arXiv subjects

M. Zavrtanik

Publications and source records attributed to M. Zavrtanik.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Study of neutron irradiation effects in Depleted CMOS detector structures

In this paper results of Edge-TCT and I-V measurements with passive test structures made in LFoundry 150 nm HV-CMOS process on p-type substrates with different initial resistivities ranging from 0.5 to 3 k$Ω$cm are presented. Samples were irradiated with reactor neutrons up to a fluence of 2$\cdot$10$^{15}$ n$_{\mathrm{eq}}$/cm$^2$. Depletion depth was measured with Edge-TCT. Effective space charge concentration $N_{\mathrm{eff}}$ was estimated from the dependence of depletion depth on bias voltage and studied as a function of neutron fluence. Dependence of $N_{\mathrm{eff}}$ on fluence changes with initial acceptor concentration in agreement with other measurements with p-type silicon. Long term accelerated annealing study of $N_{\mathrm{eff}}$ and detector current up to 1280 minutes at 60$^\circ$C was made. It was found that $N_{\mathrm{eff}}$ and current in reverse biased detector behaves as expected for irradiated silicon.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Tuning of gain layer doping concentration and Carbon implantation effect on deep gain layer

Next generation Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGAD) produced by Hamamatsu photonics (HPK) and Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) were tested before and after irradiation with ~1MeV neutrons at the JSI facility in Ljubljana. Sensors were irradiated to a maximum 1-MeV equivalent fluence of 2.5E15 Neq/cm2. The sensors analysed in this paper are an improvement after the lessons learned from previous FBK and HPK productions that were already reported in precedent papers. The gain layer of HPK sensors was fine-tuned to optimize the performance before and after irradiation. FBK sensors instead combined the benefit of Carbon infusion and deep gain layer to further the radiation hardness of the sensors and reduced the bulk thickness to enhance the timing resolution. The sensor performance was measured in charge collection studies using \b{eta}-particles from a 90Sr source and in capacitance-voltage scans (C-V) to determine the bias to deplete the gain layer. The collected charge and the timing resolution were measured as a function of bias voltage at -30C. Finally a correlation is shown between the bias voltage to deplete the gain layer and the bias voltage needed to reach a certain amount of gain in the sensor. HPK sensors showed a better performance before irradiation while maintaining the radiation hardness of the previous production. FBK sensors showed exceptional radiation hardness allowing a collected charge up to 10 fC and a time resolution of 40 ps at the maximum fluence.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Characterisation of analogue front end and time walk in CMOS active pixel sensor

In this work we investigated a method to determine time walk in an active silicon pixel sensor prototype using Edge-TCT with infrared laser charge injection. Samples were investigated before and after neutron irradiation to 5e14 neq/cm2. Threshold, noise and calibration of the analogue front end were determined with external charge injection. A spatially sensitive measurement of collected charge and time walk was carried out with Edge-TCT, showing a uniform charge collection and output delay in pixel centre. On pixel edges charge sharing was observed due to finite beam width resulting in smaller signals and larger output delay. Time walk below 25 ns was observed for charge above 2000 electrons at a threshold above the noise level. Time walk measurement with external charge injection yielded identical results.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Measurements with silicon detectors at extreme neutron fluences

Thin pad detectors made from 75 $μ$m thick epitaxial silicon on low resistivity substrate were irradiated with reactor neutrons to fluences from 2.5$\times 10^{16}$ n/cm$^2$ to 1$\times 10^{17}$ n/cm$^2$. Edge-TCT measurements showed that the active detector thickness is limited to the epitaxial layer and does not extend into the low resistivity substrate even after the highest fluence. Detector current was measured under reverse and forward bias. The forward current was higher than the reverse at the same voltage but the difference gets smaller with increasing fluence. Rapid increase of current (breakdown) above ~ 700 V under reverse bias was observed. An annealing study at 60$^\circ$C was made to 1200 minutes of accumulated annealing time. It showed that the reverse current anneals with similar time constants as measured at lower fluences. A small increase of forward current due to annealing was seen. Collected charge was measured with electrons from $^{90}$Sr source in forward and reverse bias configurations. Under reverse bias the collected charge increased linearly with bias voltage up to 6000 electrons at 2.5$\times 10^{16}$ n/cm$^2$ and 3000 electrons at 1$\times 10^{17}$ n/cm$^2$. Rapid increase of noise was measured above $\sim$ 700 V reverse bias due to breakdown resulting in worse S/N ratio. At low bias voltages slightly more charge is measured under forward bias compared to reverse. However better S/N is achieved under reverse bias. Effective trapping times were estimated from charge collection measurements under forward bias showing that at high fluences they are much longer than values extrapolated from low fluence measurements - at 1$\times 10^{17}$ n/cm$^2$ a factor of 6 larger value was measured.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Effect of deep gain layer and Carbon infusion on LGAD radiation hardness

