Instrumentation Detectors and Advanced Instrumentation
The Science & Technology Facilities
Council (STFC) has many key areas of technology that have been
developed over many years in response to the demands of the science
programmes for national and international large scale science
facilities and space science programmes.
In particular, expertise in bespoke microelectronics design,
detector technology, systems engineering, precision design and
clean assembly have been key to the organisation's success.
The instrumentation and detector capabilities within STFC are
often developed for very exacting applications in terms of the
compact size of instruments or the precision of assembly, data
acquisition and speed; they also need to be developed to meet the
demands of operating in extreme environments (for example, in terms
temperature, pressure and radiation). Consequently the technologies
and products that have been developed by STFC will often meet the
most stringent requirements of specific industry sectors (such as
aerospace, defence, automotive and healthcare).
In many cases the design and building of an instrument will
require technologies across a wide range of disciplines in addition
to the fundamental simulation of the underpinning physics.
This ranges from the development of sophisticated software control
systems and data acquisition systems and micro and
nano-engineering, through to detailed precision mechanical
design on a large scale, integrated microelectronic solutions,
clean precision assembly and metrology, together with software code
development, both at a core and human interface level.
These capabilities exist in-house across the STFC organisation
and therefore prototype developments can be managed more easily
with STFC as a sole, or part, development partner.
Where expertise does not exist in STFC (and also to supplement
areas of existing expertise) STFC has developed a network of
academic and industrial partners that can bring specific expertise
to problem solving in instrumentation development.
Engineering Technology
The Engineering Technology Centre is responsible
for the Project Management of large scale engineering projects for
STFC e.g. work on Particle Trackers or Gravity Wave experiments.
This includes both Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from
design right through to installation, and is supported by a wealth
of specialist facilities and expertise.
Key Engineering Technology Centre Capabilities include: