Heavy Quark Detection With A Forward Silicon Micro-vertex Detector at PHENIX.

Intriguing evidence that a new state of matter, the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), is formed in collisions of ultra-relativistic heavy ions has been presented during the past year by physicists working at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL. We are developing a unique experimental capability at RHIC for the direct identification of heavy quarks, which will be used to accurately determine the properties of this new state of matter. We will construct a silicon micro-vertex detector (SVD) covering the forward collision region, which will provide an excellent measurement of charm quark decays in the high multiplicity environment of nuclear collisions. Based upon electronics developed for the BTeV experiment, the SVD will cover one quarter of a PHENIX muon arm. Internal LANL funding will cover the construction costs. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]