Position-sensitive silicon strip detector characterization using particle beams

Silicon strip detectors are fast, cost-effective and have an excellent spatial resolution.They are widely used in many high-energy physics experiments. Modern high energyphysics experiments impose harsh operation conditions on the detectors, e.g., of LHCexperiments. The high radiation doses cause the detectors to eventually fail as a resultof excessive radiation damage. This has led to a need to study radiation tolerance usingvarious techniques. At the same time, a need to operate sensors approaching the endtheir lifetimes has arisen.The goal of this work is to demonstrate that novel detectors can survive the environment that is foreseen for future high-energy physics experiments. To reach this goal,measurement apparatuses are built. The devices are then used to measure the propertiesof irradiated detectors. The measurement data are analyzed, and conclusions are drawn.Three measurement apparatuses built as a part of this work are described: two telescopes measuring the tracks of the beam of a particle accelerator and one telescopemeasuring the tracks of cosmic particles. The telescopes comprise layers of referencedetectors providing the reference track, slots for the devices under test, the supportingmechanics, electronics, software, and the trigger system. All three devices work. Thedifferences between these devices are discussed.The reconstruction of the reference tracks and analysis of the device under test arepresented. Traditionally, silicon detectors have produced a very clear response to theparticles being measured. In the case of detectors nearing the end of their lifefimes, thisis no longer true. A new method benefitting from the reference tracks to form clustersis presented. The method provides less biased results compared to the traditional analysis, especially when studying the response of heavily irradiated detectors. Means toavoid false results in demonstrating the particle-finding capabilities of a detector arealso discussed.The devices and analysis methods are primarily used to study strip detectors made ofMagnetic Czochralski silicon. The detectors studied were irradiated to various fluencesprior to measurement. The results show that Magnetic Czochralski silicon has a goodradiation tolerance and is suitable for future high-energy physics experiments.