR (1060 nm) to VUV (190 nm). The HIGS is the highest-flux Compton gamma-ray source in the world. It generates polarized gamma-ray beams with fluxes of 3 × 1010 g/s and energies from 1 to 100 MeV. TUNL also hosts a tandem Van de Graaff accelerator that has a maximum terminal voltage of 10 MV that can accelerate beams of hydrogen, helium and heavy ions. It can also produce beams of nearly mono-energetic neutrons in the MeV range. Finally, the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics (LENA) produces the world’s most intense proton beams for low-energy measurements and is being upgraded with a 2-MV Singletron accelerator. These facilities are supported by a wide variety of particle detectors. This talk will review the facilities at TUNL and their applications beyond nuclear physics.
Speaker: Reyco Henning (UNC Chapel Hill) -
86
Fermilab Test Beam Facilities Status and Plans
Fermilab plays host to the Fermilab Test Beam Facility(FTBF) and the Irradiation Test Area (ITA). The FTBF is one of the highest energy facilities in the world which is dedicated to helping experimenters develop, test, and calibrate particle detectors. The Fermilab accelerator complex can deliver a 120 GeV primary proton beam and secondary/tertiary beams of varying momenta and particle content to FTBF when operating. The ITA provides access to high intensity (up to 2.7e15/hr) 400 MeV protons directly from the FNAL linac. FTBF and ITA provide beamline instrumentation, sources, ancillary equipment, and technical support needed to run successful experiments. This talk will cover the basics and status of the FTBF and ITA facilities with a look to prospects for future facility operations after extended hibernation while the Fermilab accelerator complex evolves.
Speaker: Evan Niner (Fermilab) -
87
SiDet: The Little Lab That Could
The Silicon Detector Facility (SiDet) at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory provides specialized infrastructure, technical expertise, and engineering support for the development, construction, and characterization of state-of-the-art silicon detectors. SiDet plays a central role in several major detector projects, including the CMS Outer Tracker (OT), High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL), and Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) upgrades for the High-Luminosity LHC. Beyond these large-scale projects, SiDet supports detector development for the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) and emerging research in sub-kelvin sensors and cryogenic detector technologies. The facility offers extensive capabilities in cleanroom assembly, precision metrology, automated detector assembly, wire bonding, silicon sensor and ASIC characterization, thermal testing, and large-scale detector integration. These capabilities, supported by experienced scientists, engineers, and technicians, enable projects ranging from early-stage prototyping to full-scale detector production. Importantly, SiDet is not solely a resource for Fermilab-led experiments. The facility welcomes collaborations with universities, national laboratories, and other research institutions, providing access to specialized equipment and expertise for projects of all sizes. This presentation will highlight SiDet's silicon detector capabilities and promote SiDet as a shared resource for the broader high-energy physics community.
Speaker: Douglas Ryan Berry (Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (US)) -
88
The Colorado Underground Research Institute: Status and Site Characterization
The Colorado Underground Research Institute (CURIE) is a shallow underground laboratory under development in the Edgar Experimental Mine (EEM), a former gold mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado, owned and operated by the Colorado School of Mines and located roughly 30 minutes from campus. The lab space sits beneath ~200 m of rock (~415 m.w.e.), which reduces the cosmic-ray muon flux by a factor of ~700 relative to sea level and removes the hadronic and electromagnetic components of the cosmic-ray shower. CURIE is intended as a testbed for superconducting qubits, low-temperature detectors, and quantum sensors, and as a site for studying cosmogenic backgrounds relevant to rare-event searches.
The facility consists of three sites within the EEM, excavated and outfitted with ventilation, power, and networking by Mining Engineering students. Site 0, the Subatomic Particle Hideout, is operational and used for background measurements and detector tests. Cryolab I is being prepared with a clean room, 440 V power, and chilled-water hookups to house a Maybell dilution refrigerator; Site 2 is planned as additional lab space.
A background characterization program is underway. Muon fluxes have been measured with scintillator coincidence setups and a motorized muon telescope that maps the angular distribution at each site, and are compared against MUTE transport calculations through the measured overburden. Muon-induced neutrons and gammas are modeled with a MUTE-to-Geant4 pipeline and measured with a He-3 spectrometer, an HPGe detector, and a large liquid scintillator. Vibration, magnetic field, and radon levels are monitored with accelerometers, SQUID magnetometers, and radon meters, with remote telemetry across the sites.
This talk summarizes the current state of the facility, the background measurements to date, and near-term plans: installation of the dilution refrigerator, an active muon veto above it, and first deployments of TES detectors and SQUID magnetometers underground.
Speaker: Luke Wanner (Colorado School of Mines)
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81
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13:00
Lunch break
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RDC 2 Photodetectors: VUV & large-area photon detection for noble liquids 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
Conveners: F. Cavanna (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory), Jonathan Asaadi (University of Texas at Arlington), Shiva Abbaszadeh (University of California, Santa Cruz)-
89
DELTA: Next-Generation Scalable VUV-UV Photodetectors
In this talk, we present an ongoing development for the next generation of fully packaged digital photodetectors based on a light-trapping mechanism called DELTA, Digital End-to-end Light Trap Assembly. The end-to-end development covers incident photons up to the digital signals saved to disk. DELTA is both a class of photodetectors, each tailored to its specific application within a common design, and an R&D platform in which all components are developed together across labs and universities. Main topics of R&D for the DELTA detector follow this chain: large-area photo-collectors that trap light inside (wavelength-shifting films and total-internal-reflection light traps), small-area photosensors optically coupled to the photo-collectors, on-board cold signal processing and digitization, and finally, laser photonics for power and signal transmission over fiber. The goal is to prototype this next-generation DELTA photodetector using the resources available under CPAD RDC2 working packages (WP1 and WP2).
The DELTA photodetector has final target applications in future noble liquid experiments, as well as VUV light detection in astro-particle physics, astronomy, nuclear particle physics, medical physics, and national security where compact light detectors, large-scale deployment, or harsh environments such as cryogenics, high voltage, and radio purity are called for. Its first use case is APEX, the photon detection system integrated in the field cage of DUNE Phase-II, from protoDUNE-III (2029–30) to the Far Detector 3. This proposal is motivated by emerging technologies in many fields, including microelectronics, laser photonics, and material science.
The reference design and its simulated performance, the options under study for each block, and recent progress will be presented. Recent progress includes spray-deposited and industrial vacuum-deposited pTP coatings (companion talks in the RDC2 sessions), cold tests of SiPM candidates, second-generation power over fiber at 1470 nm, and a cross-lab cryogenic ASIC initiative for the DELTA/APEX readout.
Speakers: Flavio Cavanna (Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (US)), Wei Shi (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
90
Solvent coating of wavelength shifting materials for next-generation photodetector systems
Next-generation noble-element experiments in neutrino and dark matter physics will need photodetector systems with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) sensitivity covering thousands of square meters. Vacuum deposition is the current standard for wavelength-shifting (WLS) coatings, but its throughput, labor cost, and chamber size limits make it hard to scale to that level. Solvent-based coating offers a scalable alternative.
In this talk, I present an efficient, cost-effective solvent spray-coating technique for depositing para-terphenyl (pTP) on UV-transparent acrylic substrates. The acrylic substrate and the solvent are selected based on UV transparency, cryogenic robustness, and pTP solubility. The pTP solution is deposited with a commercial airbrush whose spray parameters control the coating quality. The coatings are characterized with complementary methods: white-light interferometry for thickness and roughness, UV transmission scans at 340 nm for uniformity, liquid-nitrogen thermal cycling for adhesion and stability, and a dedicated VUV spectroscopy setup for WLS efficiency across the 115–200 nm range. I conclude with ongoing work on solvent optimization, binder materials to improve adhesion to the substrate, and an automated spraying system for reproducibility.
Speaker: R. F. Razakamiandra (Stony Brook University) -
91
Photon Detection System R&D for DUNE FD3 with Industrial Wavelength-Shifting Coatings
DUNE's Phase-II Far Detector 3 (FD3) will need about 2,000 m² of pTP wavelength-shifting coating for its X-ARAPUCA photon detectors, far beyond what Phase-I in-house deposition can deliver on schedule. We present R&D on outsourcing pTP deposition to an industrial vendor using physical vapor deposition. Coatings on FD2-size substrates reach the 1–2 µm target with less than 10% thickness variation. Their emission spectra match laboratory references, they withstand cryogenic cycling without degradation, and they show a quantum yield of about 59%. An industrially coated filter has also been operated in a DUNE X-ARAPUCA in liquid argon at CIEMAT. Beyond production, simulation shows that an optically smooth pTP film could trap light by total internal reflection in the first layer itself, enabling a single-layer light trap with fewer optical interfaces and higher detection efficiency. We are investigating whether industrial deposition can reach that smoothness. We also outline a QA/QC framework and plans for liquid-argon qualification at BNL.
Speaker: Matteo Vicenzi (Brookhaven National Laboratory (US)) -
92
R&D on Next-Generation of Power-over-Fiber for HEP Detectors
Power-over-Fiber (PoF) technology provides an alternative solution for delivering electrical power to electronics operating in harsh environments with high-voltage isolation requirements or electromagnetic interference. Recently, the novel application of PoF technology was successfully demonstrated for powering the Photon Detection System (PDS) of DUNE prototypes at CERN. Lessons learned from these deployments motivated the exploration of PoF systems operating at 1470 and 1550 nm.
This talk will summarize R&D results from the next generation of PoF technology, including the design and development of laser driver electronics, characterization of optical power delivery, optical-to-electrical power conversion efficiency, and evaluation of the response of silicon photomultipliers to these optical sources. These results will serve as the foundation for designing a PoF system capable of powering large-area photon detectors proposed for DUNE Phase II, as well as for potential applications in other research fields.
Speaker: Jairo H Rodriguez Rondon (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) -
93
Optical Properties of Materials under Liquid Xenon VUV Scintillation Light
Efficient detection of 178 nm vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) scintillation light is essential for next-generation xenon-based rare-event detectors. One such detector is nEXO, a 5-tonne liquid xenon (LXe) time-projection chamber enriched to 90% Xe-136, designed to search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay with a projected half-life sensitivity of 1.35×10²⁸ years over a 10-year lifespan. Achieving this sensitivity requires excellent collection of scintillation light and accurate modeling of the detector's VUV optics. This motivates a rigorous characterization of silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) light sensors, and of the optical properties of detector materials. We operate a small, optically simple cryogenic cell at UMass Amherst used to study light collection in LXe. The setup is equipped with a Fondazione Bruno Kessler HD3 VUV SiPM and an Am-241 alpha source. We present results from optical measurements of amorphous silicon reflectors, along with long-term SiPM characterization and a new method for measuring correlated avalanches.
Speaker: Edryd van Bruggen (University of Massachusetts) -
94
Direct Detection of VUV Photons at Cryogenic Temperatures Using Amorphous Selenium: Recent Developments and Future Directions
Amorphous selenium (a-Se) offers direct detection of vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) scintillation photons produced in cryogenic noble-element detectors. We present recent advances in the development of a-Se based VUV photodetectors at the University of Texas at Arlington. Our group has demonstrated direct response of a-Se photodetectors at 130 nm and low-light (~200 photons) performance at 401 nm and 165 K and has developed a model for field- and temperature-dependent charge transport and avalanche multiplication in lateral a-Se devices. We discuss our efforts to apply these lateral devices in QLUX, an experiment which integrates ionization-charge collection and a-Se scintillation-light detection within a common module. We will discuss further improvements to lateral devices including selective growth of electron- and hole-blocking layers on the interdigitated electrodes to suppress unwanted injection while preserving photogenerated-charge collection.
We then present progress in our parallel effort on vertical photodetector geometries, in which a-Se devices are coupled with VUV-transparent graphene top electrodes, including fabrication strategies, transparency measurements and visible-light photo response down to 77 K. We discuss the challenges of extending this architecture to stable avalanche operation through the implementation of VUV-transmitting hole-blocking contacts.
We briefly discuss other avenues we are exploring to improve detector performance, including field shaping for unipolar charge sensing and controlled avalanche multiplication, and superlattice structures for investigating interface-mediated control of charge transport and multiplication. Through these efforts, we aim to make a-Se a competitive photo detector technology for next-generation high-energy physics experiments, targeting efficient VUV detection with a few-photon sensitivity at cryogenic temperatures.Speaker: Varghese Anto Chirayath (University of Texas at Arlington)
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89
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RDC 3&4 Joint Session Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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95
Irradiation study of a high voltage monolithic pixel sensor in 55 nm technology
The High-Voltage Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (HV-MAPS) become an attractive technology option for tracking detectors in high energy physics. This technology combines sensor and readout electronics in a single chip, making it compact and efficient. The development of HVCMOS sensor has mainly been implemented with 180 nm or 130 nm technology in the past decades. To explore the small-node technology of next generation HVCMOS sensors, a prototype chip has been fabricated for a Multi Project Wafer (MPW) run using 55 nm HVCMOS technology and low-resistivity substrates for next-generation particle detectors. To assess radiation hardness, several chips from this fabrication have been irradiated with 80 MeV protons at room temperature using the Chinese Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) facility. The irradiation study focused on evaluating key operational parameters such as leakage current, signal-to-noise ratio, and the chip functionality under increasing irradiation dose. In this article, we present the detailed design of this 55 nm HVCMOS pixel sensor, discuss its performance based on radiation tests, and compare the performance with non-irradiated sensors.
Speaker: Hui Zhang -
96
HV-MAPS Sensor Design and Simulations for FCC-ee
The Future Circular Collider e+e- (FCC-ee) is proposed as CERN's next-generation collider experiment for precision measurements of the Higgs and W/Z bosons and the top quark. Its physics program demands vertex detectors with excellent spatial resolution and a low material budget, favoring Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) for their thin, low-power design. We present R&D on High-Voltage MAPS (HV-MAPS) targeting the requirements of FCC-ee's Tera-Z program for spatial precision and radiation tolerance. Using TCAD process and device simulations, we studied a 25 micron thick sensor capable of being operated at a high-bias. The HV-MAPS sensor design was optimized through parameter scans of the design parameters, and the performance of the optimized design was quantified. These results provide early input for HV-MAPS sensor designs for future prototyping studies and will help steer R&D efforts to meet the requirements of the FCC-ee.
Speaker: Danush Shekar (University of Illinois Chicago (US)) -
97
NAPA: design and characterization of MAPS for ns-timing
Tracking detectors for future colliders demand low-mass pixel sensors that combine fine spatial resolution, low power consumption, and timing capability sufficient to reject beam-induced background. MAPS are well suited to these requirements, as they integrate the sensing volume and front-end electronics in a single CMOS process.
The NAPA program develops compact timing pixel front ends optimized for the low-power operation needed in large-area detectors. These developments are based on the TPSCo 65 nm technology. We present the first laboratory characterization of the NAPA-p2 prototype, including noise, threshold, and timing performance. We will discuss NAPA-p2 current performance and define operating points, area of improvements for the next design iteration, and upcoming developments.
Speaker: Lorenzo Rota (SLAC National Laboratory) -
98
Smartpixels, On-Sensor Machine Learning for Future Pixel Detectors: Regression under a Realistic Front-End Response
Smartpixels explores on-sensor machine learning inference for silicon pixel detectors, targeting a future upgrade of the CMS detector in the High-Luminosity LHC era. By co-designing ML algorithms with readout ASIC constraints, charged-particle hit parameters are reconstructed directly on the sensor, cutting the data volume sent off-detector and potentially bringing pixel information within reach of the Level-1 trigger.
This talk presents training studies that incorporate the response of the front-end electronics, addressing a limitation of earlier Smartpixels studies. Clusters generated with PixelAV are propagated through a model of the readout front end, characterised from the circuit design, which applies the amplifier response, the correlated readout noise and the comparator time-walk, so that both the amplitude and the timing of the on-chip readout are represented. Networks are then trained in a sequence that removes one idealization at a time, from a Vision Transformer that learns the flash ADC thresholds jointly with its weights, to a compact convolutional network quantized at the bit widths of the target ASIC.