The properties of 50 um thick Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) detectors manufactured by Hamamatsu photonics (HPK) and Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) were tested before and after irradiation with 1 MeV neutrons. Their performance were measured in charge collection studies using b-particles from a 90Sr source and in capacitance-voltage scans (C-V) to determine the bias to deplete the gain layer. Carbon infusion to the gain layer of the sensors was tested by FBK in the UFSD3 production. HPK instead produced LGADs with a very thin, highly doped and deep multiplication layer. The sensors were exposed to a neutron fluence from 4e14 neq/cm2 to 4e15 neq/cm2. The collected charge and the timing resolution were measured as a function of bias voltage at -30C, furthermore the profile of the capacitance over voltage of the sensors was measured.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Properties of HPK UFSD after neutron irradiation up to 6e15 n/cm2

In this paper we report results from a neutron irradiation campaign of Ultra-Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD) with fluences of 1e14, 3e14, 6e14, 1e15, 3e15, 6e15 n/cm2. The UFSD used in this study are circular 50 micro-meter thick Low-Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGAD), with a 1.0 mm diameter active area. They have been produced by Hamamatsu Photonics (HPK), Japan, with pre-radiation internal gain in the range 10-100 depending on the bias voltage. The sensors were tested pre-irradiation and post-irradiation with minimum ionizing particle (MIPs) from a 90Sr based \b{eta}-source. The leakage current, internal gain and the timing resolution were measured as a function of bias voltage at -20C and -30C. The timing resolution was extracted from the time difference with a second calibrated UFSD in coincidence, using the constant fraction method for both. The dependence of the gain upon the irradiation fluence is consistent with the concept of acceptor removal and the gain decreases from about 80 pre-irradiation to 7 after a fluence of 6e15 n/cm2. Consequently, the timing resolution was found to deteriorate from 20 ps to 50 ps. The results indicate that the most accurate time resolution is obtained at a value of the constant fraction discriminator (CFD) threshold used to determine the time of arrival varying with fluence, from 10% pre-radiation to 60% at the highest fluence. Key changes to the pulse shape induced by irradiation, i.e. (i) a reduce sensitivity of the pulse shape on the initial non-uniform charge deposition, (ii) the shortening of the rise time and (iii) the reduced pulse height, were compared with the WF2 simulation program and found to be in agreement.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

Timing performance of small cell 3D silicon detectors

A silicon 3D detector with a single cell of 50x50 um2 was produced and evaluated for timing applications. The measurements of time resolution were performed for 90Sr electrons with dedicated electronics used also for determining time resolution of Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs). The measurements were compared to those with LGADs and also simulations. The studies showed that the dominant contribution to the timing resolution comes from the time walk originating from different induced current shapes for hits over the cell area. This contribution decreases with higher bias voltages, lower temperatures and smaller cell sizes. It is around 30 ps for a 3D detector of 50x50 um2 cell at 150 V and -20C, which is comparable to the time walk due to Landau fluctuations in LGADs. It even improves for inclined tracks and larger pads composed of multiple cells. A good agreement between measurements and simulations was obtained, thus validating the simulation results.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Comparison of 35 and 50 μm thin HPK UFSD after neutron irradiation up to 6*10^15 neq/cm^2

