Portable Two-Dimensional Multipurpose X-ray System

• Grant number: 24/10327-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Nuclear Physics
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Alarcon do Passo Suaide
• Grantee: Daniel Neves Fachieri
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/04867-2 - High energy physics and instrumentation with the LHC-CERN, AP.ESP

Abstract

GEM-based detectors are part of the category of micro-segmented detectors widely used in high-energy physics and nuclear physics experiments. The GEM is composed of a kapton foil coated with a copper layer on both sides and perforated using lithography techniques. Due to its geometry, it can achieve gains on the order of 10^4. The HEPIC group at the Institute of Physics at USP is developing several projects on GEM detectors, aiming for applications beyond high-energy physics. One such application is the analysis of materials through imaging with X-ray beams, using fluorescence or transmission techniques in heritage analysis and medical physics. In these areas, semiconductor-based detectors are commonly used due to their good energy resolution. However, these detectors have high costs and low coverage area, which demands more usage time and higher investment. The application of GEM detectors is a potential alternative due to their large coverage area, spatial resolution on the order of 10^-6 m, and reduced cost compared to semiconductors. This project presents the main challenges and objectives to be met within a direct PhD program, with the aim of developing a GEM-based detector that is portable and applicable in X-ray analyses.