Speaker: Harshul Gupta (University of Illinois Chicago (US)) -
99
28 nm Readout ASICs for 3D-Integrated LGAD Sensors with 10 ps-Level Timing Performance
Highly granular precision timing detectors are required to achieve scientific breakthroughs across HEP, NP, BES, and FES applications, and their critical need was highlighted by DOE BRN, European Strategy for Particle Physics, and Snowmass. To enable the development of these detectors, 3D-intgration between advanced sensor wafers and scaled CMOS technology nodes is required but is currently cost-prohibitive for use in scientific applications and experiments. Closing this technology gap is the main objective of the joint SLAC, FNAL and LLNL effort “3D Integrated Sensing Solutions”, supported by DOE’s Accelerated Innovation in Emerging Technologies grant. In collaboration with leading semiconductor industry partner, this effort is pursuing development of LGAD structures compatible with fabrication in commercial 12-inch wafer processes that can be cost-effectively 3D-integrated with readout ASICs. Both 12-inch wafer LGADs and two readout protype ASICs have been designed and fabricated.
This talk will present the design and characterization of the second ASIC: THRIGLAV (THRee-dimensional InteGrated LgAd driVer). THRIGLAV was fabricated in 28nm CMOS technology and consists of a 5mm^2 100 x 100-pixel matrix of 50 μm-pitch pixels with an analog front-end for LGAD readout and TDCs that provide time-of-arrival and time-over-threshold measurements with 6.25 ps and 50 ps resolutions, respectively. ASIC characterization confirms a sub-10 ps timing precision across the pixel matrix, excluding the analog front-end contribution, and a sub-13 ps precision for the entire chain. The achieved performance makes this by far the most advanced time-tagging pixelated detector front-end ASIC developed to date. THRIGLAV ASICs have been bump-bounded to 12-inch wafer LGADs and preliminary results of the system performance with laser will be shown.Speaker: Bojan Markovic (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US))
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95
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RDC 6 Gaseous Detectors 103 (Alder Hall)
103
Alder Hall
Conveners: Babak Azmoun (Brookhaven National Laboratory), Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))-
100
The DRD1 collaboration - the first three years of strategic R&D on gaseous detectors (VIRTUAL)
The DRD1 Collaboration aims to promote the development and application of gaseous-detector technologies for futurecollider experiments and broader scientific applications, following the General Strategic Recommendations outlined in the 2021 ECFA Detector R&D Roadmap. Its strategic R&D programme is organised in application-oriented Work Packages, bringing together institutes with shared interests in specific areas, including detector applications, performance challenges, and technologies. These activities are supported by a transversal R&D backbone formed by Working Groups, which coordinate common developments, tools and expertise of broad benefit to the gaseous-detector community.
DRD1 is now approaching the end of its first three-year approval period and is preparing for re-approval, providing a timely opportunity to review the progress achieved and the evolution of the programme. The contribution will present the current status of the DRD1 Collaboration, its Work Packages and Working Groups, and highlight the ongoing and planned R&D activities and priorities for the next period. The strong and long-standing contribution of the US community to gaseous-detector development, together with the growing participation of US groups in DRD1, provides an important opportunity to further strengthen transatlantic collaboration and build a critical mass for gaseous-detector R&D in the US and internationally.
Speaker: Hugo Natal Da Luz (Czech Technical University in Prague) -
101
Study of a High Granularity Readout TPC for Particle Identification at Future e+e− Colliders
Future circular e+e− colliders, such as the Future Circular e+e− Collider (FCC-ee) and the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC), have been proposed as Higgs and Z factories in the international high energy physics community. In the ILD detector concept and comparable detector designs, a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with high-precision (~100 μm) spatial resolution serves as the main tracking device inside a 3.0 T solenoidal magnetic field. The TPC is required to provide a standalone momentum resolution of 10⁻⁴ (GeV/c)⁻¹, and a particle identification (PID) resolution of better than 3% is required. While TPC performance is satisfactory for Higgs-mode operation, high-luminosity Z-pole running poses substantial technical challenges, requiring rigorous evaluation of the feasibility and corresponding mitigation strategies.
As a gaseous-detector R&D effort, this talk will present the feasibility study and recent progress of a high-precision TPC with Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector (MPGD) readout for future e+e− colliders. To meet the PID requirement, the cluster-counting technique is being developed as the PID estimator, and simulation results of the pad-based and pixelated TPC readout technologies will be reported. Compared with the conventional pad readout, the high-granularity readout option (500 μm × 500 μm and TimePix chips) provides better single-electron spatial resolution, higher hit detection efficiency, and improved tracking and PID performance satisfying the 3% PID requirement. Furthermore, based on machine–detector interface (MDI) background simulations, ion-induced space-charge effects have been evaluated in detail, and the associated TPC technical challenges and potential mitigation strategies will be discussed, with emphasis on high-luminosity Z-pole running conditions.Speaker: Huirong Qi (Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS) -
102
Drift Properties of Noble Gases in Negative Ion Drift TPCs
Low pressure gas TPCs operating with negative ion drift (NID) provide numerous advantages required for low-energy rare searches requiring directionality. Near-thermal diffusion and slow drift velocities enable the excellent spatial resolution required to resolve low-energy particle tracks in 3D. The NID components most commonly studied are CS2 and SF6, which can be added to other target gases depending on the applications. We present measurements of drift properties--longitudinal diffusion, mobility, relative gas gains, and (in some cases) capture length--with Xe, Ar, He, or CF4 mixed with CS2 or SF6, maximizing the target-gas fraction while maintaining stable gas gain. These mixtures demonstrate near-thermal diffusion with very small partial pressures (as low as 1 Torr) of the NI additive, which can be up to 10 times lower than the diffusion expected from pure nobles. Many of these mixtures have additional NID species with distinct drift velocities, which enable events to be fully fiducialized in the TPC.
Speaker: Elizabeth Tilly (University of New Mexico) -
103
Performance of TPCs with Pixel ASIC Readout for Directional Reconstruction of Low-Energy Electron Recoils
Gaseous detectors with highly segmented charge readout and single-electron detection efficiency near unity are of interest for low-energy rare-event detection. Traditionally, R&D has focused on nuclear recoils, while electron recoils in the 1-100 keV energy range are a dominant background for directional CEνNS and dark matter experiments.
Electron recoils, however, constitute part or all of the signal in several important applications, including Migdal-effect measurements, directional solar-neutrino measurements, and searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay and electron-scattering dark matter.
At these energies, strong multiple scattering produces complex electron-recoil topologies and fundamentally limits directional reconstruction. Standard heavy-particle multiple-scattering approximations are not expected to accurately describe this regime. Detector effects such as readout segmentation, inefficiency, dynamic range, charge integration time, and channel-reset times also impact the observed recoil topology.
We study these effects experimentally using 40 cm³ TPCs with double-GEM amplification and ATLAS FE-I4B pixel ASIC readout, operated in 70:30 He:CO₂ at atmospheric pressure. Using simple straight-line fits to 20-28 keV electron-recoil tracks, we obtain a preliminary planar angular resolution of approximately 22° RMS at the optimal fit length, consistent with simulation. We discuss the relative importance of detector performance for angular and energy resolution, and the implications for a 40 L TPC, now being commissioned, that aims to approach the fundamental limits of both.
Speaker: Haiqi Long -
104
A Low-Gain Integrated-Grid MPGD
The Flexible, Ideal MPGD system (FIMS) is a collaborative effort to achieve single-electron detection with high efficiency at low gains. I will present a simulation study of how a low-noise ASIC, coupled to an integrated-grid amplification structure, can achieve single-electron efficiency greater than 95% with a gas gain less than 100. This work evaluates the geometric and electrostatic effects on the collection and detection of primary charges, and outlines the low-noise front-end electronics that enable operation at low gain. We compare how a minimal readout of pixel ID and time-of-arrival can achieve 3D event reconstruction that is competitive with conventional high-gain systems.
Speaker: Tanner Polischuk (University of Hawaii at Manoa)
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100
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RDC 8 Quantum & Superconducting Sensors Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
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105
Superconducting Non-Foster Networks for Axion Detection
Axions are a well-motivated dark matter candidate that may simultaneously solve both the strong-CP and dark matter problems. This candidate's coupling to the photon provides an especially distinct direct detection signal: in the presence of a strong magnetic field, axion-to-photon conversion induces oscillating currents within the detector at a frequency set by the axion mass. Because the viable mass parameter space spans more than ten orders of magnitude, scanning resonant experiments use high-Q resonators to enhance this signal whilst tuning across the corresponding frequency range. However, the sensitivity and scan rate of these searches are fundamentally limited by the Bode-Fano constraint, which enforces a tradeoff between bandwidth and gain for any passive, linear, time-invariant system. In this talk, we present the simulation and preliminary prototype of a "Bode-Fano evading" device that uses Josephson junctions to achieve improved gain by violating passivity and linearity assumptions. We report results from our first fabrication run and discuss the practical requirements for such a device, placing special emphasis on its implications for the sensitivity of future GUT-scale axion searches in the sub-microeV axion parameter space.
Speaker: Pamela Stark (Stanford University) -
106
ADMX Overview and Run Status
The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) is a microwave-cavity haloscope designed to search for axion dark matter. The axion was originally proposed as a consequence of the Peccei–Quinn solution to the strong CP problem and has since emerged as a compelling dark matter candidate. Among the commonly used benchmark models for the axion–photon coupling, ADMX targets sensitivity to the more weakly coupled DFSZ model.
In ADMX, a strong magnetic field enables the conversion of dark matter axions into microwave photons near the axion Compton frequency. A tunable, high-Q microwave cavity resonantly enhances and extracts this signal. The experiment operates at ultralow temperatures to suppress thermal noise and maximize the signal-to-noise ratio, while quantum amplifiers, including Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs), further reduce the receiver noise toward the quantum limit.
This talk will provide an overview of the ADMX experimental technique, detector and receiver systems, and current scientific run status, with an outlook toward upcoming operations and sensitivity goals.
Speaker: On Kim (Univeristy of Washington) -
107
Quantum-Limited Amplifiers for Axion Dark Matter Detection with ADMX
The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) is an axion haloscope detector capable of probing the galactic dark matter halo for axions. ADMX relies on superconducting amplifiers to reach the sensitivity needed to detect QCD axions. The current ADMX and ADMX-Sidecar data taking runs use a flux pumped Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) and a kinetic inductance traveling wave parametric amplifier (KI-TWPA) to achieve near quantum limited noise performance. I will discuss the deployment, operation, and characterization of these amplifiers in the ADMX detector.
Speaker: Kieran Enzian (University of Washington) -
108
Development of Optical Quantum Sensors for Ultralight Axion Dark Matter Detection
We have recently initiated a project to develop a pathfinding experiment based on a new detection concept [1] to explore ultralight axion dark matter within a completely uninvestigated mass range near 10 neV. Our approach integrates a low-temperature resonant inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit with a state-of-the-art optical quantum sensor (OQS) to detect a “smoking-gun” signal: a tiny axion-induced oscillating magnetic field. We anticipate that this experiment would improve current sensitivities to the axion signal strength by approximately 5 orders of magnitude. The OQS is the most sensitive cryogen-free magnetic-field sensor, which manipulates atomic spins in an alkali-metal vapor cell via laser-driven optical pumping and probing. Because it operates at ambient temperatures, it eliminates the need for expensive cryogens and complex cryogenic infrastructure. We are currently constructing and optimizing a potassium-based OQS that targets a fundamental quantum field noise well below fT/Hz$^{1/2}$ at MHz frequencies. In this talk, we present our LC circuit-OQS axion detection concept and our recent progress on the construction of the potassium OQS.
[1] Y. J. Kim, L. Duffy, I. Savukov, and P.-H. Chu, “Sensitivity of ultralight axion dark matter search with optical quantum sensors,” Physical Review D 108, 052007 (2023).
We acknowledge this work was supported by Quantum Information Science Enabled Discovery 2.0 (QuantISED 2.0) for the United States Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics (DE-FOA-0003354)
Speaker: Young Jin Kim (Los Alamos National Laboratory) -
109
The CAL-Pathfinder Axion Detector
The QCD axion is one of the most well motivated dark matter candidates that would also solve the Strong CP Problem. Its potential mass range spans many orders of magnitude with much of this region still unexplored. At low masses (sub-ueV), axions can be detected via the lumped-element detection technique. Axion signals induced on a pickup are enhanced through an LC resonator and read out using DC SQUIDs. CAL-Pathfinder, an experiment in the DMRadio program, aims to demonstrate this technique using a solenoidal magnet and coaxial pickup geometry while being sensitive to a previously unexplored region of the axion parameter space. CAL-Pathfinder will search for axions in the 100 -130 MHz (0.45 - 0.55 µeV ) range at a coupling strength down to 26 times KSVZ. The experiment will also conduct a high frequency gravitational wave search with a potential to reach strain sensitivities eleven orders of magnitude smaller than existing searches. This talk will present an overview of the CAL-Pathfinder detector design as well as an update on the current status of construction and commissioning.
Speaker: Shreya Puranam (University of California, Berkeley) -
110
Levitated Xenon Sensors for Precision Measurements
Developments in levitated systems have paved the way for implementing nm to μm scale objects as mechanical sensors for rare phenomena within and beyond the Standard Model. Solid noble elements are an attractive alternative to the silica spheres typically used in previous work for these sensors. Due to low optical absorption and high achievable purity levels, using noble elements may allow for larger sphere sizes with minimized dipole moments in comparison to silica spheres. With higher freezing points, heavier noble elements such as xenon can be implemented with relatively simple cryogenics. We will present the recent developments in the first trapping of xenon spheres and planned work to utilize this technology for precision measurement experiments. These systems may find applications in searches for dark matter, measurements of the properties of neutrinos emitted from radioactively loaded spheres, and as platforms for measurements of fundamental xenon properties.
Speaker: Siddhant Mehrotra (Yale University) -
111
QuIPS: Quantum Optomechanics Meets Particle Detection
The QuIPS (Quantum Invisible Particle Sensor) experiment reconstructs the full kinematics of weak nuclear decays using a radioisotope-loaded silica nanosphere, optically trapped in ultra-high vacuum and surrounded by active particle detectors. The recoil impulse imparted to the sphere, read out with quantum-limited sensitivity, is combined with a direct measurement of the emitted beta particle to infer the neutrino momentum. This enables searches for heavy sterile neutrinos in the keV to few MeV range, as well as other BSM physics. I will give an overview of the project, including the beta detector we have built at LBL. It uses two planes of ultra-thin CMOS sensors backed by a plastic scintillator for vertexing and momentum reconstruction, in a compact package designed to operate at 10⁻⁸ mbar. I will present its first calibration results and its integration with the optical trap at Yale, where the first recoil demonstration using F-18 loaded spheres is underway. I will also show initial designs for a 1550 nm optical levitation setup under development at LBL and outline the path to future searches, including sphere arrays, squeezed mechanical states of the sphere's motion, and improved beta detection.
Speaker: Daniel Kodroff (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab) -
112
Cosmology with Millimeter-Wave On-Chip Spectrometers: SPT-SLIM and the Path to Large-Format Focal Planes
The most compelling open questions in cosmology -- understanding the nature of inflation, dark energy, dark matter, and light relativistic species -- require cosmic surveys over extremely large volumes. The emerging technique of millimeter-wave line intensity mapping (LIM) has the potential to measure large-scale structure at distances far greater than the next generation of optical surveys. I will discuss SPT-SLIM, a pathfinder experiment to demonstrate the use of on-chip superconducting spectrometers for LIM, and our first deployment to the South Pole in 2025. I will describe the technical advances needed for these detectors to achieve their potential, including novel spectrometer architectures and R&D in superconducting materials. Finally, I will outline the path towards deploying dense spectroscopic focal planes at the scale needed to advance high-redshift cosmology.
