The ATLAS Forward Proton Detector (AFP)

The ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) detector will identify events in which one or two protons emerge intact from the proton-proton collisions at the LHC. Tracking and timing detectors will be placed 2–3 mm from the beam, 210 m away from the ATLAS interaction point. The silicon-based tracker will provide momentum measurement, while the time of flight system is used to reduce the background from multiple proton-proton collisions. The study of soft and hard diffractive events at low luminosities ( μ≈1 ) is the core of the AFP physics program. This paper presents an overview of the project with particular emphasis on the qualification of the pixel and timing systems.