Pixel Hit Reconstruction with the CMS Detector

We present a new technique for pixel hit reconstruction with the CMS pixel detector. The technique is based on fitting the pixel cluster projections to templates obtained using a detailed simulation called Pixelav. Pixelav successfully describes the profiles of clusters measured in beam tests of radiation-damaged sensors. Originally developed to optimally estimate the coordinates of hits after the radiation damage, the technique has superior performance before irradiation as well, reducing the resolution tails of reconstructed track parameters and significantly reducing the light quark background of tagged b-quarks. It is the only technique currently available to simulate hits from a radiation-damaged detector.