Development of HPK Capacitive Coupled LGAD (AC-LGAD) detectors

Detectors with O(10) μm spatial resolution and O(10) ps timing resolution allow to construct powerful particle trackers for future hadron or lepton collider experiments. LGAD (Low Gain Avalanche Diode) is a semiconductor detector technology to improve timing resolution. Capacitive Coupled LGAD (AC-LGAD) detectors have been developed with HPK in order to meet both spatial and timing resolution requirements. Prototype samples with finely segmented electrodes have been produced and tested with various sensor fabrication parameters: doping concentrations, active thickness and electrode coupling capacitance. Timing resolution and signal height were evaluated with beta-rays. As a result, 100 μm pitch pixel detectors have been successfully developed achieving a good signal to noise ratio and 30 ps timing resolution with beta-rays. The detectors have to meet radiation hardness requirements as well, in particular to be used as inner trackers for hadron colliders. One of the major mechanisms of radiation damage of LGAD detectors is acceptor removal: shallow dopants in the gain layer of LGAD detectors are reduced by radiation. Two novel ideas are tested for effectiveness on delaying the acceptor removal.