High Performance Optical Detectors for Calorimetry

40255 November 6, 1996 Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. Silicon avalanche photodiodes (APD) have been studied extensively as a photodetector candidate for the electromagnetic calorimeter readout of the compact muon solenoid (CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The present detectors under consideration do not provide satisfactory combination of parameters for the intended applications. This project will develop an optimum large-area APD photodetector which may be mass produced for the CMS detector and other high energy physics detectors. The detector will be optimized with respect to spectral response, excess noise factor, response to charged particles, and radiation hardness. Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee: Millions of detectors will be needed for the CMS and Fermilab high energy physics detectors planned for construction, as well as for other modern particle physics facilities. Also, improved APDs will find numerous other uses in industrial applications, such as medical imaging, and research applications. The market is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.