Speaker: Kirit Karkare (Boston University)
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105
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16:00
Coffee break
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RDC 2 Photodetectors: Novel photoconductors (a-Se) & low-noise solid-state imagers 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
Conveners: Flavio Cavanna (Fermi National Accelerator Lab), Shiva Abbaszadeh (University of California, Santa Cruz)-
113
Optical and Electrical Characterization of Multilayer Amorphous Selenium–Tellurium Photodetectors
Staircase avalanche photodetectors have been shown to exhibit reduced noise, controlled gain, and enhanced signal amplification compared to standard avalanche photodetectors. Devices fabricated from superlattices of amorphous selenium and arsenic selenide have demonstrated linear multiplicative behavior through quantum tunneling based on the number of layers employed, allowing for specific gains to be realized. However, further work is needed to reduce carrier trapping, improve multiplication in thick layers, and better understand detector noise. To determine our system's capability to deposit these thin amorphous superlattices, we have fabricated amorphous Se/Se–Te multilayer photodetectors with varying Te concentrations and investigated the properties of these quantum layers. Se-Te alloys have been extensively studied to show that varying the Te concentration provides precise control over the band gap of the material. The fabricated thin films were characterized using ellipsometry, photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to evaluate their optical, morphological, and compositional properties. Continuing work will investigate superlattice device behavior, signal amplification, and noise reduction.
This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics under Award Number DE-SC0026034 and DE-SC0022343 and the UCSC REU program through the National Science Foundation (Grant # 2349305).
Speaker: Mr Teo Schnell -
114
Fast and Low-Glow Sub-Electron Readout with Monolithic Skipper-CMOS Sensors
Skipper-CMOS technology merges the non-destructive readout capabilities of Skipper-CCDs with the scalability of monolithic CMOS integration. Each pixel includes a floating gate, a charge-coupled transfer structure, and a pinned photodiode, enabling sub-electron noise through multiple non-destructive samples. Earlier work demonstrated sub-electron noise at the single-pixel and matrix level but faced challenges in glow, dark current, and readout speed.
In this work, we report new results from an extensive test campaign using an updated readout chain and carefully tuned biasing. We achieve sub-electron resolution at pixel sampling times close to 10 µs. These measurements were performed using up to 1000 skips per pixel at cryogenic temperatures (~125 K), with floating-gate gain values consistently measured in the 31–36 µV/e⁻ range.
Significant improvements were observed in minimizing parasitic glow and dark current. PPD transfer tests show that design-level changes to gate geometries improve charge transfer efficiency.
Charge histograms of select flavors demonstrate clear discretization of electron number, validating the preservation of sub-electron noise under faster, low-glow operating modes. These results support the viability of Skipper-CMOS for scientific imaging applications requiring ultra-low noise, moderate-to-fast frame rates, and scalable integration.
Speakers: Agustin Lapi (University of Chicago), CLAUDIO CHAVEZ (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory) -
115
p-channel MAS-CCD characterization results and instrumentation efforts
The Multiple Amplifier Sensing CCD (MAS-CCD) is a low-noise silicon imager designed to reduce the readout time required to reach the single-photon counting regime by distributing non-destructive charge measurements across multiple Skipper output stages. The MAS architecture, however, rapidly increases the number of video channels that must be instrumented, creating a significant scalability challenge for the readout electronics. In this talk, we present recent results obtained with a 16 output device that was extensively characterized, demonstrating the single-photon resolution, readout performance, node removal inefficiency, and new faster readout regimes. Also, we present the device operating under a real astronomical environment. We also present ongoing readout developments aimed at scaling the instrumentation of large format devices, such as a dedicated ASICs.
Speaker: Agustin Lapi (University of Chicago) -
116
Backside-contact of Skipper CCDs using microwave annealing
This work reports results aimed at enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of Skipper-CCD for astronomical applications. Results on the implementation of a backside processing for fully depleted Skipper CCDs using arsenic ion implantation and microwave annealing for back contact formation and activation are presented. Simulations and experimental progress to date will be presented. This represents a promising step toward a highly sensitive and optically efficient instrument for astronomy.
Speaker: Blas Irigoyen Gimenez (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory) -
117
Characterization of Germanium Charge-Coupled Devices toward Infrared Detectors for Spec-S5
The Stage-5 Spectroscopic Experiment (Spec-S5) aims to extend spectroscopic observations into the short-wavelength infrared, enabling measurements of galaxies at redshifts beyond the reach of silicon detectors. Germanium charge-coupled devices (Ge-CCDs) are a candidate technology for this infrared channel because germanium remains sensitive at wavelengths beyond the approximately 1.1 $\mu$m cutoff of silicon.
Brookhaven National Laboratory, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and the MIT Kavli Institute are developing and characterizing Ge-CCDs for this application. We will report the current status of the effort, including cryogenic operation of 256$\times$256-pixel, front-illuminated devices with 8.1 $\mu$m pixels. Initial measurements using LED illumination and X-rays have established conversion gain, output linearity, noise, and spectroscopic imaging performance. We will discuss how these results guide the next phase of device characterization and development toward an infrared detector suitable for Spec-S5.Speaker: EMI TAMURA (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
118
Toward Autonomous Labs: Agentic Optimization and Active Surrogate Modeling for CCD Characterization
Advanced sensors and readout electronics used in high-energy physics experiments increasingly operate in large, strongly coupled parameter spaces, making characterization, calibration, and performance optimization a growing bottleneck for instrumentation development. Bayesian optimization applied to charge-coupled devices (CCDs) has already shown promise for addressing this challenge by using closed-loop measurements and probabilistic surrogate models to efficiently identify high-performance operating regions without exhaustively scanning the full parameter space. Building on this foundation, this work explores agentic approaches in which separate agents coordinate instrument control, image acquisition and analysis, optimization, and persistent experimental knowledge; this allows the optimization loop to incorporate not only a scalar objective, but also image statistics, operator notes, and lessons accumulated across campaigns. We also investigate surrogate models that learn the multidimensional detector response itself. These surrogate models can support rapid virtual exploration of operating conditions and, with uncertainty quantification, guide the selection of new measurements where the model is least certain. Together, these approaches are intended to provide a generalizable framework for autonomous characterization and optimization across a broad range of detector and readout-electronics platforms.
Speaker: Prashansa Mukim (Brookhaven National Laboratory)
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113
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RDC 3 Solid State Tracking Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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119
Synthetic Pixel-Detector Data for SNN Training with TCAD, Allpix2 and NEUROPix
We present a realistic 3D simulation workflow for pixel detectors, with emphasis on TCAD modeling of Timepix and CMS CROC pixel sensors and its connection to Monte Carlo-based synthetic data generation. Detailed electric-field and charge-transport simulations are used to model detector response, while Allpix Squared provides event-level Monte Carlo simulation and pixel-level observables such as charge, timing, position, and particle truth. These synthetic datasets can be used to study detector performance and to train spiking neural networks for tasks such as clustering, classification, and noise rejection. The work provides a pathway from sensor-level TCAD design studies to realistic training data for low-power edge processing in future pixel detector systems.
Speaker: Sebastian Arturo Hortua (The University of Kansas (US)) -
120
NEUROPix: Pixel Detector Clustering and Classification on the Edge with Spiking Neuromorphic Algorithms
Edge computing solutions can alleviate downstream hardware challenges that arise as a result of the massive streams of continuous data that high-energy physics experiments are capable of generating. The NEUROPix project proposes a novel approach for extracting particle information from pixel detectors on the edge with Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs)—an extremely low-latency and energy-efficient type of neural network that is inspired by biological neuron structure and behavior. Currently, our full data pipeline converts raw Timepix4 bitstreams into encoded spiking feature vectors, processes this with a SNN, and translates the decoded SNN output into signals that represent clustered particle IDs; however, extensions into other pixel detectors and edge-computing tasks are possible. This talk will focus on neuromorphic design strategies for detector applications and present current network training progress but will also briefly cover other aspects of the project, including realistic synthetic dataset development for algorithm training, and future hardware implementation onto FPGAs.
Speaker: Larry Zhang (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) -
121
In-pixel machine learning in the presence of silicon detector noise
Patterns of charge deposited in pixelated particle tracking detectors are rich with kinematic information that is lost to ever increasing bandwidth constraints in high-luminosity environments. On-sensor inference of track geometry at the collision rate will grant next-generation triggering algorithms access to regions closer to the interaction point than ever before. We evaluate the fidelity of on-pixel track parameter regression algorithms in the presence of simulated thermal detector noise. Optimizing the choice charge thresholds of the detector’s 2-bit ADC during network training improves performance over a range of injected noise values. Without noise, the network selects lower thresholds to expose faint charge patterns that encode the track’s incident angle. We propose a denoising autoencoder based training methodology that enriches some network layers with tracking information lost below the noise floor without increasing architecture size. This framework reinforces noise-robustness to improve inference at the extreme sensor-edge.
Speaker: Benjamin Parker Weiss (Cornell University (US)) -
122
4D Fabric - A nifty solution to 4D Pixel detectors
Pixelated tracking detectors are integral to contemporary collider experiments. For forthcoming colliders, 4D pixel detectors that integrate high spatial resolution (<50 µm) and high temporal resolution (<30 ps) present a compelling solution to manage the extreme particle multiplicities prevalent in environments such as a Muon Collider. The 4D Fabric initiative is dedicated to the development of prototype pixel readout chips utilizing 28 nm CMOS technology to assess scalable, fault-tolerant digital architectures suitable for potential wafer-scale deployment. To establish this digital foundation and serve as a testing platform for thin-film sensors within the CMOS+X project, the initial prototype will prioritize architectural validation over high-precision timing integration. This presentation elucidates the current project progress, delineates the selection of specifications, and elucidates the translation of simulation insights into a robust digital architecture. It will also elucidate future R&D plans in relation to the current future collider landscape and how the 4D Fabric project will iterate towards the subsequent paradigm shift in Pixel detector technology.
Speaker: Timon Heim (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)) -
123
The Selena Packaging Trajectory
The Selena experiment aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay in ⁸²Se using hybrid amorphous selenium (aSe)/CMOS pixel sensors, in which a thick aSe layer is deposited directly over a fine-pitch CMOS readout chip. A high-voltage is applied across the aSe to drift and collect ionization. Current R&D devices are Topmetal-Se bare die, featuring 100×100 pixel array with exposed metal contacts, glued on a PCB. The connection between the die and the PCB has been an ongoing challenge, since any irregularity on the aSe surface distorts the electric field and introduces unwanted leakage-current paths. We present a possible solution by micro-extrusion printing of conductive silver traces between chip and PCB pads, resulting in a low-profile interconnect and a near-planar surface for uniform aSe deposition.
Speaker: Edwin Lester Solis (PhD student at University of Washington) -
124
Toward Sub-10 ps Time Resolution in InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Scintillation Detector
Advances in InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dot (QD) heterostructures have enabled the development of an ultrafast, high light yield scintillator with a monolithically integrated photodetector, opening new possibilities for many applications including particle tracking. The QD scintillation detector (QDSD) combines rapid optical signal generation and collection with intrinsically suppressed Landau noise, addressing two fundamental factors that limit the timing performance of state-of-the-art silicon low gain avalanche detectors (LGADs). For QDSDs, where jitter is expected to be the dominant noise contribution, the time resolution is projected to surpass that of LGADs for tracker thicknesses above approximately 40 $\mu$m. Owing to the fast optical transport, the QDSD signal shape is not changing significantly with scintillator thickness. A thicker scintillator therefore produces a larger signal amplitude without adding electronic noise or the detector capacitance. Consequently, a time resolution of 10 ps or better may be achievable for MIPs in QDSDs thicker than approximately 120 $\mu$m, assuming near-unity detection efficiency; at 50% efficiency, approximately twice this thickness would be required. In alpha particle measurements, a time resolution (jitter) of 10 ps was achieved with a collected charge of 10 fC and improved to approximately 4 ps at 30 fC. The current challenges of QDSD technology are primarily the limited thickness of the epitaxial structure (20–30 $\mu$m) and the relatively low charge collection efficiency of 15%. The radiation hardness of QDSDs was evaluated using 1.5 MeV proton irradiation. With a GaAs barrier, the detector maintained its performance up to 3x10$^{12}$ protons/cm$^2$. Both the charge collection efficiency and radiation hardness can be improved by enhancing carrier localization within the QDs, either by increasing the barrier height or by lowering the operating temperature. Using a wider-bandgap AlGaAs barrier, the QDSD demonstrated radiation tolerance up to a proton fluence 10$^{14}$ protons/cm$^2$ at room temperature, corresponding to an equivalent 1 Mev neutron fluence of
2x10$^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$.Speaker: Michael Yakimov (University at Albany)
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119
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RDC 5 TDAQ 103 (Alder Hall)
103
Alder Hall
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125
The Hardware development and Test of the Global Common Module prototypes for ATLAS Phase-II upgrade
To achieve instantaneous luminosities 5-7.5 times of the nominal value of the LHC, it poses significant challenges to the Trigger and Data Acquisition systems during HL-LHC upgrade. A baseline architecture has been chosen for the ATLAS Phase-II upgrade, relying on a single-level hardware trigger. The Global Trigger performs complex algorithms on full-granularity calorimeter data. The Global Trigger is divided into three sublayers: the Multiplexer Processor (MUX), the Global Event Processor (GEP), and the Global to Central Trigger Processor interface (GCI). The MUX collects data from detectors (calorimeter and muon) and legacy Feature Extractor modules, time-multiplexes them bunch-crossing by bunch-crossing and sends full events to the GEP layer in a round-robin fashion. Each GEP node receives the full event data pertaining to a particular bunch-crossing, executes complex algorithms, and sends the results to the GCI, which comprises a single node that selects and resynchronizes the results from all GEP nodes before sending them to the Central Trigger Processor (CTP). In total four hardware prototypes have been designed since 2019, now the full-function Global Common Module (GCM) hardware prototype v4 based on Versal premium FPGAs and 25Gb/s optical modules have been designed to fulfill the requirements and is used for the firmware development and slice test. Details of all the prototypes design will be presented at this meeting.
Speaker: Shaochun Tang (Brookhaven National Laboratory (US)) -
126
Fast machine learning trigger system for real-time event identification for Ba-tagging in a Liquid Xenon TPC
A next-generation neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) search in ¹³⁶Xe has the potential to uncover lepton number violation, and determine if neutrinos are their own antiparticle. This rare decay, if discovered, would demonstrate Physics beyond the Standard Model and provide key insights into the evolution of the universe. 0νββ searches in ¹³⁶Xe require detector systems capable of reconstructing rare candidate events with high accuracy while supporting sophisticated real time data processing.
The Ba-tagging technique will increase the sensitivity in future searches in a liquid xenon time projection chamber by probing the decay volume for the presence of the ¹³⁶Xe decay daughter, ¹³⁶Ba. Such techniques motivate rapid reconstruction of the event location so that a subsequent Ba-extraction system can be directed toward the candidate decay region. At UC San Diego, our group is developing a low latency machine learning framework capable of identifying candidate 0νββ events using FPGA hardware for real time event reconstruction. The present model is a compact, quantized, dual path convolutional neural network that processes charge readout projections and reconstructs transverse vertex localization of the event from simulated nEXO charge readout data. The architecture was designed with FPGA implementation in mind, using a fully convolutional regression to enable fast triggering and real time decision making, while preserving reconstruction accuracy detector operation.
We evaluated several candidate network architectures for vertex reconstruction accuracy with quantization aware training including FINN, and nn2FPGA, and validated the final implementation on an RFSoC 4x2 platform. Preliminary vertex reconstruction results show that the deployed network maintains millimeter scale vertex reconstruction. Using nn2FPGA, the physical FPGA implementation achieves an accelerator latency of approximately 1.9 ms per event, while preserving agreement with the software and HLS reference models. These results demonstrate the feasibility of performing accurate neural network inference on detector side hardware on millisecond timescales. The design, implementation, and performance of the fast machine learning trigger will be presented, together with planned future developments that will lead us towards a more complete real time trigger for Ba-tagging operations.