We report results from the testing of 35 μm thick Ultra-Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD produced by Hamamatsu Photonics (HPK), Japan and the comparison of these new results to data reported before on 50 μm thick UFSD produced by HPK. The 35 μm thick sensors were irradiated with neutrons to fluences of 0, 1*10^14, 1*10^15, 3*10^15, 6*10^15 neq/cm^2. The sensors were tested pre-irradiation and post-irradiation with minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) from a 90Sr \b{eta}-source. The leakage current, capacitance, internal gain and the timing resolution were measured as a function of bias voltage at -20C and -27C. The timing resolution was extracted from the time difference with a second calibrated UFSD in coincidence, using the constant fraction method for both. Within the fluence range measured, the advantage of the 35 μm thick UFSD in timing accuracy, bias voltage and power can be established.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Charge collection properties of irradiated depleted CMOS pixel test structures

Edge-TCT and charge collection measurements with passive test structures made in LFoundry 150 nm CMOS process on p-type substrate with initial resistivity of over 3 k$Ω$cm are presented. Measurements were made before and after irradiation with reactor neutrons up to 2$\cdot$10$^{15}$ n$_{\mathrm{eq}}$/cm$^2$. Two sets of devices were investigated: unthinned (700 $μ$m) with substrate biased through the implant on top and thinned (200 $μ$m) with processed and metallised back plane. Depleted depth was estimated with Edge-TCT and collected charge was measured with $^{90}$Sr source using an external amplifier with 25 ns shaping time. Depleted depth at given bias voltage decreased with increasing neutron fluence but it was still larger than 70 $μ$m at 250 V after the highest fluence. After irradiation much higher collected charge was measured with thinned detectors with processed back plane although the same depleted depth was observed with Edge-TCT. Most probable value of collected charge of over 5000 electrons was measured also after irradiation to 2$\cdot$10$^{15}$ n$_{\mathrm{eq}}$/cm$^2$. This is sufficient to ensure successful operation of these detectors at the outer layer of the pixel detector in the ATLAS experiment at the upgraded HL-LHC.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Radiation Hardness of Thin Low Gain Avalanche Detectors

Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGAD) are based on a n++-p+-p-p++ structure where an appropriate doping of the multiplication layer (p+) leads to high enough electric fields for impact ionization. Gain factors of few tens in charge significantly improve the resolution of timing measurements, particularly for thin detectors, where the timing performance was shown to be limited by Landau fluctuations. The main obstacle for their operation is the decrease of gain with irradiation, attributed to effective acceptor removal in the gain layer. Sets of thin sensors were produced by two different producers on different substrates, with different gain layer doping profiles and thicknesses (45, 50 and 80 um). Their performance in terms of gain/collected charge and leakage current was compared before and after irradiation with neutrons and pions up to the equivalent fluences of 5e15 cm-2. Transient Current Technique and charge collection measurements with LHC speed electronics were employed to characterize the detectors. The thin LGAD sensors were shown to perform much better than sensors of standard thickness (~300 um) and offer larger charge collection with respect to detectors without gain layer for fluences <2e15 cm-2. Larger initial gain prolongs the beneficial performance of LGADs. Pions were found to be more damaging than neutrons at the same equivalent fluence, while no significant difference was found between different producers. At very high fluences and bias voltages the gain appears due to deep acceptors in the bulk, hence also in thin standard detectors.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Charge collection properties in an irradiated pixel sensor built in a thick-film HV-SOI process

Investigation of HV-CMOS sensors for use as a tracking detector in the ATLAS experiment at the upgraded LHC (HL-LHC) has recently been an active field of research. A potential candidate for a pixel detector built in Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology has already been characterized in terms of radiation hardness to TID (Total Ionizing Dose) and charge collection after a moderate neutron irradiation. In this article we present results of an extensive irradiation hardness study with neutrons up to a fluence of 1x10e16 neq/cm2. Charge collection in a passive pixelated structure was measured by Edge Transient Current Technique (E-TCT). The evolution of the effective space charge concentration was found to be compliant with the acceptor removal model, with the minimum of the space charge concentration being reached after 5x10e14 neq/cm2. An investigation of the in-pixel uniformity of the detector response revealed parasitic charge collection by the epitaxial silicon layer characteristic for the SOI design. The results were backed by a numerical simulation of charge collection in an equivalent detector layout.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Beam test results of a 16 ps timing system based on ultra-fast silicon detectors

