CERN installs precision silicon detector 15/11/2007 IT Web Staff writer	PRESS CUTTINGS, week 46
Scientists and technicians at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics have completed the installation of one of the most fragile detectors forming part of the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment. The laboratory is commonly known by its French acronym CERN (Centre Europen pour la Recherche Nuclaire). The LHCb is one of four large experiments running off CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), expected to start up in 2008. Installing the sensor, the Vertex Locator (VELO) detector, in its final location in an underground experimental cavern, required precision work, says LHCb-VELO project leader Paula Collins."It was a very delicate operation," says Collins. "With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics."A number of South African scientists are involved in the project - mostly in the field of grid computing. Once operational, the LHC is expected to generate data in the petabyte range. The LHC also uses services-oriented middleware to facilitate computing and data transfer. The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon-shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5 000 bond wires. These sensors will be located close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting "b quarks", to help in understanding tiny, but crucial differences in the behaviour of matter and antimatter. The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminium sheet, only 0.3mm thick, provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5mm from the beam line, to a distance of 35mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels round the 27km ring of the LHC."The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector," says Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. "As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realised it straight away." However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred. The VELO project has been ongoing for the past 10 years, involving several institutes of the LHCb collaboration, including Nikhef, EPFL Lausanne, Liverpool University, Glasgow University, CERN, Syracuse University and MPI Heidelberg. Related stories: Large Hadron Collider nears completion SA scientists help build CERN grid Academia gets high-performance computing

VELO - in you go! LHCb installs its precision silicon detector 13/11/2007 innovations-report
installs its precision silicon detector Forum für Wissenschaft, Industrie und Wirtschaft Hauptsponsoren: Datenbankrecherche: Fachgebiet (optional): -Interdisziplinäre Nachricht VELO - in you go! LHCb installs its precision silicon detector 13.11.2007 One of the most fragile detectors for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment has been successfully installed in its final position. LHCb is one of four large experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), expected to start up in 2008. Anzeige For the LHCb collaboration, including UK scientists from the Universities of Liverpool and Glasgow, installing the Vertex Locator (VELO) detector into its final location in the underground experimental cavern at CERN has been a challenging task. "It was a very delicate operation", said Paula Collins, LHCb-VELO project leader, "With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics."Professor Themis Bowcock, lead LHCb scientist from the University of Liverpool where the intricate instrumentation was built and assembled said, "This is a big milestone for VELO and marks an end to the construction side of the project. With each one of the 42 modules that make up the instrument taking 1,000 hours to construct the final installation was a nail biting experience."The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5000 bond wires. These sensors will be located very close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting b quarks, to help in understanding tiny but crucial differences in the behaviour of matter and antimatter. The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminum sheet just 0.3 mm thick provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1 mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5 mm from the beam line, to a distance 35 mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels round the 27-km ring of the LHC. "The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector," said Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. "As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away." However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred. Dr Chris Parkes, scientist from the University of Glasgow LHCb team, who were responsible for testing the modules, adds, "Now that the VELO is in place we can start work on testing the instrument in situ in the lead up to science operations next year."UK scientists have a major involvement with the Vertex Locator. The individual modules were designed and assembled at Liverpool University and scientists from Glasgow University are responsible for the reception and testing of modules at CERN. NIKHEF provided the special foil that interfaces with the LHC vacuum. Other collaborators are EPFL Lausanne, CERN, Syracuse and MPI Heidelberg. ContactsGill Ormrod - Science and Technology Facilities Council Press Office

Fragile Detector Installed in Large Hadron Collider Beauty Experiment 13/11/2007 AZoNano - Online