Speaker: Melissa Medina Peregrina (University of California San Diego) -
127
Lossless TPC Hardware Compression at ICARUS
ICARUS is a large liquid argon time projection chamber acting as the far detector in the Short Baseline Neutrino program at Fermilab. ICARUS sees a large flux of accelerator neutrinos from both the BNB and NuMI beams operated by Fermilab and also a many cosmogenic muons. Due to the large number of neutrinos and cosmic ray events seen by the detector, ICARUS data storage and processing are a persistent issue. To accommodate the data rates and storage needs of the experiment we have developed a technique to compress the data within the TPC readout boards. The schema lessens the impact on the trigger throughput and preserves the data needed for high-statistics studies while also reducing the footprint of the raw data products by a factor of 5.4 when combined with offline software compression, using a lossless, per-sample difference encoding implemented directly in the CAEN A2795 firmware. This work shows the first time running with hardware compression reducing data readout bandwidth in a surface-level accelerator neutrino experiment. These schemata are of interest for high-density neutrino interactions, such as will be seen at the DUNE near detector site, where we wish to minimize data bandwidth without sacrificing fidelity.
Speaker: Harry Hausner (Fermilab) -
128
A Scalable Streaming Readout Architecture for Large-Scale FPGA-Based Trigger Systems
Real-time trigger systems must sustain high-throughput readout while meeting strict timing requirements for control signals. We present a scalable streaming readout architecture for a large-scale FPGA-based global trigger system with over 100 nodes, each implemented on an AMD Versal device. Each node includes readout firmware that integrates a 9.6 Gbps ingress link for trigger and timing distribution and a 25.78125 Gbps egress link for selected event data transmission, forming a distributed readout network. This system reduces the 40 MHz input collision rate to approximately 1 MHz through distributed trigger selection, requiring efficient event buffering, selection, and aggregation across nodes. The design separates a timing-critical control path from a high-throughput data path and employs pipelined streaming and derandomizing buffers to support scalable and burst-tolerant readout. This approach enables scalable, high-throughput readout while preserving the timing constraints required by real-time trigger systems.
Speaker: Tong Xu (Argonne National Laboratory (US)) -
129
KrIO: Standardized Hardware for Advanced Detector DAQ
As particle detectors advance to reach higher and higher data rates, the demand on frontend and readout electronics grows. Commercial FPGA development kits are designed to demonstrate device capabilities but typically do not expose the raw I/O needed to build custom data acquisition systems, leaving many experiments to choose between expensive custom designs and inadequate off-the-shelf hardware. We present KrIO, a low-cost, high-throughput FPGA platform built around the AMD Kria K26 System-on-Module. KrIO provides a standardized base for semi-custom DAQ systems that can be integrated with an experiment without advanced board-level engineering. High-speed readout is delivered through two Gigabit Ethernet ports and a four-lane PCIe interface, while firmware development is accelerated by AMD’s mature toolchain as well as HLS4ML to deploy real-time ML inference in the data path. KrIO makes it possible to build a high-performance data acquisition system with integrated real-time ML/AI on a limited timescale and budget, for experiments and detector R&D projects of all sizes.
Speaker: Noah Paladino (Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (US)) -
130
Development of a Streaming DAQ System for Beam-Size Monitoring at SuperKEKB
Bunch-by-bunch beam-size monitoring at SuperKEKB requires acquisition and processing of signals from bunches separated by approximately 4 ns. A silicon-based X-ray beam size monitor (SiXRM), installed in the high-energy ring, has demonstrated measurements of the vertical beam size with a precision better than 6.4 µm and agreement with the existing CMOS-based monitor. The present acquisition system, adapted from the Belle II time-of-propagation detector electronics, does not support continuous streaming. We are developing a data acquisition system based on the AMD RFSoC ZCU216 platform to enable continuous digitization synchronized to the accelerator RF and online beam-size reconstruction. The proposed architecture combines waveform acquisition, bunch identification, and FPGA processing to produce a stream of bunch-resolved beam-size estimates. A compact neural network implemented in the FPGA is planned to perform the reconstruction and reduce the volume of data transferred to the host system. This approach is intended to support studies of rapid beam-size changes, including possible growth preceding sudden beam loss events. We present the beam measurements that motivate the upgrade, the streaming acquisition and processing architecture, and the validation strategy using recorded beam signals and DAC-to-ADC loopback tests.
Speaker: Keisuke Yoshihara (University of Hawaii at Manoa) -
131
LEAP-FWD: Low-latency Embedded AI for Physics — From Waveforms to Discovery
LEGEND operates an array of High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors in combination with various integrated active veto systems immersed in a liquid argon environment, enabling an ultra-low radioactivity setting for optimal background discrimination. The scientific reach of the program and its ability to probe rare signals across a broad range of new physics can be further improved through implementation of a new AI-powered data acquisition (DAQ) pipeline, in comparison to the current pipeline which applies a traditional threshold-based hardware trigger coupled with offline data cleaning. The proposed work represents a unique opportunity to automate these efforts for the next-generation LEGEND-1000 experiment, which will produce petabyte-scale datasets over the course of its lifetime at the lowest energy thresholds.
A Genesis Mission Phase I effort, LEAP-FWD directly addresses these challenges by developing and demonstrating AI algorithms deployable on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) for real-time, low-latency event classification at the sensor edge. Building upon recent semi-supervised ML approaches that combine unsupervised affinity propagation with support vector machines, we will produce an advanced, hardware-optimized iteration for direct deployment on FPGAs towards operation within the LEGEND-200 experiment and the future LEGEND-1000 iteration. Success of this work will enable lower energy thresholds, reduced person-hours spent on data cleaning, and improved detection signal efficiency. A key part of this work is use of the PNNL-led high-level synthesis tool SODA, that enables a fully automatic path from AI/ML Python frameworks to efficient hardware implementations. These capabilities will lay the groundwork for an unsupervised spatiotemporal-aware anomaly detection algorithm that correlates signals across the entire detector array in real time.
Speakers: Richard Saldanha, Samuel Watkins (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA) -
132
State-Space Model as Full Triggering and Reconstruction Algorithm of Time-Series signal for Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy in the Project 8 Neutrino Mass Experiment
Project 8 measures the neutrino mass using Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES), which detects the cyclotron radiation of single tritium-decay electrons, digitized as a continuous voltage time series. The standard analysis chains independently tuned stages (short-time Fourier transform, background removal, track finding, event building, classification, and conversion to energy) with hand-tuned power and frequency cuts. We present an alternative ML approach using a State-Space Model (SSM) that works directly on the I/Q time series. We present the performance of our best model (S4D architecture, ~300k parameters), which has two jointly trained denoiser and regressor stages and outputs electron observables with a calibrated per-event uncertainty. In high-fidelity simulation of the Cavity CRES Apparatus currently being commissioned at UW, the model reaches 0.168 eV energy resolution, compared with 0.296 eV for the standard algorithm at the same 17.1% efficiency. At the same 0.3 eV target resolution it recovers about 50% more events, with a roughly 1.9 times lower input signal-to-noise ratio. Offline reconstruction of 10,000 events with the SSM needs about 2.5 minutes on one GPU versus O(1) hour on a CPU for the standard algorithm. The same model generalizes across the DAQ chain: As a trigger, it reaches 92.4% signal efficiency at 99.9% background rejection, even though it was never trained on noise-only data. Task-specific heads trained on top of the foundation model allow reconstruction of electron signals affected by scattering with the gas molecules in our apparatus, and improves the detection of early scattering in the signal compared to the standard algorithm, even though the foundation model was trained on scatter-free events. For real-time triggering, the SSM algorithm can reach the 20 µs latency target with O(10) A100 GPUs. We discuss paths to online operation, from combining it with the standard trigger to dedicated hardware.
Speaker: yao yin (University of Washington)
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125
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RDC 8 Quantum & Superconducting Sensors Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
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133
Investigating phonon response in qubit-based SQUAT sensors
The superconducting quasiparticle-amplifying transmon (SQUAT) sensor architecture has been demonstrated as a weakly charge sensitive qubit with resonator-free readout to continuously monitor the quasiparticle-tunelling-dependent parity of the qubit ground state. SQUATs are designed to be sensitive to both meV-scale phonons and THz photons, the former of which will be the focus of this talk.
Using a cryogenic MEMS scanning assembly capable of maneuvering a beam of optical light around the backside of a silicon chip, we can generate a source of pair-breaking phonons in the substrate below several SQUATs and observe the sensor response to this phonon source. Continuous wave measurements have revealed spatial dependence in the quasiparticle tunneling rate which closely resembles the phonon caustics expected for (100) silicon. Preliminary pulsed measurements are also ongoing to determine a representative pulse template for SQUATs. I will also discuss ongoing fabrication efforts in the SLAC Detector Microfabrication Facility (DMF) to leverage different materials and substrates for future SQUAT designs.
Speaker: Riley Carpenter (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University) -
134
G4CMP Modeling of Athermal Phonon Transport in Quantum-Acoustic Detectors
Phonon-mediated detectors have emerged as a promising technology for detecting low-energy particles, including neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) and dark matter. Coupling phonons with qubit technology, in addition to piezoelectric transducers, enables the realization of highly sensitive quantum acoustic detectors for such particle detection. An important consideration currently is to efficiently transport phonon energy deposited from the particle interaction to the quantum acoustic detector. In this talk, we present our work on the implementation of G4CMP to model phonon and quasiparticle transport and dynamics and investigate how superconducting geometry and relevant device parameters affect phonon transport and collection efficiency. We also specifically incorporated TeO₂ and LiNbO₃ for the first time in G4CMP. These studies will help us design highly sensitive quantum detectors for neutrino detection.
Speaker: Mr Ziyu Cai (Illinois Institute of Technology) -
135
First On-Beam Commissioning of SALER: STJ-Based Recoil Spectroscopy at FRIB
Direct spectroscopy of low-energy nuclear recoils following beta decay offers a sensitive probe for physics beyond the Standard Model, but requires detectors combining sub-keV thresholds, eV-scale energy resolution, and fast response times. The Superconducting Array for Low-Energy Radiation (SALER) addresses these needs by integrating Superconducting Tunnel Junction (STJ) arrays directly into a rare-isotope beam-line for the in-situ implantation and decay spectroscopy of short-lived radioactive ions. In this talk, we will present the recent on-line commissioning of SALER’s 64-pixel STJ array using a stable 14N beam produced by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). In particular, we will discuss the cryogenic and noise performance of the detector in the FRIB beam-line environment. We will also conclude the talk with an overview of the preparations currently underway for SALER’s first science run using 25Al, scheduled for early 2027.
Speaker: Glenn Richardson (Queens/FRIB) -
136
Scaling the sub-eV frontier: Microwave multiplexing for athermal phonon TESs
Continued advancements in sub-eV calorimetric measurements are being enabled through the athermal phonon detection channel, with applications spanning a diverse array of fields, including low-mass dark matter searches, coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, and quantum information science. While Transition Edge Sensors (TESs) have achieved the lowest thresholds to date, they face significant scalability bottlenecks due to the inherent constraints of conventional SQUID readout architectures. To address this limitation, we present an update on R&D to develop a practical, highly multiplexed, microwave multiplexer for athermal phonon TESs which can enable a dramatic increase in both sensor count and target mass, with a focus on sub-GeV dark matter searches as a target application. This work leverages advances from highly scaled mm-wave, x-ray, and gamma-ray TES systems, adapting them to the unique needs of low-threshold rare event measurements. We present a preliminary proof of concept multiplexed readout of background pulses, show measurements of acceptably low parasitic readout loading, and discuss designs and challenges for a next-generation athermal phonon detector at scale.
Speaker: John Groh (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) -
137
Progress on the Calibration of Quantum Parity Detectors for meV Energy Depositions.
Quantum Parity Detectors (QPDs) are charge qubit-based phonon-mediated particle detectors with the prospect of detecting meV energy depositions in the target. The detection principle is as follows: phonons generated from an interaction within the crystalline substrate break Cooper-pairs in a superconducting phonon absorber, increasing the quasiparticle density near the qubit junction, hence increasing the measured tunneling rate across the junction. These devices benefit from inherent multiplexability, non-dissipative operation, and exponential suppression of thermal noise with temperature. In this talk, we will discuss the progress of Cooper-pair box (CPB) QPDs, including demonstration of their operation, measurement of limiting backgrounds, and calibration results from phonons generated via 1.32 eV and 5.79 meV photons.
Speaker: Brandon Sandoval (Caltech) -
138
Fabrication Development and Results for SPT-SLIM, an On-Chip Superconducting Spectrometer for Line-Intensity Mapping
The Shirokoff Line-Intensity Mapper (SPT-SLIM) is a pathfinder instrument deployed on the South Pole Telescope, using on-chip superconducting filterbank spectrometers to perform mm-wavelength line-intensity mapping (LIM). Each SPT-SLIM pixel couples incident radiation from a feedhorn-fed orthomode transducer into superconducting microstrip transmission lines, which route the signal to an array of half-wavelength channelizing resonators; each spectral channel is read out with a lumped-element kinetic inductance detector (leKID). Realizing this architecture at the resolution and sensitivity required for LIM has required sustained fabrication development, including hybrid (multi-material) leKID processes and the integration of low-loss dielectrics compatible with low-temperature processing to preserve resonator performance. We describe the fabrication process flow for the SPT-SLIM spectrometer chips and present results from material and device characterization — including microstrip loss extraction and spectral bandpass characterization of fabricated filterbanks. We connect these lab-based fabrication results to the as-built performance of the array that was deployed and successfully operated during SPT-SLIM's first observing season, and outline fabrication-driven upgrades planned for the next deployment.
Speaker: Thomas Cecil -
139
Development of Remote Magnetic Phonon Sensing for Rare Event Detection
We report on recent progresses for the new remote magnetic phonon sensing approach to read out massive crystal calorimeters for dark matter detection. The detector consists of a single-crystal target, a magnetic phonon sensor made of an Ag:Er paramagnetic film or superconducting magnetic penetration phonon sensor (MPPS) film deposited on the crystal surface, and a separated SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometer positioned in close proximity. In the new MPPS, athermal phonons generated by particle interaction will be absorbed to the MPPS film and break cooper pairs, reducing screening current and changing magnetic penetration depth, producing a magnetic signal that is immediately measured by the SQUID. 7 eV baseline resolution was achieved with a 2mm x 2mm hafnium MPPS sensor, which will be attached to a diamond crystal for future testing.
This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. This work was supported by DOE Office of Science HEP Advanced Detector R&D program.Speaker: Geon-Bo Kim -
140
Learning Across Qubit Domains: Machine Learning Techniques for Superconducting Qubits
Superconducting qubits are highly sensitive to their local environment. This sensitivity enables their use in quantum sensing, but it also makes them more susceptible to environmental noise. Background noise, device defects such as two-level systems, and changes in the qubit operating environment can all influence device performance. As a result, models developed under one set of conditions may not directly generalize to another. This work investigates Normalizing Flows, a class of machine-learning models that learn the probability distribution of a dataset, and how well they can model distributions across different superconducting qubit measurements. In this talk, their application as an anomaly-detection tool is evaluated across multiple qubit measurement modalities, where the learned probability distributions are used to identify deviations from expected device behavior. Building on these results, the approach is being extended to study how models trained in one qubit domain can be adapted to different measurements and experimental conditions, including whether limited fine-tuning can improve adaptation without requiring complete retraining. More broadly, this work investigates how anomaly-detection models can remain useful across different qubit domains.
