DEPHYS
The main mission of the DEtecteur Physics Laboratory: Physics and Simulation (DEPHYS) is to propose and study new innovative detector concepts as part of its own R&D projects and during the feasibility and preliminary design phases of instruments developed for IRFU scientific projects in particle physics, nuclear physics, and astrophysics. Other areas of application include detectors for rare event physics (Germanium bolometric detectors, spherical gas detectors, MICROMEGAS detectors for axion research), beam diagnostics (protons and neutrons), radiography applications for medical or homeland security purposes, and muon tomography of geological sites. Dephys is world-renowned in the field of micro-segmented anode gas detectors, having invented one of the leading examples, the MICROMEGAS (Micro-Mesh GASeous Structure) detector, to which more than two-thirds of its activities are devoted.
The laboratory draws on the expertise of its nine PhDs, who are specialists in modelling, simulation, design, development and performance testing of prototypes for ionising radiation detectors, whether liquid, gaseous or solid-state. The laboratory hosts and supervises post-doctoral research (four in 2016) and trains postgraduate doctoral students (two HDRs and one state thesis). In the early stages of Irfu projects, DEPHYS is a driving force within the department and participates in the preparation of bids for national and European tenders in the field of detectors. It is also heavily involved in internal and external scientific communication, as well as in teaching instrumentation at M2 level.
To optimise, secure and accelerate detector design, the laboratory is developing expertise in Monte Carlo simulation methods to model the physical processes involved in the creation, transport and collection of electrical charges or photons generated during the interaction of ionising radiation with the detector’s sensitive medium. A powerful workstation brings together the best software tools for the development of specific frameworks: GEANT4 (GEometry ANd Tracking), FLUKA, Garfield( ), Magoblz, COMSOL Multiphysics with AC/DC module and Lorentz 3D interfaced with neBEM (electrostatic and magnetic field map). The laboratory has a variety of radiation sources, such as X-ray sources (55Fe, 8 keV generator), a sources (241Am/Be), neutron sources (252Cf) and g sources (60Co from the COCASE irradiator) to measure the response of prototypes in its premises specifically equipped for testing gas and cryogenic detectors. High spatial resolution cosmic benches are also developed, maintained and used for detector characterisation, and the laboratory analyses test data using its own analysis tools based on ROOT libraries.
The Dephys are involved, as task leaders or project managers, in: EDELWEISS, NEWS, proto-DUNE, ESS diagnostics, n-TOF, MCube, CLAS12, ATLAS-NSW, semiconductor R&D, micro-pattern gas detector (MPGD) R&D, CERN/RD51, ASTRO-H, SVOM, and HARPO.
