Adrian Irles (LAL): Introduction to the physics case of the ILC and R&D for a highly granular electromagnetic calorimeter
The discovery of the Higgs boson by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments
is a milestone in the history of particle physics: the particle spectrum of the
Standard Model (SM) could have been completed. However, the SM cannot explain
numerous fundamental facts and issues (mass hierarchy, dark matter,
matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe...). The high center of mass energy
available at the LHC may lead to the direct production of new fundamental
particles present in beyond the standard models (BSM) theories but even in the
absence of such discovery, the field calls for precision measurements in e+e-
collisions. In this seminar, the physics case of the International Linear
Collider (ILC) (electron-positron linear collider designed for a cms energy of
250- 500 GeV using polarized beams) is discussed. Indeed, the ILC is, at current
date, the only energy frontier accelerator post-LHC era that is in the
engineering phase stage. It foreseen that the ILC will reach the % of precision
level on the measurement of the Higgs coupling allowing for extensive tests of
the electroweak symmetry breaking in the SM and BSM. The ILC is also an ideal
tool to measure electroweak couplings of fermions and in particular of heavy
quarks. All these precision measurements will allow to detect the onset of new
physics or exclude the existence of new physics up to several 10 TeV. In later
phases of the ILC running (350, 500 GeV) the top-quark will then enter in the
game and open a wide new range of high precision measurements. In order to
perform all these measurements, the ILC requires unprecedented high precision in
the determination of the energy of final state particles that will be achieved
thanks to the Particle Flow algorithms (PF) which require highly granular and
hermetic calorimeters systems. An important part of the seminar will be
dedicated to the discussion and presentation of Silicon-Tungsten Electromagnetic
Calorimeter (SiW-ECAL) for the International Large Detector at the ILC, which is
one of these PF calorimeters.