Speaker: Jehu Martinez (Illinois Institute of Technology)
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133
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08:00
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08:00
Morning coffee
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Plenary: Training and Early Career Presentations Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Quentin Buat (University of Washington (US))-
141
High Energy Physics Consortium for Advanced Training (HEPCAT)
Breakthroughs in science are invariably the result of novel measurement capabilities. Indeed, the invention of radically new technologies often arises out of attempts to probe beyond the known, and leads to advances in the hands of visionary scientists. In particular, major discoveries in High Energy Physics (HEP) are made using custom state-of-the-art instrumentation. Today, however, the deep culture of innovation in HEP is under threat as many of the scientists involved in detector R&D are reaching the end of their careers. Meanwhile, new cohorts of students have had limited exposure to the complete cycle of conceptual design, prototyping, testing, fabricating, commissioning, and calibrating complex instruments. In this talk, I present the High Energy Physics Consortium for Advanced Training (HEPCAT) a DOE-supported training grant since 2021. The mission of this consortium is to renew this critical workforce by training new students in instrumentation for HEP. HEPCAT comprises 8 University of California campuses, Caltech, Stanford, and 5 DOE labs, providing 2-year fellowships for graduate students. I also provide an overview of the HEPCAT organization and some examples of HEPCAT fellow research.
Speaker: Maxwell Chertok (University of California Davis (US)) -
142
Photon-to-Digital Converters (3D-PDCs)
Photon to Digital Converters (3D-PDCs) are next-generation digital silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) that vertically integrate a sensing layer of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) with a custom CMOS active quenching circuit and processing electronics. This design enables individual-SPAD control, reducing system noise and offering ~100 ps single-photon timing resolution. The 'fully digital' philosophy avoids the analog-to-digital conversions used in SiPMs, decreasing power consumption while supporting customizability. The project aims to be a drop-in replacement for SiPMs in a wide range of applications from quantum measurements to radiation detection, fundamental nuclear and high-energy physics, and medical devices. This talk will cover 3D-PDC design, current performance status, the outlook for future systems utilizing the device, and remaining R&D challenges.
Speaker: Amanda Lynn Steinhebel (Oak Ridge National Laboratory - (US)) -
143
Progress on the TESSERACT Superfluid Helium Detector
The TESSERACT experiment is a collection of detectors searching for sub-GeV particle dark matter using sensitive transition-edge sensors. The complementary target materials include superfluid helium-4, polar crystals, and semiconductor crystals, each focusing on various low mass dark matter models. Superfluid helium-4 is an interesting target because of its light atomic mass, three signal channels, and more. Using a dilution refrigerator, SQUIDs, and multiple sensors with resolution down to ~400 meV, we collect both atomic signals and quasiparticle excitations, allowing study of helium behavior and low energy excess. I will present recent R&D progress, detector modeling, and calibrations of the helium target as we look towards moving underground at Modane Underground Laboratory in 2028.
Speaker: Samara Steinfeld -
144
Kinetic Inductance Quantum Sensing Technologies for THz HEP and Dark Matter Searches
Kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) have demonstrated single photon counting in 14-6 THz. Current efforts focus on extending the range and performance of such photon counting KIDs over 1-100 THz (4-400 meV) range. Exploiting the nonlinearity of thin-film kinetic inductance drastically improves the signal to noise ratio. Kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (KI-TWPAs) offer broadband, near quantum-limited noise performance and nonlinear operation of KIDs providing in-situ amplification of low-amplitude pulses.The two kinetic inductance technologies allows for broadband signal-to-noise enhancements for a wide range of applications. Science applications being explored include probes of fundamental symmetries with engineered molecules, bridging the previously inaccessible far-infrared gap in direct ultralight dark matter detection and broadly far-infrared astrophysics and cosmology. This talk will review the state of the art for these kinetic inductance devices.
Speaker: Chris Albert (California Institute of Technology) -
145
Measurement of Large-Area Ultrafast Silicon Detectors for Embedded Timing/Imaging Layers in Sampling Calorimeters
Future high luminosity particle physics experiments come with many challenges. In hadron machines high pile-up rates will drive down the efficiencies of current calorimeters if timing information is not added to energy measurements. In general, detectors aspiring to be sensitive to flavor physics observables or flavor-tagged jets require hadron identification systems capable of distinguishing hadron species over a broad momentum range. A time resolution of the order or below ten picoseconds will allow for particle identification systems to achieve the physics goals with detectors located not too far from the beam axis. The introduction of low gain avalanche diodes (LGADs) to particle identification will improve time of flight measurements and calorimeter shower reconstruction, but special care has to be taken when adapting the technology for large-area detectors. We explore the feasibility of using large-area LGADs for a timing/imaging layer within a silicon-based sampling calorimeter, taking care to account for the specifications and specialized segmentation required for such a detector.
Speaker: Bridget Mack (Syracuse University (US))
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141
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10:20
Coffee break
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Plenary: Training and Early Career Presentations (Cont) Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Quentin Buat (University of Washington (US))-
146
ALICE ITS3 MOSAIX sensor measurements and developments for ePIC SVT
The ALICE Inner Tracking System (ITS3) upgrade introduces the first vertex detector based on wafer-scale, reticle-stitched, bent Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS). The concept is being adopted for the Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) of the future ePIC detector at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) based Electron Ion Collider (EIC). The MOnolithic Stitched Active pIXel sensor (MOSAIX), developed in TPSCo 65 nm CMOS imaging technology, comprises twelve Repeated Sensor Units along a 1D-stitched die, completed by a Left Endcap (LEC) and Right Endcap (REC) for data readout and powering. The LEC embeds on-chip eight high-speed serializers operating at 5.12 and 10.24 Gbps. The SVT will require a large-scale production and testing of MOSAIX-based sensors on approximately 400 wafers.
On-wafer yield characterisation with full validation of the multi-Gbps data links is the ideal approach to select sensor planes for thinning and dicing used for final ITS3 detector construction. It is essential for the high-throughput high-volume SVT production QC.
After an introduction to both ITS3 and SVT detectors, this contribution focuses on the development and results of the high-speed wafer-level testing approach: The use of vertical probe needles rather than commonly used cantilever probe cards allows for multi-Gbps readout (needle inductance reduced by approx. one order of magnitude) when combined with a custom high-speed interconnect chain. The goal of the developed test system and framework is to enable full chip characterisation and QC on-wafer without the need for destructive on-carrier PCB testing, requiring glueing and wirebonding of diced dies. Wafer-probing of single wafer-scale sensors thinned to 50~$\mu$m is demonstrated.
Characterisation and yield results of O(40) tested wafers will be presented: Powering, slow-control, biasing, on-chip data transmission, and pixel matrix performance are evaluated. The high-speed readout performance is assessed via dedicated Bit-Error-Rate and eye-diagram measurements. Results from this testing campaign inform design choices for the final production run of the MOSAIX sensor for ITS3, and highlight on-wafer high-speed QC required for future detector systems relying on large-area, high-bandwidth MAPS instrumentation.
Speaker: Gregor Hieronymus Eberwein (Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (US)) -
147
RTLswarm: a distributed, parallel simulator for RTL-defined chip networks
Designing networks of communicating digital nodes requires connecting system-level behavior to the RTL from which hardware will be produced. RTLswarm is a parallel, distributed, cycle-accurate simulator that incorporates Verilator-generated C++ RTL models into independently executing node processes coordinated through a messaging network. Software-defined scenarios, tracing, and analysis allow network-scale outcomes to be related to specific internal RTL behavior. This organization supports a short question–experiment–diagnosis–redesign loop as the RTL evolves, while the same simulator can provide repeatable system-level verification after the design stabilizes. We demonstrate RTLswarm using an existing digital-core RTL design in a multi-chip network and characterize its synchronization and throughput across multiple network sizes. The results show that RTLswarm sustains hundreds of synchronized clock ticks per second while preserving cycle-level behavior. RTLswarm therefore complements block-level verification and downstream implementation checks by providing a common environment for RTL design iteration, network-level diagnosis, and system verification.
Speaker: Kalindi Gosine (University of Texas at Arlington)
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146
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Plenary: A Long-Lived Legacy: Remembering Henry Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
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12:30
Lunch break
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RDC 11 Fast Timing 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
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149
Performance studies of a low-radius time-of-flight particle ID detector concept with silicon LGADs
In a magnetic field, particles with low transverse momentum (typically a few hundred MeV) follow a helical trajectory that curls within the detector, leading to one or multiple ‘loops’ of the same particle. Particle ID detectors are typically situated at large radii above > 50 cm, and cannot provide measurements for low-pTtracks.
As the sensor technology for precision timing of single charged particles has advanced, most notably by the developments in silicon low-gain avalanche diodes (LGADs) to improve timing resolution, fill factor and signal sharing, the possibility of implementing time-of-flight -based particle ID layers at low radii comes within reach. The PID layer can be designed to recover the reconstruction performance of curling tracks and thereby extend the physics to lower kinematic regimes. The low material budget required as small radii can be pursued by reducing the inactive mass of large-area LGAD sensors, or the integration of a gain layer in a thin monolithic CMOS sensor process.
Here we present an analytical description for looping trajectories and their consecutive hits in a time-of-flight layer with 15-50 ps resolution, and a Geant4-based simulation study of the impact of various detector parameters on the PID performance. We investigate the potential of this detector concept at future collider experiments, with a focus on PID and event start time (T0) determination. We also present an early study of looping tracks in the EIC ePIC TOF detector, and introduce initial designs for a Fast Timing Layer in a Belle II detector upgrade.Speaker: Jennifer Ott (University of Hawaii Manoa) -
150
Eos as the SNS
Eos is a currently operating four-tonne fiducial optical detector located at UC Berkeley, designed as a testbed for next-generation “hybrid” neutrino detector technology. These hybrid detectors exploit fast timing photodetectors, novel scintillators, and spectral photon sorting to distinguish Cherenkov from scintillation light, enabling improved event reconstruction and particle identification. Eos has recently completed a data-taking campaign with a water target, during which comprehensive detector calibrations were finalized and reconstruction performance was thoroughly characterized against detailed Monte Carlo studies.
Eos is planning to relocate to the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Lab in 2027. The SNS produces an intense flux of neutrinos in the 10s-of-MeV range, directly relevant to the studies of core-collapse supernova neutrinos. By deploying at the SNS, Eos will characterize reconstruction of neutrino interactions in a hybrid detector and measure key cross-sections for supernova neutrino studies. In particular, with water as the target, Eos can measure the charged-current cross-section on $^{16}$O – critical input for Hyper Kamiokande and other future large, oxygen-based neutrino detectors seeking to interpret signals from future galactic supernovae.
Speaker: Tanner Kaptanoglu -
151
Time-Domain Simulation of Microwave SQUID Multiplexers using Coupled Mode Theory
Microwave SQUID Multiplexers enable the simultaneous readout of many micro-calorimeter detectors through the use of frequency domain multiplexing via superconducting resonators inductively coupled to RF-SQUIDs. These resonators are frequency modulated through flux-ramp modulation, which sets the effective sampling rate of the detector. The slew rate of the modulation is primarily limited by the resonator ring-up time and the flyback transient of non-ideal flux ramps. Accurate time-domain simulations of resonators coupled to SQUIDs would push the limit of detector sample rates and allow fast design iteration of multiplexer devices.
We present an open-source, python-based framework to simulate the time-domain response of resonator-SQUID channels. This framework is built on a semi-classical Input-Output theory, equivalent to a classical Coupled-Mode Theory, but motivated from the Hamiltonian perspective. We validate this framework against a NIST multiplexer device, operated in a Maybell dilution refrigerator. We demonstrate reproduction of the steady-state S21 spectrum and power-dependent effects, and accurately predict the time-domain response with flux-ramp frequencies above 1MHz. This simulation framework provides an understanding of the fast time response of resonators coupled to SQUIDs, and enables the multiplexed readout of cryogenic detectors to be pushed to microsecond limits.
Speaker: Luke Wanner (Colorado School of Mines) -
152
From Thousands of CPU-Hours to Seconds: Fast Generative Models for Gravitational-Wave Populations
Gravitational-wave (GW) observations provide a unique probe of the underlying massive-star population, but extracting this information requires modeling how massive stars evolve into merging compact binaries across cosmic time. Forward population-synthesis frameworks that couple binary evolution to cosmic star-formation and metallicity histories are therefore needed to connect observed merger catalogs to the astrophysical parameters governing stellar populations. However, these simulations are prohibitively computationally expensive: exploring even modest grids of formation channels and astrophysical parameters can require the generation of hundreds of millions of simulated mergers and consume tens of thousands of CPU-hours.
We present PLANT (Population synthesis with Learned Astrophysical geNerative models for gravitaTional-wave populations), the first conditional generative modeling framework that replaces repeated population-synthesis sampling with fast neural emulators of GW merger populations. We first generate a large training dataset by running population-synthesis simulations across a broad grid of astrophysical hyperparameters, producing merger catalogs that span the Synthetic-Stellar-Pop-Convolve (SSPC) parameter space. SSPC combines binary population-synthesis predictions with models of cosmic star-formation and metallicity evolution to predict the observable distribution of compact-binary mergers across cosmic time. The model learns to generate merger populations conditioned on these parameters, enabling amortized simulation without rerunning expensive forward models. We train on approximately 3.75×10^8 simulated mergers and investigate two complementary generative approaches: (i) conditional flow matching (CFM), which learns deterministic probability-flow trajectories using optimal-transport-inspired paths, and (ii) score-based diffusion models, which learn stochastic denoising dynamics for population generation. Both approaches model the conditional distribution of chirp mass, mass ratio, and redshift given the population-synthesis parameters.
We benchmark against a Naive Bayes grid emulator baseline and evaluate distributional fidelity and posterior recovery on LIGO-VIRGO-KAGRA observed gravitational-wave data. The learned emulator accurately reproduces marginal and joint distributions across astrophysical regimes while achieving orders-of-magnitude speedups over direct population synthesis. This work establishes conditional generative modeling via flow matching and diffusion as a scalable surrogate for gravitational-wave population synthesis, enabling rapid generation of physically consistent merger populations for large-scale astrophysical analysis.
Speaker: Rhea Senthil Kumar (University of California, San Diego)
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149
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RDC 3 Solid State Tracking Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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153
Performance of AC-LGADs for ePIC time of flight layers
Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) are characterized by a fast rise time (~500ps) and extremely good time resolution (down to 17ps), and the potential for a very high repetition rate with ~1 ns full charge collection. For the application of this technology to near-future experiments such as e+e- Higgs factories (FCC-ee), the ePIC detector at the Electron-Ion Collider, or smaller experiments (e.g., the PIONEER experiment), the intrinsic low granularity of LGADs and the large power consumption of readout chips for precise timing are problematic. AC-coupled LGADs, where the readout metal is AC-coupled through an insulating oxide layer, could solve both issues at the same time thanks to the 100% fill factor and charge-sharing capabilities. Charge sharing between electrodes allows a hit position resolution well below the pitch/sqrt(12) of standard segmented detectors. At the same time, it relaxes the channel density and power consumption requirements of readout chips. Extensive characterization of AC-LGAD devices from the first full size (up to 3x2 cm) production from HPK for ePIC will be shown in this contribution. We will present the results on large AC-LGADs irradiated with 1 MeV reactor neutrons at extreme fluences and protons at moderate fluences.
