Performance of 3D trench silicon pixel sensors irradiated up to 1 ⋅ 1017 1MeV neq cm−2

Tracking particles at extreme fluences requires the accurate measurement of the charged particle timing at the pixel level in order to cope with the increased occupancy of HL-LHC experiments. Maintaining this precision throughout the operational life of the detector is crucial. This work demonstrates that the 55 × 55 μm2 wide 150 μm thick 3D trench-type pixels, developed by the TimeSPOT Collaboration, maintain the performance of non-irradiated sensors even after exposure to fluences as high as 1⋅1017 1MeVneq cm−2. The preliminary results of a beam test characterization using minimum ionizing particles at the SPS North area beam facility reveal that the charge collection and the time resolution of the irradiated sensors are comparable to those of non-irradiated ones, by increasing the operational bias voltage. A minor reduction in detection efficiency, approximately 4%, is observed post-irradiation. Currently, 3D trench-type pixels are among the fastest pixel detectors available for tracking charged particles and hold significant promise for future tracking system upgrades. This preliminary evaluation suggests their suitability for use in even harsher radiation environments than High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) such as future experiments at the Future Circular Hadron Collider (FCC-hh).