1.     Project summary

 

ATLAS

·       Physics studies: Search for new physics in final states with leptons, jets and missing transverse energy; Search for new BSM charged scalars H±±/ H±; BSM searches with machine-learning based methods; Anomaly detection in multilepton final states using machine learning techniques.

·       Performance studies and analysis software: Electron performance studies with Run-3 data & MC simulations; Study of fake tracks in the core of jets with Run-3 data and MC simulations; Common analysis software tools; Physics Modelling Group.

·       Data preparation: Non-Collision Background; validation of recorded data, detector conditions.

·       Detector operation and TDAQ: TDAQ Run Coordinator, Run Control, Tile calorimeter and NSW Trigger Processor maintenance, repairs, and operation, DCS; Maintenance of the data acquisition global monitoring tools; TDAQ efficiency tools.

·       Software and computing: Distributed Analysis Support Team; Efficient data retrieval; maintenance and operation of the GRID infrastructure.

·       Upgrade Phase-II: TDAQ Trigger Processor and Tile calorimeter FE electronics

·       Outreach & Education: IPPOG masterclass, activities with high school students and teachers, radio & tv shows, bachelor, master and PhD theses; development of HEP related master programme.

 

DRD1 (Gaseous Detector R&D)

·       Modelling and Simulations

·       Electronics for Gaseous Detectors

 

DRD6 (Calorimetry RD) and FCC

·       Scintillating Tile Hadronic Calorimeter for future colliders with TileCal like geometry.

·       Liquified Noble Gas Calorimeters.

·       Allegro calorimeter design studies, conjointly within the FCC and DRD6 collaborations.

 

Prospects for contribution to other DRD Collaborations

·       DRD4 (Photon Detectors and Particle Identification Techniques R&D)

·       DRD7 (Electronics and On-Detector Processing R&D)

 

2.     Objectives of the CERN experiment (max. 1 page)

·       ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) (http://atlas.cern/) is a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) that is searching for new discoveries in the head-on collisions of protons of extraordinarily high energy. ATLAS will learn about the basic forces that have shaped our Universe since the beginning of time and that will determine its fate. The experiment is designed to take advantage of the unprecedented energy available at the LHC and observe phenomena that involve highly massive particles, which were not observable using earlier lower-energy accelerators. It is hoped that it will shed light on new theories of particle physics beyond the Standard Model. Among the possible unknowns are extra dimensions of space, unification of fundamental forces, and evidence for dark matter candidates in the Universe. Following the discovery of the Higgs boson, further data will allow in-depth investigation of the boson's properties.

·       DRD1 (Gaseous Detector R&D Collaboration) Gaseous detectors are fundamental research tools for exploring nature’s laws. They were initially used in nuclear physics, particle and astroparticle physics, and additionally in x-ray and neutron imaging as well as in other daily-life applications. Future experiments will require instrumentation of large area coverage with timing capabilities never attained before. This is essential for identifying particles based on their time of flight and for accurate tracking. The scientific objectives of these experiments require an enhanced momentum resolution, and the instrumentation must be able to function effectively for many years with little intervention. Various readout techniques are necessary for tracking detectors that cover significant volumes, such as MPGD, optical readout, and direct links to ASICs. The challenges from the wide range of cutting-edge technologies must be addressed to lead future innovations of high relevance to future collider facilities, as well as in future research programs in areas such as nuclear, astroparticle, neutrino, rare event studies, and applications having an impact on the society, all of which require the use of advanced Gaseous Detectors.

·       DRD6 (Calorimetry RD Collaboration) Different types of calorimeters are proposed for experiments for future fixed-target facilities, electroweak and Higgs factories, hadron and muon colliders but also for medium and low-energy facilities. While the focus of the activities will be future experiments at high-energy accelerators, the programme will also cover R&D for medium and low-energy experiments. The mission of the DRD-on-Calorimetry is to bring a diverse set of calorimeter technologies to a level of maturity such that they can be considered for a technology selection of future experiments. The maturity will have to be demonstrated with full-scale prototypes. The DRD will develop collaborative structures and tools such that a comparison between different technologies will be on equal footing.