Speaker: Dr Simone Michele Mazza (University of California,Santa Cruz (US)) -
154
Test-beam results for machine-learning based reconstruction of resistive silicon sensors
The advent of Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) and AC-coupled Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (AC-LGADs) as candidate technologies for four-dimensional tracking has moved part of the reconstruction burden onto the analog waveforms of the sensor, in which the charge shared between electrodes encodes the impact position well below the electrode pitch. Recovering that position is a continuous, non-linear inverse problem. Transient Current Technique measurements characterize this problem at fixed injected charge and high signal-to-noise, whereas a minimum-ionizing beam adds Landau fluctuations in the deposited charge under detector operating conditions. We report test beam results for full-waveform reconstruction of an AC-LGAD of 500um pitch read out on a $2\times2$ pad matrix, exposed to the 120 GeV pion beam of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and read out alongside a six-plane MIMOSA-26 telescope. The telescope is aligned, and its per-plane resolutions are calibrated in situ, giving a track pointing resolution of about 2.5um per axis at the device, so that the measured residual is the sensor response rather than a convolution with the reference. We then compare two analytic estimators, the parameter-free charge-imbalance formula and a fitted linear matrix inversion, with the topology-agnostic transformer developed for resistive silicon sensors. Over the full active pad, the transformer reaches a median total position with up to factor 3 improvement. Within the charge-sharing core, the three methods converge to the floor of this sensor at the achieved signal-to-noise.
Speaker: Don C. Wong (Brown University (US)) -
155
Radiation damage studies of ATLAS HGTD Preproduction LGAD sensors
Sensors and p-i-n diodes taken from the preproduction run of the ATLAS HGTD low gain avalanche diode wafers have been analyzed at the University of New Mexico following exposure to a range of fluences at the Fermilab ITA 400 MeV proton beam facility.
Speaker: Jiahe Si (University of New Mexico) -
156
ATAR-8: Design and Testing of First PIONEER ATAR Prototype
The PIONEER experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) will observe rare pion decay processes; in its first phase, it will provide a sensitive test of the Standard Model by measuring the branching ratio for pion decays directly into positrons ($\pi^+ \to e^+ \nu_e$) with a precision of 0.01%. We are developing a demonstrator for the active target (ATAR) system, a key novel component of the experiment. This 5-D tracker (3-D position, time, and charge) will directly observe the stopping points and decays of pions and muons, allowing the topology of each event to be determined. The device consists of an array of eight trench-isolated LGAD devices manufactured by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), each 10 $\times$ 10 mm$^2$ and segmented into 0.2 mm strips. After transmission through a 15 cm flex cable, the signals are amplified by FAST3 ASICs and recorded by high-density waveform digitizers (SAMPIC or HDSoC). The amount of non-active material is minimized, both within the ATAR and between it and a surrounding calorimeter. This talk will present the status of the mechanical assembly and electronic characterization of the demonstrator, which is being prepared for a test beam run at PSI in December 2026.
Speaker: Fred Gray (University of Washington) -
157
LGAD Gain saturation characterization with highly ionizing particles
LGADs have an internal gain mechanism that allows for a timing resolution on the scale of tens of picoseconds within a 50 micron active thickness. However, they have been optimized for use with minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) at institutions like the LHC. In this talk, I will discuss recent studies performed with the University of Washington's tandem accelerator on LGAD responses in the presence of highly ionizing particles. The studies consist of LGAD measurements of proton beams ranging in energy from 1.8 MeV to 14 MeV, with the lower energy protons stopping in the 50 micron sensors and higher energy protons punching through. Additionally, by rotating the LGADs about their central axis, a scan over the incident angle was performed. This data was then used to develop a model that directly relates the degree of gain saturation to the lateral projection of the particles track in the sensor onto the plane of the gain layer. The model will be critical for the PIONEER experiment, with whom this work was performed in association with, where the LGADs will be used to build an active target that must be capable of performing precise time, position, and energy measurements of pions as they come to a stop in the target as well as all decay products.
Speaker: Jessie J Yang (University of Washington)
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153
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RDC 4 Readout & ASICs Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Conveners: Lorenzo Rota (SLAC National Laboratory), Paul Keener (University of Pennsylvania (US))-
158
The Analog Photon Processor ASIC
Waveform digitization remains the baseline method for reading out large scale neutrino detectors consisting of thousands of channels of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). Because events in these detectors happen relatively infrequently, this method results in high cost, high power, and extremely high data volumes to extract a relatively small amount of key data. The problems are compounded when considering that modern PMTs with very fast risetimes require ever higher bandwidth to meet the Nyquist rate and ensure proper reconstruction of the waveforms. Analog circuits that capture key parameters of the waveform – such as peak amplitude, leading and trailing edge times, and total integrated charge – present an interesting alternative that can extract relevant physics data and drastically mitigate problems inherent in full digitization by exploiting the linear time invariant properties of multiple photoelectron pulse shapes. This talk will describe the Analog Photon Processor (APP) integrated circuit, being designed in a 65nm process at the University of Pennsylvania, to be used for photon feature extraction in next generation detectors.
Speaker: Adrian Nikolica (University of Pennsylvania (US)) -
159
Final validation of the ETROC2 for the CMS MTD Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) upgrade
The High Luminosity era of the LHC will present significant challenges for event reconstruction due to up to 200 proton-proton collisions per bunch crossing. To address these intense pileup effects, the CMS experiment is undergoing an extensive upgrade, which includes the integration of a new timing layer: the MIP Timing Detector (MTD). The MTD is designed to enable 4D vertexing by providing a time measurement for charged particles with a projected resolution of 30–60 ps. This is expected to substantially improve track-to-vertex association and object identification. The MTD comprises two distinct subsystems: Barrel Timing Layer (BTL) and the Endcap Timing Layer (ETL), which is the focus of this talk. The ETL uses low-gain avalanche diodes (LGADs) with 50 μm active thickness read out by a custom-designed ASIC in 65 nm CMOS (ETROC) to provide timestamps for charged particles in the pseudorapidity region 1.6 < η < 3. The pixel array on a single chip is 16x16 pixels, with each pixel measuring 1.3 mm x 1.3 mm. The fundamental unit of the ETL is hence defined by a single ETROC chip (21 mm x 23 mm) bump-bonded to an LGAD sensor array, forming an ETL hybrid. The ETROC2 is the first full-size, full-functionality prototype of the ETROC ASIC. Over the past 3 years, the characterization campaign for the ETROC2 and the corresponding hybrids has been successfully completed, including in a mini-system like environment with lpGBT and VTRX+ readout, validating the expected performance in the ETL. In this talk, we present three sets of new results: the performance of ETROC2 hybrids irradiated up to the expected end of life fluence at CERN IRRAD, the dependence of hybrid performance on particle incident angle, and wafer-level yield results from full-functionality testing of the final ETROC2a version conducted this year.
Speaker: Jongho Lee (University of Illinois Chicago) -
160
An Open-Source Waveform Digitizer ASIC
Waveform digitizers with a Wilkinson ADC are widely used in particle physics, but they are designed in proprietary processes: design files cannot be shared without non-disclosure agreements, and every iteration is costly. We are building a waveform digitizer ASIC with the IRSX architecture as its model, using only an open process design kit (GF180MCU) and open-source design tools. The entire design is public, fabrication uses low-cost community shuttles, and the full chip is rebuilt and verified every night from the repository. This software-like flow invites outside review and collaboration; AI tools assist within it, under human review. The first chip is a deliberately small design that exercises the whole flow: one channel with four sampling cells, each with a MIM hold capacitor and its own comparator, and 8-bit Wilkinson conversion of all cells in parallel. Bottom-plate sampling makes the switch charge injection independent of the signal and lets every comparator decide at a fixed voltage. We present the design and simulation results, including transient-noise simulation with open-source tools showing comparator noise well below one LSB, the digital-on-top integration of the analog blocks, and the staged plan toward deeper memory, more channels, and higher resolution.
Speakers: Keisuke Yoshihara (University of Hawaii at Manoa), Vikas Kumar (University of Hawaii at Manoa/ECE) -
161
Development and Characterization of Power-Management ASICs for the ePIC Silicon Vertex Tracker
The ePIC Silicon Vertex and Tracking (SVT) detector will be constructed with large-area Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS), called EIC-LAS. Serial powering will be used for the two outermost barrel layers and the disks (in both hadron and electron directions), utilising Shunt Low-Dropout (SLDO) regulators. This powering scheme achieves a minimized material budget; combining shunting of excess current and low-dropout power supply voltage regulation and enables multiple voltage regulators per EIC-LAS. However, it also introduces several challenges; such as, the floating “ground” nodes of each EIC-LAS requiring generation of local negative sensor back-biases. Unlike the ATLAS ITk scheme, it is not possible to bring a common high voltage directly from outside due to the high precision of this bias voltage required by MAPS-based detectors. Additionally, to reduce resources, slow controls should be consolidated into a single lpGBT e-link. Therefore, a team consisting of ASIC designers from RAL (UK), BNL (US) and LBL (US) has been developing an ASIC, called Ancillary ASIC (AncASIC), to provide power, bias, slow control and operational management for the EIC-LAS within the ePIC SVT detector. AncASIC comprises SLDOs for multi-domain power supply, a Negative Voltage Bias Generator (NVBG) for sensor back-biasing, and slow-control management for both the AncASIC itself and for EIC-LAS operations. So far, two test ASICs have been developed and fabricated in a multi-project wafer (MPW) run from March 2025 to validate the NVBG and SLDO functionalities separately. Test results of these prototypes will be presented in detail. Characterizations of voltage regulation, load capability, transient response, noise, and operational stability, including exposure to ionizing irradiation doses, were performed and will be discussed. Recently, an advanced test article, combining most of the ultimate functionalities, including multiple SLDOs, increased current output NVBG, monitoring ADC, temperature measurements, and internal AncASIC control block, was designed and submitted for fabrication in an MPW run (September 2026). The AncASIC test articles were implemented in a specialized 110-nm Partially-Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator (PD-SoI) technology that can handle positive and negative voltages. The design features of this new ASIC will also be presented.
Speaker: Shirsendu Nanda (LBNL, Berkeley) -
162
SMuRF and SPECTRA: scalable readout for superconducting sensors from the CMB to rare-event searches
The SLAC Microresonator RF (SMuRF) electronics is a warm readout platform deployed at scale in cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments, where it drives ~2000-channel microwave SQUID multiplexed (µMUX) transition-edge sensor (TES) arrays and now reads out roughly 100,000 TES bolometers on the Simons Observatory. Building on this foundation, the platform is being extended to a broader range of superconducting sensors, including dense on-chip spectrometer arrays for millimeter-wave line-intensity mapping (LIM), fast pulse reconstruction in low-mass calorimeters, continuous-wave dispersive monitoring of qubit-based sensors such as superconducting quasiparticle-amplifying transmons (SQUATs) and quantum parity detectors (QPDs), and pulse-driven control of single microwave photon detectors. I will review SMuRF and show recent results from operation with other sensing modalities, including microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) and SQUATs on radio-frequency system-on-chip (RFSoC) prototypes. I will then introduce SPECTRA (Scalable Platform for Experiment Control, Tone-tracking, and RF Acquisition), a multi-institutional effort with the Fermilab Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit (QICK) team, the University of Chicago, and partner groups across the CMB, LIM, dark matter, and rare-event communities. SPECTRA will be a fully RFSoC-based, multi-mode open-source stack running on evaluation boards, QICK hardware, and Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) carriers, targeting both the ~10,000 channels per readout line called for in LIM roadmaps and MHz-bandwidth monitoring of quantum sensors. The first planned use of SPECTRA boards in an HEP experiment is the SPT-3G+ camera at the South Pole Observatory, slated to deploy in 2028.
Speaker: Zeeshan Ahmed -
163
On-detector ML for Real-Time Waveform Processing: Applications to Dual-Readout Calorimetry and Drift Chambers
Future high-energy physics detectors must process increasingly complex signals under stringent constraints on bandwidth, latency, power, and hardware resources. We present a hardware-aware machine-learning approach for general real-time waveform processing in detector readout systems, with applications to drift-chamber cluster counting and scintillation/Cherenkov waveform decomposition in homogeneous dual-readout calorimetry.
For drift-chamber readout, an ultra-compact streaming neural network is co-designed with FPGA constraints for real-time primary-cluster counting, improving particle-identification performance over conventional peak finding while using very limited hardware resources for on-detector application. For dual-readout calorimetry, the same hardware-aware model architecture is applied to implement the ML method for real-time scintillation/Cherenkov (S/C) waveform decomposition, achieving competitive performance with conventional template fitting while remaining effective at reduced sampling rates and compatible with low-latency on-detector FPGA deployment. Together, these applications demonstrate the broader applicability of the approach to real-time analysis of one-dimensional detector waveforms.
We further discuss preliminary studies using knowledge distillation to transfer capabilities from large pre-trained time-series models into compact edge models for real-time waveform analysis, together with open-source workflows that accelerate the path from model design to RTL implementation. These developments provide a practical and generalizable route toward intelligent real-time waveform processing for future detector readout systems.
This presentation includes results from the following papers and related recent studies:
L. Wu, Q. Liu, M. T. Lucchini, J. Gonski, M. Campajola, and S. Moneta, “Machine Learning Enables Real-Time Waveform Decomposition for Dual-Readout Calorimetry,” arXiv:2604.26090 (2026).
G. Ancone, Q. Liu, L. Wu, and J. Gonski, “Leveraging Industrial Foundation Models at the Edge of Particle Physics Detectors via Distillation Learning and Hardware Co-design,” arXiv:2609.23385 (2026).Speaker: Qibin Liu (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)
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158
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RDC 6 Gaseous Detectors 103 (Alder Hall)
103
Alder Hall
Conveners: Babak Azmoun (Brookhaven National Laboratory), Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))-
164
MPGD developments at CERN’s Gaseous Detector Development laboratory (VIRTUAL)
Recent developments of MicroPattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs), associated readout systems and versatile simulation tools by CERN’s Gaseous Detector Development (GDD) team focus on pixellated readout, precise timing, readout technologies and material studies for next-generation gaseous detectors. We will report on the latest results in different research lines and the relevance for optimising detector performance including spatial and temporal resolutions. The presented developments are performed in close collaboration with CERN’s MicroPattern Technologies Workshop (MPT) for realising novel MPGD structures by advanced manufacturing techniques.
Pixellated readout can provide high granularity for track reconstruction particularly in high-rate environments or imaging applications. Within the GDD laboratory, both electronic and optical pixellated readout approaches are investigated. To optimise signal coupling in an electronic readout configuration, hybrid detector structures with pixel readout ASICs directly integrated with the amplification structure are developed. First results from a mechanically coupled µRWELL detector with a Timepix4 chip show promising performance and progress towards a fully embedded hybrid detector will be reported. In contrast to the high readout rates and good timing resolution enabled by electronic pixellated readout, optical readout of scintillation light produced in amplification structures is suitable for single event imaging at low rates or for operating in an integrated mode, accumulating light from many events to provide high granularity images. Optical readout with GEMs or Glass Micromegas is adapted for beam monitoring and latest results from muon, electron and pion test beams will be presented. In addition to camera-based optical readout, SiPM readout of MPGDs is being explored for position reconstruction and precise timing.
Complementary to the high spatial resolution enabled by pixellated readout, precise timing detectors based on the PICOSEC Micromegas concept are developed. This detector combines a Cherenkov radiator with a semi-transparent photocathode and a two stage Micromegas amplification structure to achieve MIP timing resolution better than 15ps. Recent developments have demonstrated the scalability of the concept by operating a tileable 10cm x 10cm detector module with custom readout electronics for precise timing. In addition to optimisations of the amplification structure, novel photocathode materials are studied with promising performance both in time resolution as well as improved robustness against ion back flow.
In addition to improving the spatial and temporal performance of detectors, work on a new generation of the Scalable Readout System (SRS) is in progress in synergy with colleagues from the DRD1 collaboration. A new generation of the readout system is being developed which integrates the proven VMM front end electronics. New experimental approaches for front end electronics are explored.
Transversal to the above-mentioned research lines, simulation efforts are ongoing to exploit, develop and extend state-of-the-art simulation tools including Magboltz and Garfield++. Recent work on these tools allowed for the modelling of detectors with resistive elements as well as large avalanches.