Nanotechnology News - Week Commencing 5th November 2007 NEW In this edition of AZoNano News, as well as bringing you the latest news from the international Nanotechnology industry, we'll hear how nanodiamonds may well be forever when it comes to treating cancer, how a synchrotron is helping to save babies and how the venus flytrap is inspiring nanoengineers. In this week's interview David Freund will speak with Julia Zhou from the China office of Invest Australia. Fragile Detector Installed in Large Hadron Collider Beauty Experiment For the LHCb collaboration, including UK scientists from the Universities of Liverpool and Glasgow, installing the Vertex Locator (VELO) detector into its final location in the underground experimental cavern at CERN has been a challenging task. It was a very delicate operation, said Paula Collins, LHCb-VELO project leader, With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics. Professor Themis Bowcock, lead LHCb scientist from the University of Liverpool where the intricate instrumentation was built and assembled said, This is a big milestone for VELO and marks an end to the construction side of the project. With each one of the 42 modules that make up the instrument taking 1,000 hours to construct the final installation was a nail biting experience. The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5000 bond wires. These sensors will be located very close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting b quarks, to help in understanding tiny but crucial differences in the behaviour of matter and antimatter. The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminum sheet just 0.3 mm thick provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1 mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5 mm from the beam line, to a distance 35 mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels round the 27-km ring of the LHC. The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector, said Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away. However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred. Dr Chris Parkes, scientist from the University of Glasgow LHCb team, who were responsible for testing the modules, adds, Now that the VELO is in place we can start work on testing the instrument in situ in the lead up to science operations next year. UK scientists have a major involvement with the Vertex Locator. The individual modules were designed and assembled at Liverpool University and scientists from Glasgow University are responsible for the reception and testing of modules at CERN. NIKHEF provided the special foil that interfaces with the LHC vacuum. Other collaborators are EPFL Lausanne, CERN, Syracuse and MPI Heidelberg. Posted 13th November 2007 Nanotechnology News Archive

LHC Detector Installed 12/11/2007 Photonics Spectra
LHC Detector Installed GENEVA, Nov. 12, 2007 -- One of the most fragile detectors for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment has been installed in its final position. LHCb is one of four large experiments at CERN1's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), expected to start up in 2008. For the LHCb collaboration, installing the vertex locator (VELO) detector into its final location in the underground experimental cavern at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) particle physics center has been a challenging task. "It was a very delicate operation", said Paula Collins, LHCb-VELO project leader, "With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics." The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5000 bond wires. These sensors will be located very close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting b quarks, to help in understanding tiny but crucial differences in the behavio, CEr of matter and antimatter, CERN said in a statement. Right: The LHCb team installs the VELO detector in its final position (below). (Photos courty CERN; copyright CERN DSU-Communication) The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminum sheet just 0.3-mm thick provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1 mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5 mm from the beam line, to a distance of 35 mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels around the 27-km ring of the LHC. "The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector," said Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. "As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away." However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred, he said. The VELO project has been in progress for the past 10 years, involving several institutes of the LHCb collaboration, including the Netherlands' National Institute for Nuclear Physics and High Energy Physics in Amsterdam (Nikhef); Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Suisse; the University of Liverpool; Glasgow University, CERN, Syracuse University and Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Germany. At a brief ceremony deep under the French countryside last week, CERN1 Director General Robert Aymar sealed the last interconnect between the main magnet systems in the LHC. Its superconducting main magnets will operate at just 1.9 degrees above absolute zero (-271.3°C) -- colder than outer space. To cool the magnets, over 10.000 tonnes of liquid nitrogen and 130 tonnes of liquid helium (1 tonne = 1000 kg) will be deployed through a cryogenic system including more than 40,000 leak-tight welds. The ceremony marked the end of a two-year project to connect all the main dipole and quadrupole magnets in the LHC, incluidng both electrical and fluid connections. The LHC is a circular machine, 27 km in circumference and divided into eight sectors, each of which can be cooled to its operating temperature of 1.9 degrees above absolute zero and powered individually. One sector was cooled, powered and warmed up in the first half of 2007. This was an important learning process, allowing