Hello
David Schledewitz
Ph.D. Student in Space Science and Technology, University of Trento
About Me
My doctoral research, supported by the Space It Up! (SIU!) initiative, focuses on the development, characterization, and system integration of advanced silicon-based sensing technologies for next-generation space missions. As future space-borne instruments and particle telescopes demand exceptional precision in both spatial and timing resolution, often referred to as 4D tracking, identifying and optimizing the right detector architectures is critical.
Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) and Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) represent particularly promising technologies capable of operating in the harsh space environment.
Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) and Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) represent particularly promising technologies capable of operating in the harsh space environment.
The primary objective of my work is to characterize these silicon detector architectures to ensure that they meet the strict operational requirements of satellite missions. Operation in space demands severe constraints regarding power consumption, thermal stability, and radiation hardness. To face these challenges, my research involves:
- Radiation Hardness: Space environments expose detectors to significant amounts of radiation that degrade sensor performance over time. I will investigate the impact of Non-Ionizing Energy Loss (NIEL) on the silicon bulk, which typically leads to increased leakage current and reduced charge collection efficiency. As a consequence, radiation damage reduces the detection efficiency and overall performance of the detector. By characterizing these degradation mechanisms, we aim to develop strategies and optimize sensor designs for long-duration missions.
- Thermal Stability: Satellites experience extreme temperature fluctuations depending on their orbital position. I will perform comprehensive thermal cycling tests to evaluate the thermo-mechanical robustness of the detector architectures. This testing ensures that the sensors and their electrical connections maintain performance consistency and structural integrity despite continuous and extreme thermal stress.
- System Integration: Starting from bare detector prototypes, my work involves modeling and evaluating the front-end electronics and readout chains. The primary challenge is to fully leverage the fast-timing capabilities of the sensors, in particular the LGADs, which have a potential timing resolution in the range of tens of picoseconds.
Currently, my experimental work centers on developing a dedicated laboratory setup to evaluate various LGAD architectures. This involves characterizing their intrinsic timing resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and gain stability using precision laser systems and radioactive sources. Following successful laboratory characterization, these architectures will undergo further evaluation under simulated space conditions. This upcoming phase will include dedicated testbeam campaigns at particle accelerator facilities to evaluate their 4D tracking performance in realistic, high-energy particle environments, ultimately leading to their integration into future space payloads.
Click here for more information.