The Detectors and Instrumentation Department, consisting of the “Particle Detectors and Associated Instrumentation” and “Cryogenic Particle Detectors and Associated Instrumentation” Services, is responsible for:

  • the research and development in detection
  • the management of interdisciplinary instrumental projects
  • the development and management of detector test and production platforms

Within the department are found leading expertise and skills in the main areas of particle detection:

  • multi-target macro / micro bolometers working at low and very low temperatures.
  • gas detectors (wire chambers, parallel plates, micro-pattern detectors (MPGD),…)
  • photo-detectors (scintillators, PMT, SiPM, Cherenkov detectors,…)
  • semiconductor detectors (Silicon and Germanium)

The skills and know-how of the members of the department cover the physics of detectors, their development, implementation and characterization, simulation, cryogenics, optics, electronics close to the detector as well as the acquisition of data for test benches and data analysis.

The department is responsible for the operation of the PSI technological platform, the laboratories for producing and testing cryogenic detectors and the CORTO cosmic ray telescope.