We present the latest status of the different research lines with new results and an outlook for next development steps. Where applicable, the relevance of the achieved detector performance for potential applications will be highlighted.Speaker: Florian Maximilian Brunbauer (CERN) -
165
An ultra-light drift chamber for tracking and particle identification with the IDEA experiment at FCC-ee
Future circular e+e− colliders require tracking systems that combine a low material budget, high spatial resolution, mechanical stability, and particle identification capabilities. As part of the IDEA detector concept, the drift chamber is being developed as a large (4m long and 4m in diameter), ultra-light central tracker based on a large number of thin wires and composite structural components, and operating in helium atmosphere . This contribution presents the design and the characterization studies of the components of the IDEA drift chamber. In particular, a mechanical design of the composite endplates was developed using CAD and finite element simulations, new material for the wires are under test and suitable gas mixtures are going to be studied. Measurements on beam test data collected using helium-based gas mixtures were done, and used to study the primary ionisation cluster counting technique for particle identification. A “full length” prototype of the IDEA drift chamber is in preparation, aiming to test and validate the chosen solutions for the detector design and to measure the performance.
Speaker: Nicola De Filippis (Politecnico/INFN Bari (IT)) -
166
Advancing R&D for High-Pressure Gaseous Argon TPCs in Precision Neutrino Physics
High-pressure gaseous argon time projection chambers (HPgTPCs) are being explored for neutrino physics because they combine higher target density with the good tracking and low detection thresholds of gaseous detectors. This allows for detailed reconstruction of the neutrino interaction final state, while also giving access to low-energy processes and rare signatures that are relevant for oscillation measurements and BSM searches. This talk presents an overview of ongoing detector R&D toward high-pressure gaseous argon TPC operation, with emphasis on micro-pattern gas detector charge amplification in argon-based mixtures. We report experimental characterization of a triple-GEM structure at pressures relevant for neutrino applications, including studies of gas gain and operational voltage envelopes across different gas mixtures. These measurements are being carried out at the GORG test stand at Fermilab and a new set up at IU, AGUILA, which can help define viable amplification and electronics noise regimes in conditions where higher density imposes stricter constraints on charge signals. These measurements can provide input to the optimization of high-pressure gaseous argon detectors for future neutrino experiments, including near-detector concepts such as ND-GAr in DUNE Phase II near detector upgrade. More broadly, this program shows how dedicated R&D can help expand the precision frontier in neutrino physics by enabling complementary reconstruction capabilities beyond conventional techniques.
Speaker: Francisco Martínez López (Indiana University) -
167
Commissioning and Performance Studies of the GEM Tracking System for the MOLLER Experiment at Jefferson Lab
The Measurement of a Lepton-Lepton Electroweak Reaction (MOLLER) experiment at Jefferson Lab will perform a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in polarized electron-electron (M{\o}ller) scattering, providing a sensitive determination of the weak charge of the electron and a probe of physics beyond the Standard Model. A tracking system based on large-area Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors will play an important role in spectrometer calibration, determination of the experimental acceptance, and characterization of backgrounds. The MOLLER tracking system consists of 28 large-area triple-GEM detector modules designed to provide reliable charged-particle tracking while operating within the demanding experimental environment. With detector production largely complete, current efforts are focused on system commissioning and optimization of detector operation, readout, and track reconstruction. Performance studies include measurements of detector efficiency as a function of operating voltage, characterization of hit and cluster properties, and track-based measurements of detector efficiency and spatial resolution. The reconstruction framework is also being developed and validated for multi-layer tracking and for identifying the expected response of individual detector planes. This talk will present the current status of the MOLLER GEM tracking system, results from recent commissioning and performance studies, and ongoing work toward integration and operation of the complete tracking system for the MOLLER experiment.
Speaker: Vimukthi Haththotuwa Gamage (University of Virginia) -
168
Quantifying and Correcting Optical Broadening in Gaseous Electron Multipliers (GEMs)
Optical time projection chambers (OTPCs) with gaseous electron multiplier (GEM) amplification are well suited for applications requiring fine spatial granularity for particle track reconstruction. OTPCs reconstruct tracks by measuring scintillation light produced in the electron avalanche, often assuming that the observed light faithfully reproduces the spatial distribution of charge emerging from the GEM(s). Comparisons between simulations and measurements, however, have shown that observed particle tracks can be systematically brighter and broader than predicted using this assumption. In this talk, we present laboratory measurements of multiple GEMs demonstrating that light produced within a GEM hole can propagate through the GEM substrate and emerge from neighboring holes, producing optical broadening. We then present Geant4 optical-transport simulations that reproduce these measurements, validating the modeling of light transport through the GEM. Using avalanche-light distributions derived from Garfield++, we simulate realistic GEM optical effects in full detector geometries, including reflections from surrounding detector surfaces. These simulations are used to construct position-dependent multi-hole point-spread functions across the imaging plane. We also develop deconvolution methods that correct for GEM-induced optical broadening in reconstructed particle tracks.
Speaker: Dustin Edgeman (University of New Mexico) -
169
Discussion: Results of RDC6 Priorities PollSpeaker: Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))
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164
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16:00
Coffee break
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RDC 2 Photodetectors: Fast timing, photon sorting & imaging 103 (Alder Hall)
103
Alder Hall
Conveners: Flavio Cavanna (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory), Shiva Abbaszadeh (University of California, Santa Cruz)-
170
HRPPD Photosensors for High Energy and Nuclear Physics Experiments
High-Rate Picosecond Photodetectors (HRPPDs) are the latest generation microchannel plate (MCP)-based photodetectors offered by Incom Inc. They feature a large active area (104 mm × 104 mm) and a low profile (1.4 cm thick), up to $10^7$ gain (enabling single photon detection), sub-millimeter position resolution, and a timing resolution approaching a few tens of picoseconds. This state-of-the-art performance is enabled by narrow MCP pore diameters (~10 $\mu$m), thin transfer gaps, and a high quantum efficiency photocathode. These characteristics promote improved spatial and timing resolution, make the HRPPD less susceptible to ambient magnetic fields, reduce ion backflow which degrade the photocathode, and reduce the charge load per pore, allowing for higher rate capabilities. We have tested sample HRPPD tiles intended for the ePIC pfRICH detector at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and report on these findings. In particular, the behavior of a HRPPD in a static magnetic field up to 1.8 Tesla, quantum efficiency scans as well as the single photoelectron timing resolution will be presented at the conference. We will also report on the first results of a recent beam test at CERN using a prototype of a Cherenkov Ring Imaging detector equipped with HRPPD photosensors.
Speaker: Bob Azmoun (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
171
Performance of the Eos Detector
Eos is a 20-tonne optical detector located at the University of California, Berkeley, with the primary goal of demonstrating the hybrid Cherenkov and scintillation light detection technique. The Eos detector features ultra-fast photomultiplier tubes, photon-sorting dichroicons, a four-tonne inner target volume, and a suite of optical and radioactive calibration sources. Eos data-taking started with a water target. Measurements with laser balls, gamma and neutron sources, directional beta sources, and cosmic-rays have been performed to calibrate the detector, characterize the optical response, and validate the reconstruction algorithms. Since then, Eos has extended the data-taking to scintillating target materials, including water-based liquid scintillator, LAB/PPO, etc. These datasets are being used to characterize the optical models and evaluate reconstruction performance across different target materials. This contribution will present Eos's water-phase performance results, as well as the current status and planned data-taking at UC Berkeley.
Speaker: Lu Ren (University of Colorado Boulder (US)) -
172
Spectral Photon Sorting with Dichroicons in Eos and Beyond
Photon detection has proved to be an indispensable tool for neutrino detectors,
which typically detect numbers of photons and their arrival times.
Photons also carry information about an event through their wavelength, polarization, and
direction, but often little to none of this information is utilized.
The "dichroicon," a Winston-style light cone comprised of dichroic filters,
allows detectors to use the wavelength information through the spectral sorting of photons.
This talk will discuss benchtop measurements of the performance of dichroicons,
as well as the deployment of dichroicons in Eos, a 20 ton hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detector.
Eos is a demonstrator for very large scale neutrino detectors, such as Theia,
and features 12 large dichroicons at the bottom of the detector.
In addition to the current status of the Eos deployment, potential applications
in future detectors like Theia will also be discussed.Speaker: Samuel Naugle (UC Berkeley) -
173
Investigating plenoptic imaging of particle interactions in scintillation detectors
Scintillation detectors are widely used in high-energy physics experiments. 3D position sensitivity of these detectors can significantly expand their applications. Inspired by plenoptic cameras, we designed a prototype system optimized for optical imaging under photon-limited conditions. We calibrated the system using a tunable light source at precisely controlled positions. The resulting images were denoised and downsampled to generate simulated photon-limited measurements. We demonstrate that both single-site and double-site events with O(100) detected photons can be reconstructed in 3D with millimeter-scale position accuracy. In this talk, I will discuss the system’s design, construction, calibration, and performance.
Speaker: Dr Jingke Xu (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) -
174
Characterization of Dielectrics for the DPHaSE Disordered Haloscope
DPHaSE (Dielectric Powder Haloscope SNSPD Experiment) is a broadband axion and dark photon search targeting QCD axion-photon couplings in the 10 meV-eV mass range. The haloscope makes use of dark matter to photon conversion on the surface of disordered dielectric powder, with conversion rate proportional to surface area. To achieve sensitivity in this mass range, our dielectric haloscope maximizes surface area using micron-sized particles in a disordered dielectric target coupled to a Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector (SNSPD). I will present recent work on the design of the disordered dielectric target, characterization of dielectric powders, and the veto system.
Speaker: Madeleine Carhart (University of Washington) -
175
First Search for Axions with the Orpheus Resonant Dielectric Haloscope
The Orpheus experiment has conducted its first search for axions in the mass range 65.3 μeV to 69.3 μeV. This talk will contain a description of the experiment and the results of this search. The haloscope serves as a proof-of-concept of this unique haloscope design, which employs dielectric plates spaced periodically within a resonant cavity. Its peculiar advantages will be discussed alongside the difficulties of making such a haloscope, and the solutions we have arrived at. Remaining challenges and potential for scaling the design to greater sensitivities will also be discussed.
Speaker: James Sinnis (University of Washington)
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170
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RDC 3 Solid State Tracking Great Room (Maple Hall)
Great Room
Maple Hall
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176
Performance Degradation of Neutron Irradiated 4H-SiC LGADs
In recent years, there has been a shift towards investigating wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors due to their advantageous material properties that could lead to better performing detectors. 4H-SiC has been the primary material of interest in developing low gain avalanche detectors (LGADs) for high energy physics applications due to their potentially higher radiation hardness and their reduced leakage current which can reduce the cooling requirements needed in collider facilities. This study focuses on recent progress in investigating the radiation hardness of 4H-SiC LGADs by irradiating devices with neutrons at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC) to fluences up to 1x1015 neq/cm2. Electrical characterization (I-V, I-V-T, C-V) showed a loss of rectification, increased device resistance, increased ideality factor, and a loss in voltage-dependent capacitance with increasing fluence indicating signs of defect generation which causes carrier removal. UV-TCT results showed gain suppression but also signs of certain layers in the epitaxial stack “failing” (its doping level changing significantly), indicating the need to monitor the degradation of each layer. The device physics of a neutron irradiated LGAD is presented in hopes of understanding the gradual degradation of its performance while also motivating the need to push for methods to improve the radiation hardness of 4H-SiC.
Speaker: Yashas Satapathy (North Carolina State University) -
177
Irradiation and development of silicon carbide sensors for precision timing and tracking
Silicon carbide (SiC) Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) are a promising technology for precision timing and tracking thanks to their potential for enhanced radiation hardness, fast signal response, and dramatically decreased dark current as a wide bandgap material. The BNL/LBNL/NCSU (Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, North Carolina State University) collaboration has successfully fabricated SiC devices exhibiting measurable gain, and we are now working towards an improved understanding of their material properties and development of additional fabrication techniques.
This talk will cover a recent irradiation campaign conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Tandem Van de Graaff facility. SiC samples were subjected to silicon-ion implantation and proton irradiation to investigate defect-induced carrier compensation and its impact on charge transport. We will describe the irradiation methodology, present preliminary results, and discuss their implications on SiC device design. Ongoing activities and future plans for continued SiC development will also be discussed.
Speaker: Abraham Tishelman-Charny (Brookhaven National Laboratory (US)) -
178
Thin-film detectors: status updates on InP, aSe and aSi detectors
Thin-film semiconductor sensors represent a class of particle detectors that exploit scalable deposition techniques to extend the range of active materials beyond silicon and to ultimately enable large-area, low-mass sensor fabrication on flexible substrates. The active material may be deposited as a standalone film, or directly onto a CMOS readout ASIC, enabling monolithic-like hybrid integration without conventional bump-bonding. This contribution presents an overview of ongoing activities carried out by UC Santa Cruz, Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Hawaiʻi, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Indium Phosphide (InP) is investigated as a crystalline benchmark material, whose substantially higher electron mobility compared to silicon is also of interest for fast-timing applications. Single-pad sensors and pad arrays fabricated on semi-insulating InP:Fe wafers at ANL have been characterised with red-laser TCT, and focused X-ray beams at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and Diamond Light Source (DLS), with beam test data analysis ongoing. A signal formation model based on electron drift and trapping is fit to the data from neutron-irradiated InP sensors characterized with a Sr-90 beta source at multiple temperatures. 2D and 3D TCAD simulations are underway to further inform the device physics and guide the transition toward InP thin-film deposition.
Amorphous selenium (a-Se) is investigated as a direct-conversion thin-film material compatible with room-temperature deposition onto CMOS substrates. Deposition of a-Se directly onto an ITkPix HEP CMOS readout chip has been demonstrated, with pixel-level performance confirming detection of X-rays and low-energy beta particles. Alloying of a-Se with germanium (Ge) and tellurium (Te) is explored to improve electron transport, and tuning of the band gap and hence spectral response. Multilayer stacking of a-Se and Se-Te layers is pursued as a route to broadband spectral coverage beyond what single-alloy films can achieve.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si) on CMOS is pursued as a further option, extending (or returning) the material comparison to a well-characterised amorphous semiconductor.Speaker: Jennifer Ott (University of Hawaii Manoa) -
179
Toward a U.S. Collaboration for 4D Tracking
Precision 4D tracking, combining fine spatial resolution with picosecond-level timing, has emerged as an important direction for future collider detector systems. Over the past decade, substantial progress has been made in fast-timing sensors, advanced CMOS readout electronics, precision synchronization, and heterogeneous integration. The next challenge is to bring these developments together into scalable detector architectures and, ultimately, large-area tracking systems suitable for future experiments.
In this talk, we will discuss a path toward a coordinated U.S. effort in 4D tracking, building on complementary expertise across national laboratories and universities. As a concrete step in this direction, a new multi-institution program involving SLAC, Fermilab, LBNL, Caltech, and UCSC proposes to develop a four-plane 4D tracking telescope as a common system-level validation platform, together with next-generation timing ASIC architectures and advanced hybrid-bonding technologies. The telescope provides an environment in which sensors, electronics, synchronization, mechanics, reconstruction, and integration can be developed and evaluated together under realistic operating conditions.
Beyond the specific program, the goal is to explore how such a platform could evolve into a broader collaborative framework for U.S. 4D tracking R&D, enabling additional groups and technologies to contribute and establishing the foundations for the large-scale collaborative effort that will ultimately be required to realize 4D tracking for future collider experiments.
Speaker: Ariel Gustavo Schwartzman (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US)) -
180
MAIA: A New Detector Concept for a 10 TeV Muon Collider
MAIA (Muon Accelerator Instrumented Apparatus) is a detector concept optimized for 10 TeV muon collisions, where the continuous decay of the circulating muons produces an intense beam-induced background (BIB) that shapes every aspect of the detector design. MAIA features an all-silicon tracker with precision timing inside a 5 T solenoid, surrounded by high-granularity silicon-tungsten and iron-scintillator calorimeters to facilitate particle-flow reconstruction. This talk will present the updated MAIA design and the full-simulation performance results from the recently released MAIA paper (arXiv:2502.00181). Even in the presence of challenging machine backgrounds, reconstruction efficiencies exceed approximately 95% for energetic tracks, photons, and charged pions in the central region of the detector. We will describe the multi-layered approach to detector design and object reconstruction that makes this possible, including shielding nozzles, timing and threshold selections, and background-aware reconstruction.
