Thesis

Development and study of physics performance of high-performance timing detectors in the CMS forward proton spectrometer at high luminosity

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2015

• Academic Year:

  2015 / 2016

• Domain:

  Experimental Particle Physics

• Supervisor:

  Michele Gallinaro

• Co-Supervisor:

  Joao Varela

• Institution:

  Instituto Superior Técnico

• Host Institution:

  Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas

• Abstract:

  A new proton spectrometer (CT-PPS) is under joint development by the CMS and TOTEM collaborations at LHC, allowing to study Central Exclusive Production in proton collisions (p+p->p+X+p) and opening a new field of searches for Physics Beyond the Standard Model. It uses Timing Detectors to measure the time of flight of the two forward protons produced in the interaction point. Excellent timing resolution is required to suppress background from pile-up collisions. The subject of the PhD thesis is the development of the CT-PPS Timing Detector with a specific contribution to the electronics readout system, and the study with LHC proton data of its performance. Methods to control and minimize the pileup background will be developed and the CMS physics performance on the measurement of exclusive central jet production will be evaluated. The aim is to achieve the time resolution, rate performance and radiation resistance required by the spectrometer.