Thanks to the knowledge acquired in the particle physics experiments performed during the last century, the progress made by the particle physics has been extraordinary, enabling humankind to elucidate the laws of nature at the most fundamental level. The “Accelerator based experimental high energy physics” is a fundamental research line of the IFIC, Instituto de Física Corpuscular. The IFIC members are participating in a large amount of international particle physics experiments which are in different phases of their life span. The current activity is mainly focused towards the ATLAS experiment. The ATLAS collaboration (with 169 institutions from 37 countries) has constructed a general-propose detector for LHC, with excellent capability to study the new energy scale of the order of one TeV. The group has invested a great effort in the construction and commissioning of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in Geneva (Switzerland), which is producing so important results at present, related to the discovery of the Higgs boson. Second, there is a participation in mature experiments like BaBar at SLAC and CDF at the Tevatron, both sited in the USA and new ones as SuperB factories. Third, there is an increasing activity for the detector and electronics towards the ATLAS upgrade, which are necessary for the SuperLHC (upgraded LHC with higher luminosity). Finally there is an important participation in the design of the next generation colliders, as well as for the detectors.
The “Accelerator based experimental high energy physics” research line is nowadays very strong within the Institute. It has its roots well-grounded in the experience acquired by the research members in the previous international HEP experiments and in the facilities of the Institute. The researchers participate and play important roles in the current HEP experiments and are participating actively in the conception and the design of future HEP particle accelerators and detectors.
At present the main research lines and topics are the followings:
- ATLAS Experiment, proton-proton collisions at the LHC
- BABAR Experiment, Super-B Factories
- Search for the Higgs boson, supersymmetry, extra dimensions, CP violation, new physics.
- New developments in particle physics detectors
- Accelerator technology. Future colliders ILC-CLIC and sLHC