subsequent sectors to be tested more quickly, CERN said. "Over the coming months, we'll be cooling down the remaining sectors," said Lyn Evans, LHC project leader. "Five sectors will be cooling by the end of 2007, with the remaining three joining them early next year." If all goes as planned, the first beams could be injected into the LHC in May 2008, and circulating beams established by June or July. With a project of this scale and complexity, however, the transition from construction to operation is a lengthy process. "There is no big red button, and there are inevitably hurdles to be overcome as we bring the LHC into operation," sai Aymar. "Every part of the system has to be brought on stream carefully, with each subsystem and component tested and repaired if necessary." "There have been no show-stoppers so far," added Evans. "For a machine of this complexity, things are going remarkably smoothly, and we're all looking forward to doing physics with the LHC next summer. If for any reason we have to warm up a sector, though," he cautioned, "we'll be looking at the end of summer rather than the beginning." http://www.cern.ch
Large Hadron Collider Installs Its Precision Silicon Detector, VELO 12/11/2007 ScienceDaily
ScienceDaily (Nov. 12, 2007) - One of the most fragile detectors for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment has been successfully installed in its final position. LHCb is one of four large experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), expected to start up in 2008. For the LHCb collaboration, including UK scientists from the Universities of Liverpool and Glasgow, installing the Vertex Locator (VELO) detector into its final location in the underground experimental cavern at CERN has been a challenging task. "It was a very delicate operation", said Paula Collins, LHCb-VELO project leader, "With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics." Professor Themis Bowcock, lead LHCb scientist from the University of Liverpool where the intricate instrumentation was built and assembled said, "This is a big milestone for VELO and marks an end to the construction side of the project. With each one of the 42 modules that make up the instrument taking 1,000 hours to construct the final installation was a nail biting experience." The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5000 bond wires. These sensors will be located very close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting b quarks, to help in understanding tiny but crucial differences in the behaviour of matter and antimatter. The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminum sheet just 0.3 mm thick provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1 mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5 mm from the beam line, to a distance 35 mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels round the 27-km ring of the LHC. "The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector," said Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. "As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away." However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred. Dr Chris Parkes, scientist from the University of Glasgow LHCb team, who were responsible for testing the modules, adds, "Now that the VELO is in place we can start work on testing the instrument in situ in the lead up to science operations next year." UK scientists have a major involvement with the Vertex Locator. The individual modules were designed and assembled at Liverpool University and scientists from Glasgow University are responsible for the reception and testing of modules at CERN. NIKHEF provided the special foil that interfaces with the LHC vacuum. Other collaborators are EPFL Lausanne, CERN, Syracuse and MPI Heidelberg. Adapted from materials provided by Science and Technology Facilities Council.

VELO -- in you go! 12/11/2007 EurekAlert! + UBA Net
One of the most fragile detectors for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment has been successfully installed in its final position. LHCb is one of four large experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), expected to start up in 2008. For the LHCb collaboration, including UK scientists from the Universities of Liverpool and Glasgow, installing the Vertex Locator (VELO) detector into its final location in the underground experimental cavern at CERN has been a challenging task. "It was a very delicate operation", said Paula Collins, LHCb-VELO project leader, "With its successful completion, the VELO is now in place and ready for physics." Professor Themis Bowcock, lead LHCb scientist from the University of Liverpool where the intricate instrumentation was built and assembled said, "This is a big milestone for VELO and marks an end to the construction side of the project. With each one of the 42 modules that make up the instrument taking 1,000 hours to construct the final installation was a nail biting experience." The VELO is a precise particle-tracking detector that surrounds the proton-proton collision point inside the LHCb experiment. At its heart are 84 half-moon shaped silicon sensors, each one connected to its electronics via a delicate system of more than 5000 bond wires. These sensors will be located very close to the collision point, where they will play a crucial role in detecting b quarks, to help in understanding tiny but crucial differences in the behaviour of matter and antimatter. The sensors are grouped in pairs to make a total of 42 modules, arranged in two halves around the beam line in the VELO vacuum tank. An aluminum sheet just 0.3 mm thick provides a shield between the silicon modules and the primary beam vacuum, with no more