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176
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RDC 4 Readout & ASICs Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Conveners: Adrian Nikolica (University of Pennsylvania (US)), Lorenzo Rota (SLAC National Laboratory)-
181
Cryogenic Front-End ASICs in 65 nm CMOS for Low-Noise Readout of Charge or Light Signals in Noble Liquid Detectors
Brookhaven National Laboratory is developing CHARMS, a family of cryogenic front-end ASICs in 65-nm CMOS for low-noise readout of charge and light signals in noble-liquid detectors. Building on experience with the LArASIC chip, developed for liquid-argon time projection chambers and being deployed for the DUNE Phase-I far detectors, CHARMS moves to a more advanced CMOS technology and incorporates digitally assisted analog functions to provide greater flexibility, configurability, and robustness for future detector systems. Target applications include the DUNE Phase-II far detectors and the noble-liquid electromagnetic calorimeter proposed for the ALLEGRO detector in FCC-ee.
The first prototype, CHARMS250V1, is a single-channel ASIC with programmable charge gain from approximately 4 to 25 mV/fC and peaking time from 250 ns to 2 µs. The chip has been fabricated and characterized at both room temperature and liquid-nitrogen temperature, demonstrating excellent low-noise cryogenic performance. This contribution will present the CHARMS250V1 architecture and circuit design, together with results from its electrical and cryogenic characterization.
The liquid-argon calorimeter in the ALLEGRO detector introduces the additional challenge of resolving minimum-ionizing-particle signals of approximately 4 fC while accommodating input charges approaching 10 pC with 12-bit resolution. To address this wide dynamic range, a second prototype, CHARMS250V2, is being developed to extend the full-scale input charge range to 10 pC while preserving the low-noise performance demonstrated with CHARMS250V1. Two front-end architectures are currently being investigated to achieve this goal. The first approach (CHARMS250V2A) employs dual parallel gain paths, with a high-gain path optimized for low-noise operation and a low-gain path enabling large dynamic range. The second approach (CHARMS250V2B) utilizes dynamic feedback capacitance switching in the charge amplifier, providing low-noise performance for small input charges while achieving large dynamic range with acceptable noise for higher input signals. The design and expected performance of CHARMS250V2A and CHARMS250V2B will also be presented.Speaker: Prashansa Mukim (Brookhaven National Laboratory) -
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GAMPix: Grid-Activated, Power-Pulsed Pixel Readout for Noble-Element TPCs - First ASIC Results
GAMPix (Grid-Activated Multi-scale Pixel readout) is a low-power charge-readout system for time projection chambers (TPCs) that pairs coarse induction wire grids with fine pixel planes. The wire signal triggers the pixels of a rapidly power-cycled ASIC, which then integrate the deposited charge, enabling sub-millimeter track imaging with full energy reconstruction while cutting readout power and data volume by three to four orders of magnitude ($10^3$–$10^4$). Developed for GammaTPC, a proposed MeV gamma-ray telescope based on liquid-argon TPC (LArTPC) technology, GAMPix is broadly applicable to other large-volume noble-element detectors. We report the first proof-of-concept ASIC, GAMPixPi_v1: a $5\times5\ \mathrm{mm^2}$ chip in $130\ \mathrm{nm}$ CMOS with an $8\times8$ pixel matrix providing per-pixel amplification, correlated double sampling, and in-pixel digitization. First characterization immersed in liquid argon ($87\ \mathrm{K}$) demonstrates that the full signal chain operates as designed: microsecond-scale turn-on validates the power-pulsing scheme, and all key performance metrics meet specification.
Speaker: Bahrudin Trbalic (Stanford University) -
183
A Cryogenic Charge Imager for Continuous Operation in Liquid Noble Gases
Resolving the microscopic charge distribution of ionization tracks in liquid noble gases can reveal local energy deposition and interaction topology beyond a measurement of total energy. This information offers opportunities for improved reconstruction of X-ray and gamma-ray interactions, particle identification, and background rejection in rare-event searches. Sensitivity to small charge deposits can further reveal faint track segments and secondary interactions that would otherwise remain unresolved. Achieving these capabilities requires fine pixel pitch and low-noise direct charge sensing without relying on avalanche multiplication. Low power dissipation is also essential to limit local heating and avoid bubble formation during operation in the liquid.
We present a cryogenic charge imager designed for continuous operation. The first prototype comprises an 80-by-80-pixel array with a 50-micrometer pitch. With the pixel front ends continuously powered, the imager achieves an input-referred noise of <30 electrons at cryogenic temperatures using pixel-parallel correlated double sampling, while dissipating less than 1 microwatt per pixel. We will discuss the sensor and readout architecture, measurements of the first prototype, and the prospects for combining fine-scale track imaging with sensitivity to low-energy charge deposits in liquid noble gases.
Speaker: Peng Miao (University of Texas at Arlington) -
184
LArPix and Related Developments in Scalable Electronics for Noble Liquid Detectors
Future neutrino and rare event searches require exceptionally large detectors with high spatial-granularity readout technologies. Efforts in scalable readout systems for noble liquid detectors will be discussed, starting with LArPix. This custom integrated circuit (64-channel SOC, integrating CSA, 10-bit SAR ADC, now in 130nm CMOS) and associated scalable readout system architecture was developed to provide native 3D imaging of ionization in kiloton-scale liquid argon time-projection chambers, achieving targets for low-noise (<1000 e- ENC), low-power (<200 $\mu$W/channel), and cryogenic (down to 77 K) operation. This talk will focus on lessons learned from the production and operation of O(10$^6$) LArPix channels in prototype LArTPCs (i.e. 2x2 Demonstrator, ND-LAr Full-scale Demonstrator), as well as recent developments using LArPix as a platform for generic noble liquid detector R&D. Variations of the system design, including modification for high-channel-count photon detectors and novel techniques for adaptive data routing, will also be discussed.
Speaker: Daniel Andrew Dwyer (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)) -
185
Network Intelligence for Fault Tolerance is NIFTY
As particle physics sensor arrays expand in size and complexity, single-point failures pose a significant obstacle to achieving the next generation detectors at scale. Failures can originate from manufacturing defects or be induced by radiation damage or cryogenic temperatures during operation.
Artificial Intelligence paradigms in dynamic mesh communication, both on-chip and in multi-chip systems, hold the potential to enable highly fault-tolerant sensors and systems, addressing both manufacturing yield and the extreme radiation or temperature environments encountered in high-energy particle physics detectors. The same intelligent network architecture aimed at fault tolerance can be leveraged for lower power and higher bandwidth readout.
Radiation-induced single-event effects (SEE) are a major concern for hadron collider experiments, such as those conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Cryogenic system reliability is a significant concern for large liquid noble element detectors, such as DUNE. Wafer yield is a major concern for emerging wafer-scale monolithic sensors that will eventually be utilized at future electron-positron Higgs factory colliders.
Fault-tolerance, low latency, and low-power sensor readout are crucial for all of the above. In this project, we re-envision the nature of sensor readout and operation to address these challenges through on-chip intelligence. This presentation will describe the current branches of the NIFTY project: dynamic network routing for the LArPix chip employed in the DUNE LAr TPC, a network-based digital architecture for future 4D Pixel detectors, and spiking neural network-based network routers.Speaker: Dr Rebecca Carney (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US)) -
186
Towards a Multi-Kiloton Pixelated Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber
The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an upcoming long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that will feature a near detector complex and new neutrino beam at Fermilab and a far detector complex 1300 km away at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. While the designs of the first and second DUNE far detector modules have been finalized as liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) with wire and strip-based readout, the designs of the third and fourth DUNE far detector modules are currently still under consideration. One possibility is to still operate them each as 17 kiloton LArTPCs, but to upgrade them with pixelated charge readout, enhancing their detection capabilities. LArPix is a self-triggered charge amplification and digitization ASIC, which serves as the enabling technology for DUNE's liquid argon near detector and its ~14 million charge-sensitive pixels. LArPix can provide the scalability needed to handle readout of the O(100 million) pixels that a pixelated DUNE far detector would contain, but operation in detectors of this scale requires new mechanical designs and new multiplexing capabilities. This talk will present the status of a LArPix-based far detector module prototype that is currently being built and tested at the CERN Neutrino Platform, the status of the MADCAP multiplexing ASIC being developed to enable LArPix's scaling to a multi-kiloton module, and the path towards a pixelated far detector for DUNE.
Speaker: Roger Guo Huang (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (US))
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181
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RDC 7&8 Joint Session 107 (Alder Hall)
107
Alder Hall
Convener: Prof. Caleb Fink (Syracuse University)-
187
Vibrational Noise in a Dry Dilution Refrigerator for Sensitive Experiments
Low-noise cryogenic environments are crucial for operating sensitive quantum devices and detectors. The Colorado Underground Research Institute (CURIE) is an underground laboratory under ~200 m of rock that is being built to provide these low-noise environments. A dry dilution refrigerator (DR) is one technology that would be included in this lab, which offers ease of operation and reduced cost for creating cryogenic environments. These DRs make use of a pulse tube cryocooler to achieve this; however, these pulse tubes come with increased vibrational noise. The Maybell Quantum DR implements vibration isolators and an internal suspension system designed to mitigate this vibrational noise.
We present a characterization of the vibrational noise in this Maybell Quantum cryostat using several vibration sensors, including piezoelectric accelerometers and geophones. Measurements are taken across all three axes and varying temperatures. We provide a detailed description of the sensor thermalization, measurement procedure, and low-noise readout electronics employed. The collected vibration data are analyzed to determine the spectral noise characteristics in the 1 Hz to 1000 Hz frequency range. Transfer functions and correlations between sensors are analyzed to differentiate noise sources. To further disentangle noise sources, we present an initial triple axis SQUID magnetometer setup intended for future cross-correlation with the vibration measurements.
Speaker: Jackson Fisher (Colorado School of Mines) -
188
Environmental Dependence of Qubit Observables Under Controlled Tuning
In recent years, superconducting qubits have advanced significantly in both computing and sensing applications for HEP. This progress has brought increasingly intricate hardware configurations which strongly influence device performance. Qubit coherence, environmental backgrounds, and overall control fidelity together limit the capability of qubit-based sensors, improving these areas enables highly sensitive detection mechanisms. Environmental controls such as shielding, attenuation, and filtering therefore become increasingly important as devices scale up. While many best practices exist, no standard guide explains how individual components and their placement influence device performance. In this talk, we discuss a carefully constructed study spanning multiple runs and qubits, in which qubit performance metrics such as coherence and readout fidelity improved dramatically as we improved the shielding, attenuation, and filtering. We also discuss how far these results transfer across experiments and fridges
Speaker: Daniel Molenaar (Illinois Institute of Technology) -
189
Low-energy superconducting structure in stressed thin films and implications for quantum sensors
Superconducting thin films are central to many quantum sensors being developed for low-threshold particle detection, where device performance and backgrounds can be strongly influenced by quasiparticle dynamics and other low-energy excitations. Understanding how material properties control these excitations is therefore increasingly important as detectors approach the quantum limit. We present microwave measurements of niobium resonators fabricated from films spanning a wide range of intrinsic stress. Despite nearly identical superconducting transition temperatures and normal-state transport properties, the devices exhibit a strong stress dependence in both microwave loss and resonant frequency response that cannot be described by a conventional single-gap Mattis-Bardeen model. Instead, the response is consistent with an additional low-gap superconducting component whose contribution increases with compressive stress. These results demonstrate that material properties largely invisible to conventional characterization metrics (e.g. $T_c$, RRR) can strongly modify the low-energy electrodynamics of superconducting devices. We discuss how such low-gap regions may influence quasiparticle trapping and transport, and their potential relevance to understanding nonequilibrium quasiparticle populations and low-energy backgrounds in superconducting quantum sensors.
Speaker: Prof. Caleb Fink (Syracuse University) -
190
Cryogenic Detector R&D for Future Rare Event Searches
Low threshold cryogenic detectors have achieved unprecedented sensitivity through advances in superconducting materials, device architecture, and experimental techniques. Leading experiments such as TESSERACT aim to use athermal phonon sensitive devices to place new constraints on low-mass dark matter with a variety of targets. However, all cryogenic detectors observe a sharp rise in low-energy event rates extending to threshold, along with excess parasitic shot noise that degrades their fundamental resolution and performance. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as the “low-energy excess” (LEE), has emerged as a major limitation for next-generation superconducting technologies. In this talk, I will present recent work on understanding this background and the dynamics of athermal phonon sensors. I will also describe a multidisciplinary R&D effort aimed at systematically studying fabrication techniques, material science and correlating them with measured device response.
Speaker: Michael Williams (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) -
191
Nonequilibrium Materials Dynamics: A Common Challenge for Rare-Event Detectors and Quantum Devices
Increasing sensitivity of low-threshold detectors is revealing long-lived, history-dependent processes in cryogenic materials. Recent measurements increasingly identify preparation and material-state variables behind these effects: low-energy event rates can depend strongly on cooldown history and relax as power laws over long times; athermal phonon-burst populations can originate in detector substrates or deliberately created lattice damage; and mechanical stress and vibration can strongly modify event rates. Superconducting quantum devices show related phenomenology, including phonon-mediated quasiparticle bursts, correlated errors, and long relaxation following cooldown or mechanical perturbations.
These observations need not share a single microscopic mechanism. Together, however, they point to a broader nonequilibrium-materials problem: how energy, charge, stress, and other excitations accumulate in low-temperature materials and interfaces; how metastable configurations and defects interact; and how the resulting material state evolves through intermittent energy release or gradual local parameter drift. In rare-event detectors these processes can appear as excess backgrounds and changing detector response, while in quantum devices they can contribute to decoherence, correlated errors, and parameter drift.
We propose closer collaboration between HEP detector programs and BES materials science to develop controlled perturbation experiments, time-resolved diagnostics, and common benchmarks for history dependence, relaxation, spatial and temporal correlations, and recovery. Combining advanced detectors with qubits, resonators, and complementary phonon, photon, charge, strain, or other material-state sensors could help identify energy pathways and metastable states, establish conditions under which correlated relaxation develops, and guide mitigation in both rare-event detectors and scalable quantum systems.
This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-2024690Speaker: Dr Sergey Pereverzev (LLNL) -
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Discussion
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187
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19:00
Banquet Walker-Ames Room (Kane Hall)
Walker-Ames Room
Kane Hall
https://music.washington.edu/facilities/walker-ames-room-kane-hall
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08:00
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08:00
Morning coffee
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Plenary: HENP Projects and Community Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Jinlong Zhang (Argonne National Laboratory (US))-
193
Instrumentation Highlights in HEP ProjectsSpeaker: Charlie Young (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US))
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194
Instrumentation Highlights in NP ProjectsSpeaker: Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))
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195
Panel Discussion on HENP Synergies and CommunitySpeakers: Charlie Young (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (US)), Dr Michael Begel (Brookhaven National Laboratory (US)), Prakhar Garg (Yale University), Sven Vahsen (University of Hawaii (US))
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193
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10:00
Coffee break Alder Hall
Alder Hall
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Plenary: Award Ceremony and Close out Auditorium (Alder Hall)
Auditorium
Alder Hall
Convener: Jonathan Asaadi (University of Texas at Arlington)-
196
DPF Instrumentation Award 2026 AnnoucementSpeaker: Prakhar Garg (Yale University)
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Instrumentation Early Career Awardee PresentationSpeaker: Matthew Szydagis
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199
GIRA 2026 AnnoucementSpeaker: Jonathan Asaadi (University of Texas at Arlington)
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CENPA Guided TourSpeaker: Claudio Savarese (University of Washington)
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08:00