Experimental High Energy Physics & Related Instrumentation Laboratory

The Laboratory of Experimental High Energy Physics and Related Instrumentation of the School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences (SAMPS), at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), is one of the most historic and internationally active research laboratories in Greece in the fields of High Energy Physics, detector technology, and scientific instrumentation.

Its research activities began in 1968 under the initiative of the late Professor Anastasios Filippas, and since then the laboratory has continuously participated in the most important international particle physics experiments at CERN. During nearly six decades of operation, the laboratory has made significant contributions to landmark experiments at the PS, ISR, SPS, LEP, and LHC accelerators, participating both in the physics analysis of experimental data and in the design, construction, and operation of advanced detector and electronic systems.

The laboratory has a long tradition in the development of innovative radiation and particle detection technologies. As early as the 1980s, it designed and constructed entirely in Greece the ODYSSEUS Čerenkov Detector System for CERN, becoming the first complete detector system designed, built, and installed by a Greek university in an international high-energy physics experiment.

Today, the laboratory is an active member of the international ATLAS and CMS collaborations at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Its research activities cover a broad spectrum of topics, including the study of the fundamental interactions of matter, Higgs boson physics, searches for physics beyond the Standard Model, and the development of advanced detectors and high-performance electronic systems.

A particularly important contribution of the laboratory has been its participation in the original construction of the ATLAS detector through the design and implementation of the BIS-MDT muon chambers, as well as in the ATLAS upgrade program for the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) era. Laboratory members have been involved in the design, construction, quality assurance, and operation of the new MDT gaseous detector systems and the Micromegas detectors of the New Small Wheel (NSW), as well as in the development of data acquisition electronics (DAQ and readout systems), monitoring systems, and large-scale automation infrastructures for complex scientific facilities.

In parallel, the laboratory possesses substantial expertise in areas of significant interest to industry and applied research, including:

• Development of solid-state sensors and gaseous detector systems for radiation and particle tracking.
• High-speed, low-noise electronic systems.
• Detector Control Systems (DCS) and large-scale monitoring infrastructures.
• Processing and analysis of large-scale datasets.
• Accelerator and particle-beam technologies.
• Advanced automation and industrial monitoring systems.
• Computational simulation and optimization methods for complex physical systems.

For many years, the laboratory has actively participated in major European research infrastructures and strategic development projects such as ESS (European Spallation Source), EuPRAXIA, CompactLight, and CLIC, contributing to the design of next-generation accelerators, electron sources, beam diagnostics systems, and advanced technological infrastructures.

Its extensive experience in large-scale international collaborations, combined with its expertise in the development of complex scientific instrumentation, makes the Laboratory of Experimental High Energy Physics and Instrumentation a strong research and technology partner for collaborations with industrial organizations, research institutes, hospitals, and high-technology companies.

Today, special emphasis is placed on the transfer of knowledge and technology from fundamental research to applications with societal and economic impact, including medical imaging, proton therapy, sensor technologies, artificial intelligence for data analysis, and advanced accelerator technologies, thereby contributing to the development of innovative solutions with international potential.

Areas of Technology Transfer

The laboratory’s long-standing participation in large-scale international research projects has led to the development of significant know-how with strong potential for transfer to industry, medical technology, and research infrastructures. Key areas of technology transfer include:

Advanced Detectors and Sensor Technologies

• Development and characterization of particle and radiation detectors.
• Micromegas, Picosec, and Low Gain Avalanche Detector (LGAD) technologies.
• Precision timing and particle-tracking systems.
• Applications in medical imaging, radiation therapy, and industrial measurements.

High-Performance Electronic Systems

• Design and development of high-speed analog and digital electronics.
• Real-time data acquisition and processing systems.
• Embedded monitoring and control systems.
• Electronics for high-radiation and high-reliability environments.

Control, Automation, and Industrial Monitoring Systems

• Development of SCADA and Detector Control Systems (DCS).
• Monitoring and control of large-scale complex facilities.
• Remote operation and management of critical infrastructures.
• Early-diagnosis and predictive-maintenance tools.

Accelerator and Particle-Beam Technologies

• Study and design of next-generation accelerator systems.
• Electron sources and photocathodes.
• Beam diagnostics and instrumentation.
• Computational simulation and optimization of accelerator components.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics

• Development of algorithms for large-scale experimental data analysis.
• Machine-learning applications for pattern recognition and decision support.
• Digital twins and predictive models for the operation of complex systems.

Medical Physics and Healthcare Technologies

• Detectors for imaging and therapeutic applications.
• Systems for proton imaging and proton computed tomography.
• Verification and quality-assurance technologies for proton therapy.
• Development of innovative sensors for biomedical applications.

The laboratory actively seeks collaborations with industrial partners, start-up companies, research centers, and healthcare organizations, aiming to transform the results of fundamental research into innovative, high-value technological solutions with tangible societal and economic benefits.

Faculty members:
Theodoros Alexopoulos, Professor
Evamgelos Gazis, Emeritus Professor
Manolis Dris, Emeritus Professor
Georgia Karaposoli, Assistant Professor
Konstantinos Kousouris, Professor
Ioannis Kopsalis, Assistant Professor
Stavros Maltezos, Emeritus Professor
Yorgos Tsipolitis, Professor

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