than 1 mm of leeway to the silicon modules. Custom-made bellows enable the VELO to retract from its normal position of just 5 mm from the beam line, to a distance 35 mm. This flexibility is crucial during the commissioning of the beam as it travels round the 27-km ring of the LHC. "The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector," said Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator. "As these modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away." However, the verification procedures carried out on the silicon modules after installation indicated that no damage had occurred. Dr Chris Parkes, scientist from the University of Glasgow LHCb team, who were responsible for testing the modules, adds, "Now that the VELO is in place we can start work on testing the instrument in situ in the lead up to science operations next year." UK scientists have a major involvement with the Vertex Locator. The individual modules were designed and assembled at Liverpool University and scientists from Glasgow University are responsible for the reception and testing of modules at CERN. NIKHEF provided the special foil that interfaces with the LHC vacuum. Other collaborators are EPFL Lausanne, CERN, Syracuse and MPI Heidelberg. Notes to Editors LHCb collaboration Like all the detector experiments at CERN a worldwide team of scientists are involved in the design and construction of LHCb. The experiment involves 663 scientists from 47 institutes and universities in 15 countries. UK collaborators make up around 20% of this. Websites - including images of LHCb and VELO The ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge-exchange partnerships. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Physics, Particle Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics, Space Science, Synchrotron Radiation, Neutron Sources and High Power Lasers. In addition the Council manages and operates three internationally renowned laboratories: The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire The Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire The UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh The Council gives researchers access to world-class facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the European organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA). It also contributes money for the UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility, which includes the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory. The Council distributes public money from the Government to support scientific research. Between 2007 and 2008 we will invest 678 million.

Supercollider mounts VELO to deep-probe matter-antimatter physics 12/11/2007 Toms Hardware Guide
VELO is a very expensive, very fragile detector with 84 half-moon shaped internal silicon sensors, each connected to its share of 5,000 bond wires. These sensors are moved to within 5 mm of the target area where the collisions will take place when in operation. They can be retracted to a distance of 35 mm for other undisclosed purposes.Installing VELO was apparently a very nerve-racking experience. Eddy Jans, VELO installation coordinator, said, 'The installation was very tricky, because we were sliding the VELO blindly in the detector. These modules are so fragile, we could have damaged them all and not realized it straight away.' However, after many long hours of careful work by the several universities working together on the assembly, the job was done and there was no damage.A scientist from the University of Glasgow who was responsible for the team testing the modules, Dr Chris Parkes, said, 'Now that the VELO is in place we can start work on testing the instrument in situ in the lead up to science operations next year.'One small part of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The entire collider is 27 km in length. If you look closely, you can see a man standing in the middle on the bottom platform. A laundry list of universities are involved in this project, including scientists from University of Liverpool, University of Glasgow, the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council, members of astronomy, particle physics, particle astrophysics, nuclear physics, space science, synchrotron radiation, neutron sources and high power lasers, including the laboratories of The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, The Daresbury Laboratory in Chesire, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh, as well as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), The European organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Additional operations in Australia, Chile, the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility and Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Parts for the VELO were designed and built all around the world. The investment in this project exceeded 678 million Euros. Apple unveils new iMacDefcon 2007: Extreme Honeypotting Crysis: Preview Nvidia Tesla unveiled Hitachi's Blu-ray camcorder AMD roadmap update (July 2007) Nintendo Wii Fit AMD next-gen mobile processor 'Griffin' Halo 3 Screenshots Taser 'wireless' bulletCERN - A team of scientists have put the final piece of equipment, a Vertex Locator called VELO, into a 27 km long supercollider. Designed to probe the very workings of the universe, and specifically to measure b-quarks, the extremely fragile VELO was finally put into place without breaking any of its 84 delicate components, each which would've required 1,000 hours to replace. The stage is now set for the beauty experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which will involve 663 scientists from 47 universities, to begin early in 2008.