Microfabrication of finely segmented Silicon sensors with charge multiplication for next generation LIGHt sources and particle Trackers

Radiation imaging is a powerful and essential tool for branches of science. Recently, several imaging facilities have been established and upgraded, e.g., the European XFEL (X-ray Free Electron Laser) and the Light Coherent Light Source at Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre (SLAC). These facilities are vital decoders for scientists to analyse and biomolecules, biological entities, material structures and natural processes, and to develop new medicines, novel therapies, renewable energy, and sustainable industry. The next generation XFELs, however, will require sensors that are beyond the current state-of-the-art. In Si-LighT, we will develop a new sensor for the new XFELs. Our team at SINTEF, the University of Oslo and SLAC will carry out a full R&D program of a new silicon-based radiation sensor to address the foreseen requirements. Our primary goal is to realise a finely segmented soft X-ray detector with optimized multiplication of generated charge upon the incidence of X-ray photons. The combination of fine segmentation and signal amplification will allow the detection of X-ray energies below 250 eV and offer an ultra-high spatial resolution. The emerging requirements for instrumentation in high energy physics experiments will also be addressed. Namely, high timing resolution, radiation tolerance and low material budget. This will be tackled through the investigation of thin silicon sensors and other new microfabrication techniques. Si-LighT joins a team of scientists from material science, device engineering and nuclear instrumentation to ensure the delivery of a complete sensor development and an in-depth physical understanding. New microtechnology techniques and expertise will be established through an international collaboration and educating a PhD student, who will have the unique opportunity to receive on-the job training from world experts and education from the University of Oslo.

Si-LighT concerns basic research and generation of new knowledge in microfabrication and microtechnology to provide a suite of innovative silicon sensors that will bring major impacts in several fields like high energy physics, material science, health, biology, and nanoscience. The generated knowledge platform and novel devices will bring ground-breaking science in medicine, physics, renewable energy, and clean industry. Si-LighT aims to meet the latest challenges in instrumentation for the next generation X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) for the detection of soft X-rays and 4D particle trackers worldwide. A new silicon sensor, namely finely segmented position sensitive silicon radiation detectors with internal charge multiplication will be realised to address these needs, primarily, fast timing information and sensitivity. The proposed sensors will be able to detect X-ray of ultra-low energies for XFEL and to address the needs for material reduction and fast timing response in high energy physics. The project joins together scientists from three core disciplines to realise these ambitious goals. The team comprises of the long track record in microfabrication of radiation sensors at SINTEF, the world-renowned expertise in semiconductor physics at the LENS group at UiO, and two members from the application fields: Stanford Linear Accelerator and CERN through the High energy physics group at UiO. This combination will form the necessary foundation to deliver high quality research and new knowledge of a novel detector type. Specifically, Si-LighT will employ a wide range of novel techniques in microtechnology to deliver near zero dead area, controlled charge multiplication to achieve the necessary signal generation, and fabrication on ultra-thin substrates beyond the current state-of-the-art. Furthermore, the strong, multidisciplinary team in Norway and a prestigious institute in the USA, will be a solid and stimulating environment to educate a PhD student at UiO.