In this paper we report on the timing resolution of the first production of 50 micro-meter thick Ultra-Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD) as obtained in a beam test with pions of 180 GeV/c momentum. UFSD are based on the Low-Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGAD) design, employing n-on-p silicon sensors with internal charge multiplication due to the presence of a thin, low-resistivity diffusion layer below the junction. The UFSD used in this test belongs to the first production of thin (50 μm) sensors, with an pad area of 1.4 mm2. The gain was measured to vary between 5 and 70 depending on the bias voltage. The experimental setup included three UFSD and a fast trigger consisting of a quartz bar readout by a SiPM. The timing resolution, determined comparing the time of arrival of the particle in one or more UFSD and the trigger counter, for single UFSD was measured to be 35 ps for a bias voltage of 200 V, and 26 ps for a bias voltage of 240 V, and for the combination of 3 UFSD to be 20 ps for a bias voltage of 200 V, and 15 ps for a bias voltage of 240 V.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2007

Measurement of Aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory

The air fluorescence detectors (FDs) of the Pierre Auger Observatory are vital for the determination of the air shower energy scale. To compensate for variations in atmospheric conditions that affect the energy measurement, the Observatory operates an array of monitoring instruments to record hourly atmospheric conditions across the detector site, an area exceeding 3,000 square km. This paper presents results from four instruments used to characterize the aerosol component of the atmosphere: the Central Laser Facility (CLF), which provides the FDs with calibrated laser shots; the scanning backscatter lidars, which operate at three FD sites; the Aerosol Phase Function monitors (APFs), which measure the aerosol scattering cross section at two FD locations; and the Horizontal Attenuation Monitor (HAM), which measures the wavelength dependence of aerosol attenuation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The Lidar System of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargue, Argentina, is designed to study the origin of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays with energies above 10^18 eV. The energy calibration of the detector is based on a system of four air fluorescence detectors. To obtain reliable calorimetric information from the fluorescence stations, the atmospheric conditions at the experiment's site need to be monitored continuously during operation. One of the components of the observatory's atmospheric monitoring system is a set of four elastic backscatter lidar stations, one station at each of the fluorescence detector sites. This paper describes the design, current status, standard operation procedure, and performance of the lidar system of the Pierre Auger Observatory.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Pierre Auger Atmosphere-Monitoring Lidar System

The fluorescence-detection techniques of cosmic-ray air-shower experiments require precise knowledge of atmospheric properties to reconstruct air-shower energies. Up to now, the atmosphere in desert-like areas was assumed to be stable enough so that occasional calibration of atmospheric attenuation would suffice to reconstruct shower profiles. However, serious difficulties have been reported in recent fluorescence-detector experiments causing systematic errors in cosmic ray spectra at extreme energies. Therefore, a scanning backscatter lidar system has been constructed for the Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargue, Argentina, where on-line atmospheric monitoring will be performed. One lidar system is already deployed at the Los Leones fluorescence detector site and the second one is currently (April 2003) under construction at the Coihueco site. Next to the established ones, a novel analysis method with assumption on horizontal invariance, using multi-angle measurements is shown to unambiguously measure optical depth, as well as absorption and backscatter coefficient.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Scanning Lidar Based Atmospheric Monitoring for Fluorescent Detectors of Cosmic Showers

Measurements of the cosmic-ray air-shower fluorescence at extreme energies require precise knowledge of atmospheric conditions. The absolute calibration of the cosmic-ray energy depends on the absorption of fluorescence light between its origin and point of its detection. To reconstruct basic atmospheric parameters we review a novel analysis method based on two- and multi-angle measurements performed by the scanning backscatter lidar system. Applied inversion methods, optical depth, absorption and backscatter coefficient, as well as other parameters that enter the lidar equation are discussed in connection to the attenuation of the light traveling from shower to fluorescence detector.

hep-ex↗