Curriculum in Instrumentation 

The ECFA Training Panel proposes a recommendation for a comprehensive curriculum in instrumentation tailored to master’s students, doctoral researchers, and Early Career Researchers aspiring to careers in particle and astroparticle physics.

The curriculum should serve as guidance for organizing courses in the field, targeting a specific audience, and as guidance for ECRs to choose the appropriate course for their level.

The curriculum is structured into three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

For each level, a dedicated exam should be provided for those participants who wish to certify their accomplished training in accordance with the European accreditation system.

  • Beginner level: is typically addressed through university programs.
    However, it could be further supported by supplementary online and/or in-person lecture material.
    The ECFA Training Panel commits to supporting the development and compiling a list of offers.
  • Intermediate level: designed for final-year master’s students and first-year doctoral researchers.
    It can be delivered through Schools of Instrumentation, such as those established under the auspices of ECFA (see list of Schools).
  • Advanced level: intended for late-stage doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who have already completed the Intermediate level.
    Opportunities at this level are listed in list of Schools
    Dedicated advanced schools in instrumentation are offered by the DRD collaborations

Beginner level [master]:   

  • Basics of energy and momentum measurement
  • Basic of accelerator physics
  • Interaction of particles with matter
  • Interaction of photons with matter
  • Radioprotection
  • Basics of detection principles [gaseous, scintillator, semiconductors]
  • Tools:
    Programming [python, C++, ML algorithms],
    Basic of readout electronics ,
    Signal processing [Signal amplification, Fourier transform, Filters]

Intermediate level [master, 1st year R1]:

  • Detection technologies theory [6-8 h module]:
  • Gaseous [Particle detection via Ionization, Transport of electrons/ions in gas, Drift and Diffusion, Avalanche multiplication, Proportional Counter, Signal formation/Shockley-Ramo, Multi-wire chamber, 2D positions reconstruction, Micro-strip gas chambers, Drift chambers]
  • Semiconductors [Particle detection via Ionization, Band model, Elemental semiconductors, intrinsic carrier concentration, semiconductor material properties, doping, junctions, Calculating depletion and electric field, position reconstruction with segmented, hybrid pixels, strips, basics of radiation damage] 
  • Scintillators [Particle detection via luminescence, basic counter setup, inorganic and organic scintillators, liquid nobel gases, stokes-shift, wavelength shifting, Birk’s law, scintillator counters, photo detection, photomultipliers, micro channel plate, silicon photomultiplier].   
    Detection systems theory [8-10 h module]:
  • Vertex [physics motivation, recap on position sensitive detectors and resolutions] 
  • Tracking [physics motivation, momentum measurement and resolution, Glueckstern formula, multiple scattering, Example of tracking detectors, drift chamber, jet chamber, straw-tubes, muon detectors, momentum resolution of muons] 
  • Calorimetry [EM calorimeter, analytical model, longitudinal and lateral development, material dependence, muon detection in calorimeters, Measurement of particle energy: linearity and response, homogeneous and sampling calorimeters, resolution and fluctuations, hadronic calorimeters, hadronic interactions, showers, longitudinal and lateral development, material dependence, electromagnetic fraction, response non-linearity, compensation, fluctuations, resolution, calorimeter systems EM+HAD, jet energy resolution]
  • Detector praxis [1 week in presence]:
  • calibration of photosensors,
  • IV-CV curves on silicon detectors,
  • test of readout electronics,
  • measurements with: scintillator, gaseous, silicon detectors

Advanced level [>1st year R1, R2]:

  • Detection technologies theory:
    Advanced gaseous, semiconductor, and scintillator technologies (DRD specific)
  • quantum sensors,
    cavities,
    advanced semiconductors,
    cryogenic detectors,
    nobel liquids,
    Cherenkov…
  • Detection systems theory:
    system test (calibration, characterization, test beam)
    optimization (system design, physics driven optimization),
    system integration (cooling, trigger, data acquisition, processing, FPGA),
    reconstruction algorithms (Pflow, AI, …)
  • Detector praxis:
    complex detectors (multi channel, ASICs),
    detector systems (trigger, tracking, DUT),
    test beam,
    source,
    cosmics measurements