In the last years, high-resolution time tagging has emerged as a promising tool to tackle the problem of high-track density in the detectors of the next generation of experiments at particle colliders. Time resolutions below 50 ps and event average repetition rates of tens of MHz on sensor pixels having a pitch of 50 μm are typical minimum requirements. This poses an important scientific and technological challenge on the development of particle sensors and processing electronics. The TIMESPOT initiative (which stands for TIME and SPace real-time Operating Tracker) aims at the development of a full prototype detection system suitable for the particle trackers of the next-to-come particle physics experiments. This paper describes the results obtained on the first batch of TIMESPOT silicon sensors, based on a novel 3D MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) design. We demonstrate that following this approach, the performance of other ongoing silicon sensor developments can be matched and overcome. In addition, 3D technology has already been proved to be robust against radiation damage. A time resolution of the order of 20 ps has been measured at room temperature suggesting also possible improvements after further optimisations of the front-end electronics processing stage.

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The fabrication of a novel class of microgrippers is\ud demonstrated by means of bulk microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology using silicon on insulator wafer substrates and deep reactive ion etching. Hard masking is implemented to maximize the selectivity of the bulk etching using sputtered aluminum and aluminum–titanium thin films. The microroughness problem related to the use of metal mask is addressed by testing different mask combinations and etching parameters. The O2 flow, SF6 pressure, wafer temperature, and bias power are examined, and the effect of each parameter on micromasking is assessed. Sidewall damage associated with the use of a metal mask is eliminated by interposing a dielectric layer between silicon substrate and metal mask. Dedicated combdrive anchors are implemented to etch safely both silicon sides down to the buried oxide, and to preserve the wafer integrity until the final wet release of the completed structures. A first set of complete devices is realized and tested under electrical actuation

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound semiconductor, which is considered as a possible alternative to silicon for particles and photons detection. Its characteristics make it very promising for the next generation of nuclear and particle physics experiments at high beam luminosity. Silicon Carbide detectors for Intense Luminosity Investigations and Applications (SiCILIA) is a project starting as a collaboration between the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and IMM-CNR, aiming at the realization of innovative detection systems based on SiC. In this paper, we discuss the main features of silicon carbide as a material and its potential application in the field of particles and photons detectors, the project structure and the strategies used for the prototype realization, and the first results concerning prototype production and their performance.