Physics of nuclear and particle physics detectors

Particle detectors are the key component of any nuclear and particle physics experiment. The lecture aims at a comprehensive overview of main particle detectors used today and the underlying physics mechanisms. The lecture will be divided in several topics: (0) Introduction, brief historical overview, (1) Interaction of particles with matter, (2) Gaseous detectors, (3) Semiconductors, (4) Scintillators and photomultipliers, (5) Momentum measurement, particle identification, (6) Cerenkov and transition radiation detectors, (7) Calorimeters, (8) Signal formation and readout electronics, (9) Detection of neutral particles, (10) Multi-purpose detectors in particle physics. The spirit of the lecture is to cover each topic from the basics to the state of the art illustrated by the most recent applications. The most relevant physics questions will be introduced. The objective of the lecture is that the participants : - learn how nuclear and particle detectors work, - understand the underlying physics process and the subsequent limitations, - can decide which detection technique is best suited for a given measurement, - know a variety of today’s experiments based on the studied detection techniques.