GRK 2796:  Particle Detectors For Future Experiments - From Concept to Operation

• Subject Area: Particles, Nuclei and Fields
• Term: since 2022
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 460377837

The recent paradigm change within particle physics implies that the experimental efforts to search for new physics have to be significantly broadened and extended also towards smaller experiments. A decisive expertise of future experimental physicists therefore lies in their capability to design new experiments and to steer a project from the development phase to the actual data acquisition period. With the future research training group “Particle Detectors for Future Experiments – from Concept to Pperation”, we aim to educate a new generation of experimental physicists, that are not only experts in one particular technology, but also have a broad experience in detector physics and a good overview over modern technologies, standards and methods required today. The University of Mainz is known worldwide for its leading role in a wide range of experiments in fundamental physics. The PIs of this proposal make essential contributions to ongoing international experiments, such as ATLAS, IceCube, JUNO, Mu3e or XENON. The Cluster of Excellence PRISMA+ enables the design and construction of new detector components for numerous future experiments such as MAGIX, P2, or DARWIN. In particular, gas-based microstructure detectors, scintillators and calorimeter systems as well as FPGA-based trigger and readout systems are developed and constructed in Mainz and have been an essential part in various experiments. This large variety of detector developments is made possible by the PRISMA detector laboratory and the unique infrastructure available in Mainz. A major success has been the transfer of technologies between the different experiments. This philosophy of transferring technology will be a guiding principle of the Research Training Group (RTG). We propose a qualification concept of the RTG, which aims at a balance between the individual research project and a training and lecture program. This concept relies on four distinct pillars, which will be completed in the course of a three years PhD program. The most innovative pillar is a dedicated project work, where all doctoral students work in small, independent research teams to construct their own experiment at the MAMI accelerator. The second pillar is a specialized workshop program on modern detector technologies. A summer-school with special theory lectures for experimental physicists as well as a long-term research stay at a foreign research institution mark the third and the fourth pillar of the RTG. This four-pronged approach to impart both conceptual and practical expertise on particle detectors as well as presenting the fellows with an up-to-date view of unresolved issues in particle theory aims to build a bridge towards the conception of new experimental programs. This concept shapes a new generation of experimental particle physicists, who are not only specialists in their own field of research, but generalists that have basic skills in several aspects of modern detector technologies.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Michael Wurm, since 9/2023
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Niklaus Berger; Professor Dr. Sebastian Böser; Professor Dr. Volker Büscher; Professor Dr. Achim Denig; Professorin Dr. Lucia Masetti; Professor Dr. Uwe Oberlack; Professor Dr. Dieter Ries; Dr. Kristof Schmieden; Professorin Dr. Concettina Sfienti; Professor Dr. Stefan Tapprogge