Characterisation of Silicon Carbide (SiC) Pixel Detectors

This report presents the characterization of silicon carbide (SiC) pixel detector samples, carried out as part of the CERN Summer Student Programme 2025. The focus lies on the measurement of noise levels and the detection of α- and β-radiation. While the overall project also included tasks such as the calibration of amplifiers and the development of Python scripts for automated measurements, these aspects are not discussed in detail here.
Silicon pixel detectors are a well-established technology used in high-energy physics experiments, such as the inner tracker of the ATLAS detector. Their small pixel size provides high spatial resolution, on the order of 10 μm. However, because of the close proximity of the pixels to the collision points of the protons, there is a strong radiation exposure. As a result, the silicon pixel detectors in ATLAS break down over time. Thus, new materials with better radiation hardness are explored: Silicon carbide (SiC) is one candidate to potentially offer higher robustness against radiation. Additionally, SiC offers the advantage of having a higher bandgap than silicon, such that the leakage current of the detectors could be reduced. As a result, noise and heat generation can be reduced. Due to these benefits combined with new advances in the fabrication of SiC devices, SiC pixel detectors are a promising technology to replace or complement Si pixel detectors in future detectors