Research Activities

The Astro-Particle Physics group plans, builds, operates and analyses data of various experiments, space-borne and ground-based. These experiments aim at a deeper understanding of fundamental interactions: AMS-02, ATLAS, AMBER, Limadou-HEPD. 

AMS-02 experiment

AMS is an High Energy Physics installed on the International Space Station, orbiting at 400km above us. It is a high-precision magnetic spectrometer designed to measure cosmic rays up to TeV energies. The project started 1995 by Nobel laureate Prof. S. Ting and Prof. R. Battiston and others. The preliminary version of the experiment, AMS-01, flew on the Space Shuttle in 1994.
AMS-02 is a collaboration of 600 physicists,.The Trento-TIFPA group is responsible for the measurement of the isotopic fluxes and of the search of primordial anti-matter by means of multivariate analysis approach. Prof. Paolo Zuccon is the Italian national responsible for AMS-02.
paolo.zuccon [at] unitn.it

ATLAS experiment

It is a gigantic experimental apparatus, deployed 100 m underground at  the CERN Large Hadron Collider. ATLAS weighs 7000 tons and it is operated by more than 3000 scientists. ATLAS hit the headlines in 2012, for the discovery of the Higgs boson. Besides the Higgs boson.
Since 2016 the Trento-TIFPA group contributes to monitor the pixel (and IBL) operation . It is also involved in R&D for the 3D second generation sensors (for the High Luminosity LHC, ATLAS phase 2).
On the analysis side, the Trento-TIFPA group contributes to the search for New Physics in diboson decays (2HDM, HVT and RD-graviton models), applying AI-based techniques.
roberto.iuppa [at] unitn.it

LIMADOU-HEPD experiment

The Limadou experiment was proposed to the international scientific community by Prof. R. Battiston in 2004 and it is now part of the CSES mission (Chinese Seismo-Electromagnetic  Satellite). This satellite is devoted to electromagnetic wave monitoring and particle-plasma perturbation studies in the high atmosphere. INFN participates with the HEPD (High Energy Particle Detector), measuring electron and proton fluxes up to about 100 MeV. Observing fast time-variations of these fluxes is of great importance when looking for correlations with lithosphere events, like seismic series. Limadou will also be able to study the solar activity, which also determines low energy particle flux variations.
The Trento-TIFPA group is one of the founding teams of the Limadou experiment, we developed the new pixel tracker for the HEPD2 detector on board the CSES2 satellite to be launched in 2024.
roberto.iuppa [at] unitn.it, roberto.battiston [at] unitn.it

AMBER experiment

The AMBER experiment at  CERN started in 2022, has the goal to measure cross sections relevant for the cosmic ray propagation through the galaxy. The AMBER experiment uses the gigantic COMPASS spectrometer to reconstruct the interaction of the SPS accelerator beams on a fix target. During the 2023 measurement have been taken using a liquid helium target. The Trento group has a leadership role in the AMBER collaboration.
paolo.zuccon [at] unitn.it

Particle detectors research and development

The Trento-TIFPA group is expert on silicon-based particle detectors. Together with the Department of Industrial Engineering and the Bruno Kessler Foundation, the Trento-TIFPA group develops 3D pixel sensors for the upgrade of the ATLAS barrel inner tracker system
The group is also strongly committed to developing MAPS technologies (Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors) for high precision tracking in space.
roberto.iuppa [at] unitn.it,  paolo.zuccon [at] unitn.it, francesco.nozzoli [at] tifpa.infn.it

Development of High Temperature Superconducting Magnets

Together with CERN the Trento-TIFPA group is developing High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets for space application This study aims at producing a prototype coil featuring high fields (3-10 T) when operated at 10-20 K.
The results of this program will be important to assess the usability of HTS technologies for scientific purposes in space.
roberto.iuppa [at] unitn.it
 

Group members