·       FCC (Future Circular Collider - Allegro) The FCC proposal consists in a 365 GeV e+e- collider, later upgraded to a 100 TeV hadron collider, hosted at CERN in a new tunnel. The construction of the e+e- facility (FCC-ee) would start around 2030, with operations ending 30 years later. The enormous statistics and clean measurement environment achievable at various production thresholds (from Z to tt) would bring major improvements to experimental precision in the Standard Model scalar, electroweak and flavour sectors. The FCC collaboration will release in 2025 the conclusions of a feasibility study for the accelerator concepts, motivating the pursuit of design studies for the future accelerator and its hosted detectors. One of the main detector concepts for FCC-ee, Allegro, is based on the familiar structure of a noble-liquid electromagnetic calorimeter surrounded by a scintillating-tile hadronic calorimeter. Jointly with DRD6, detailed studies of the Allegro concept will establish the capabilities, feasibility, cost, and projected construction time of such a detector, in order to support the FCC proposal.  

3.     Romanian contribution to the CERN experiment through the proposed project

ATLAS

·       Physics studies (IFIN-HH, UB), Performance studies and analysis software (IFIN-HH), Data preparation (IFIN-HH, UAIC, UB), Detector operation (IFIN-HH, ITIM, UAIC) and TDAQ (IFIN-HH), Software and computing (IFIN-HH, UPB, UB), Upgrade Phase-II: TDAQ Trigger Processor (IFIN-HH, UPB, UTB), and Tile calorimeter (ITIM), Outreach (everybody)

DRD1

·       Work Package 1 - Trackers, Hodoscopes, Large area muon systems (IFIN-HH, UPB, UTB)

·       WG4: Modelling and Simulations (IFIN-HH, UB)

·       WG5: Electronics for Gaseous Detectors (IFIN-HH, UPB, UTB)

DRD6

·       Work Package 2: Liquified Noble Gas Calorimeters (IFIN-HH, UB, UPB)

·       Work Package 3: Optical calorimeters (ITIM)

FCC (Allegro)

·       IFIN-HH and ITIM teams decided to merge FCC and DRD6 activities.

·       Contributions to the design of the Allegro EM and hadronic calorimeters and detector performance studies with simulation. (IFIN-HH, ITIM, UB, UPB)

DRD4 (prospects)

·       Detector trigger system using the FPGA pulse processing algorithms

DRD7 (prospects)

·       Work Package 7.5b - From Front-End to Back-End with 100GbE

 

4.     Project objectives

 

ATLAS

   We will carry-on our established activities on physics studies, performance studies and analysis software, data preparation, detector operation and TDAQ, software and computing.

   With LS3 starting late 2026, special attention will be dedicated to fulfil in time our Upgrade Phase-II commitments. The main activities are a) TDAQ Trigger Processor – hardware design, production, testing, algorithm implementation; b) Tile calorimeter new FE electronics - design of mechanics, production and certification, development of the assembly, installation and certification procedures, demonstrator operation in ATLAS detector - analysis of laser and pedestal data.

 

DRD1

   The team is contributing to electronics data-acquisition and front-end developments, as well as to improvements and new developments of modeling and simulation software for gaseous detectors and for Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGD). These activities will be carried out inside the Working Package 1 and Working Groups 4 and 5 established within the DRD 1 collaboration, according to the tasks and deliverables set within the Collaboration Proposal, which will be reflected in the upcoming MoU.

DRD6-FCC

·       Contribute visibly and in a collaborative manner to the Allegro calorimeter design studies, conjointly within the FCC and DRD6 collaborations; share software tools developed in this goal with the community. (IFIN-HH, ITIM, UB, UPB)

·       R&D for the geometry optimization of the Hadron calorimeters with scintillating tiles readout by wavelength shifting fibres and SiPMs readout in the frame of ALLEGRO detector concept. (ITIM)

·       Mechanical design of a HCal Barrel test-beam module and a custom assembly & manipulation system. (ITIM)

·       Construction of a set of test-beam modules (3-5 units) with SiPMs readout. (ITIM)

 

DRD4

   Develop a fast multichannel acquisition trigger system designed specifically for Time Of Flight (TOF) measurements in particle physics experiments based on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).


DRD7

   We are discussing with the DRD7 community the possibility to join the DRD 7 Project 7.5b (From Front-End to Back-End with 100GbE) and contribute our developments on FPGA-based high-bandwidth data acquisition techniques based on RDMA technology to the DRD7.

 

Outreach & Education

·     Bachelor, dissertations, and PhD theses coordination.

·     Consolidation and diversification of HEP educational and outreach activities.