The HighRR Research Training Group is dedicated to research and education in pure detector science. It particular focuses on the instrumentation of novel experiments in nuclear, particle and high energy physics and gives doctoral researchers the opportunity to participate in the development of next-generation particle detectors using most advanced technologies. The development of novel, innovative measuring instruments is the key to progress in the natural sciences. With its special emphasis on instrumentation the HighRR is bridging a gap between fundamental physics and engineering. It thus concentrates on an area heretofore unrepresented within Heidelberg’s structured doctoral training programmes. HighRR doctoral researchers will be working at the cutting edge of technological development and, through this, make essential contributions to the investigation of some of the most fundamental, but as yet unanswered, questions in physics.
The HighRR research covers the following areas: detector technology and system integration, trigger and data acquisition, electronics and sensor development, simulation and reconstruction. Participation in one of the three LHC experiments ATLAS, ALICE and LHCb as well as in several other research projects (e.g. CALICE, CBM, ECHo, Mu3e) is possible. In addition, research on spin-off applications e.g. medical imaging or fast X-ray cameras for synchrotron experiments is also pursued. The research areas, objectives and special support measures of the HighRR are depicted in the figure below. In addition to being part of the HighRR all HighRR PhD students are also members of the Heidelberg Graduate School of Fundamental Physics (HGSFP) as their R&D work is directly realted to fundamental physics research; they are thus also eligible to participate in the educational and support program of the HGSFP.
