Characterisation of silicon detectors for the LHCb Vertex Locator Upgrade

The LHCb Vertex Locator must be upgraded in the next long shutdown of the LHC, starting at the end of 2018. This is due to the increased occupancy. The current silicon strip detector is being upgraded to a silicon pixel detector. The prototype sensors for this detector were tested thoroughly before a final design will be chosen. The testing was done with the Timepix3 Telescope, which was commissioned in the summer of 2014. The charge collected by the sensors and efficiency of the sensors were investigated. After maximum irradiation, of 8$\times$10$^{15}$ 1 MeV n$_{eq}$/cm$^{2}$, the sensors must have a most probable value of collected charge of 6000 electrons before 1000 V or breakdown, whichever comes first. The sensors must also have a high efficiency at maximum irradiation of 8$\times$10$^{15}$ 1 MeV n$_{eq}$/cm$^{2}$. All tested sensors reach these criteria. All sensors reach 6000 electrons between 600 V and 800 V and have a cluster finding efficiency of over 95\% at the respective voltages. Overall, a 150 $\mu$m thick \textit{n}-on-\textit{n} silicon sensor with an implant width of 39 $\mu$m would be the best option for the LHCb Vertex Locator upgrade.