New Detector Initiatives

The Particle Physics Department New Detector Initiatives group brings together specialists in a cross-disciplinary group to investigate the Knowledge Exchange and Intellectual Property opportunities for our world-leading technology, to address the grand challenges of the STFC Futures programme, and to provide the skills and facilities needed to create the international projects of the future.

Group Projects

Medical Imaging

New imaging devices can detect smaller lesions, leading to earlier treatment. They can compensate for the movement of the patient (such as breathing) during treatment. An example of the potential is an improved PET scanne[xr that uses highly sensitive crystals and high-speed electronics to produce a more accurate scan.
Contact: Barbara Camanzi.

Cancer Therapy

Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in people under the age of 75. Compact accelerators such as FFAGs can be used in hadron therapy and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT).
Contact: Rob Edgecock.

in-vivo dosimetry

Studies have shown it can be very difficult to accurately measure much radiation has been delivered in medical procedures. Under-exposure means the illness is not treated and over-exposure can lead to complications. By placing intelligent, very small dosimeters (less than the size of a grain of rice) under the skin, the radiation dose can be continuously monitored and readout using a wireless connection, leading to better clinical outcomes.
Contact: Giulio Villani.

Advanced Nuclear Reactors

Proton accelerators could be used to drive nuclear power plants without the dangers of a meltdown. Other applications include the transmutation of highly radioactive waste from nuclear reactors to more manageable and less dangerous low-level waste.
Contact: Rob Edgecock.

Advanced Accelerator Designs

Go to the accelerators page for details.

Radioactive Source Monitoring

The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRR99) impose stringent requirements for the use and control of ionising radiation. All radioactive sources have to be accounted for and their whereabouts known at all times. PPD are prototyping a new system that uses RFID tags to automatically register the movement of radioactive sources and so replace the error-prone manual system. This will be of use to industry, hospitals and anywhere that has to handle radioactive sources.
Contact: Tim Durkin.

Software Simulation

Before an experiment can be built, it has to be simulated but most existing computer programs are inflexible and too specific to one experiment. They can take many years to create and can only be used by specialists. PPD are experts in running and creating generic, fast, flexible simulations that can be quickly written to simulate any prototype. Variations can be created and tested within hours, allowing for rapid prototyping and saving money on physical testing.
Contact: Jan Strube.

Advanced Silicon Technology

Devices built with silicon sensors are used in particle physics, nuclear physics and astronomy but their widest use is in consumer and commercial products such as digital cameras. A silicon technology called MAPS has the potential to be very fast, highly granular with very small pixels, low power and resistant to radiation. Unlike bespoke silicon manufacturing processes, MAPS devices can be made using standard commercial silicon fabrication methods at very low cost. More information can be found on the accelerators page.
Contact: Fergus Wilson.