A crucial part of the PPRC group's activity is the development of detector technologies, equipment, and subsequent production of components for the experiments that we are involved in. This underpinning work relies on a strong engineering and technical support staff core of the group who work closely with dedicated research scientists and academics. The individuals involved in this core activity (in conjunction with academics) are listed here.
It is only possible to play a leading role in detector research and development if one maintains first class facilities. In addition to having excellent staff to design and build detectors, we have excellent workshop and clean room facilities that are described in more detail elsewhere.
We are currently engaged in research and development for the following experiments:
Low mass rigid structures are vital for the construction of modern vertex detectors and semiconductor tracking systems. In parallel with the detector R&D activity we are continuing to develop our expertise in the use of carbon-based composite materials for light-weight low-mass support structures for sensors, where we are able to draw on the considerable knowledge base and metrology facilities available at Queen Mary, University of London in the Condensed Matter Physics group, Department for Material, and Nanoforce consortium.
This section describes in brief some of the detector development work that the PPRC group has been involved in. All of these activities have resulted in state-of-the-art detectors that played a pivotal role in each of the experiments listed below.