Keeping the ATLAS ITk cool and dry

X. Mapekula; M. Connell; D. Unwuchola; A. Cassim; S. Connell; L. Truong; C. Solans Sanchez

doi:10.1088/1748-0221/21/04/C04047

Keeping the ATLAS ITk cool and dry

X. Mapekula
, M. Connell
, D. Unwuchola
, A. Cassim
, S. Connell
, L. Truong
, C. Solans Sanchez

Physics

University of Johannesburg
CERN

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The ATLAS Inner Tracker will operate at the HL-LHC following Long Shutdown 3, where humidity monitoring will be essential in protecting sensitive electronics. Conventional humidity sensors are unsuitable due to them being susceptible to radiation damage. Therefore, radiation-hard fiber optic sensors based on Long Period Grating (LPG) and Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have been developed, which will operate below -20 °C and < 10% relative humidity where they will be exposed to radiation for ten years. Accurate humidity measurement requires an algorithm to decouple temperature, humidity and radiation dose effects. This paper presents the work done on developing optic fiber based humidity monitoring solution together with the performance analysis of the sensors after irradiating them with up to 1.85 MGy.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Instrumentation
Volume	21
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/21/04/C04047
Publication status	Published - Apr 2026

Keywords

Detector control systems (detector and experiment monitoring and slow-control systems, architecture, hardware, algorithms, databases)
Optics
Real-time monitoring

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Mathematical Physics
Instrumentation

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10.1088/1748-0221/21/04/C04047

Cite this

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title = "Keeping the ATLAS ITk cool and dry",

abstract = "The ATLAS Inner Tracker will operate at the HL-LHC following Long Shutdown 3, where humidity monitoring will be essential in protecting sensitive electronics. Conventional humidity sensors are unsuitable due to them being susceptible to radiation damage. Therefore, radiation-hard fiber optic sensors based on Long Period Grating (LPG) and Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have been developed, which will operate below -20 °C and < 10\% relative humidity where they will be exposed to radiation for ten years. Accurate humidity measurement requires an algorithm to decouple temperature, humidity and radiation dose effects. This paper presents the work done on developing optic fiber based humidity monitoring solution together with the performance analysis of the sensors after irradiating them with up to 1.85 MGy.",

keywords = "Detector control systems (detector and experiment monitoring and slow-control systems, architecture, hardware, algorithms, databases), Optics, Real-time monitoring",

author = "X. Mapekula and M. Connell and D. Unwuchola and A. Cassim and S. Connell and L. Truong and \{Solans Sanchez\}, C.",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of Sissa Medialab. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.",

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AU - Connell, M.

AU - Unwuchola, D.

AU - Cassim, A.

AU - Connell, S.

AU - Truong, L.

AU - Solans Sanchez, C.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of Sissa Medialab. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

PY - 2026/4

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N2 - The ATLAS Inner Tracker will operate at the HL-LHC following Long Shutdown 3, where humidity monitoring will be essential in protecting sensitive electronics. Conventional humidity sensors are unsuitable due to them being susceptible to radiation damage. Therefore, radiation-hard fiber optic sensors based on Long Period Grating (LPG) and Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have been developed, which will operate below -20 °C and < 10% relative humidity where they will be exposed to radiation for ten years. Accurate humidity measurement requires an algorithm to decouple temperature, humidity and radiation dose effects. This paper presents the work done on developing optic fiber based humidity monitoring solution together with the performance analysis of the sensors after irradiating them with up to 1.85 MGy.

AB - The ATLAS Inner Tracker will operate at the HL-LHC following Long Shutdown 3, where humidity monitoring will be essential in protecting sensitive electronics. Conventional humidity sensors are unsuitable due to them being susceptible to radiation damage. Therefore, radiation-hard fiber optic sensors based on Long Period Grating (LPG) and Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have been developed, which will operate below -20 °C and < 10% relative humidity where they will be exposed to radiation for ten years. Accurate humidity measurement requires an algorithm to decouple temperature, humidity and radiation dose effects. This paper presents the work done on developing optic fiber based humidity monitoring solution together with the performance analysis of the sensors after irradiating them with up to 1.85 MGy.

KW - Detector control systems (detector and experiment monitoring and slow-control systems, architecture, hardware, algorithms, databases)

KW - Optics

KW - Real-time monitoring

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JF - Journal of Instrumentation

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Keeping the ATLAS ITk cool and dry

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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