Research Group Desch/Kaminski

The focus of the group is on the development of gas-filled detectors for ionizing radiation with a high-pixel readout (GridPix technology).
The GridPix technology, which consists of a high-voltage grid mounted on a CMOS pixel readout chip, is enabled by microstructuring techniques (MEMS), which are also being built in the FTD clean rooms.

The detectors can be used to track charged particles or to detect soft x-ray photons or (in conjunction with a boron converter) slow neutrons. The detectors have been used in the CAST experiment at CERN to search for solar axions, and a next generation is planned for the future IAXO experiment at DESY. We are also developing different types of slow neutron detectors for future applications, e.g., at the European Spallation Source ESS. GridPix detectors may also serve as technology for a time projection chamber (TPC) in a future e⁺e^- Higgs factory. A small TPC has also been developed as a demonstration experiment for high schools and public events. Pixellated readout is provided by the Timepix and Timepix3 chips, to which we also contributed. In addition to application-oriented detector development, we also perform general research and development work on gas detectors. Timepix3 chips together with silicon pixel sensors are being investigated for a planar ultrafast tracking detector for a future dark photon search experiment at ELSA. Our group's research and development efforts also contribute to the international RD51 collaboration, which is working on microdetectors for gases.

We are also working on "smart electronics" and investigating the possibility of implementing fast machine learning algorithms in FGPA and AI hardware.