Detectors in High-Energy Physics Experiments: Underlying Physics, Working Principles, and Realizations

by Gerald Eigen

Overview

This open access textbook explores the physics of detectors used in high-energy physics and heavy ion physics experiments. In addition to presenting fundamental principles, physics laws, and working techniques, the author delves into various subdetectors, summarizing their properties. These include gaseous detectors, semiconductor vertex detectors, calorimeters, photodetectors, and complete experimental setups. The aim is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of state-of-the-art technologies in the field.

Intended for master's and early PhD students in physics, the book requires a basic knowledge of mechanics, quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, statistics, and particle physics. Each chapter is enriched with exercises designed to deepen the reader's understanding of the material.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031673368
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	08/05/2025
Series:	Graduate Texts in Physics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	205 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Gerald Eigen is a Full Professor of Physics at the University of Bergen. He earned his Diplom in 1980 and PhD in 1984, after which he spent ten years at Caltech as a Lynen Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, and Heisenberg Professor. During his tenure at Caltech, he contributed to the Mark III, SLD, CLEO II, and BABAR experiments. Upon relocating to Bergen, he continued as a visiting faculty member at Caltech until 2017, after which he became a regular visitor.

At CERN, Prof. Eigen joined the DELPHI experiment and later worked on the SuperB experiment and the ATLAS experiment following the completion of BABAR and DELPHI. Over the years, he has taught the course "Experimental Techniques in Particle and Nuclear Physics" for master's students.

Prof. Eigen has conducted extensive R&D on optical readout of scintillators (including inorganic crystals, plastic scintillators, and aerogel) using PMTs, PDs, APDs, and SiPMs. His work includes building and testing calorimeter modules (liquid argon, CsI, LYSO), constructing a straw chamber, repairing a drift chamber, and testing wavelength shifters.

He has been a beneficiary in several EU networks: EUDET, AIDA, AIDA2020, and AIDAinnova. From 2012 to 2017, he contributed to the LHC experiment at CERN, where he reviewed the LHCb experiment and became chief referee in 2016. He also served as the Norwegian representative on the restricted ECFA committee from 2011 to 2027.

Furthermore, Prof. Eigen is a referee for several prestigious journals, including PRL, PRD, NIM A, and JINST, and the PDG. He is a member of the BABAR publication board and has chaired various committees. He has presented R&D work and physics results at numerous international conferences, universities, and national laboratories.

Table of Contents

Introduction.- Interactions of Charged Particles and Photons with Matter and Fields.- Measurements of Energy Loss of Charged Particles.- Gaseous Tracking Detectors.- Momentum Measurements.- Detectors for Vertex Measurements.- Detectors for Energy Measurements.- Photodetectors, Plastic Scintillators and Time Measurements.- Particle Identification Techniques and Devices.- Trigger and Data Acquisition.- Examples of Full Detector Systems.