Long-Term Running Experience with the Silicon Micro-Strip

The Silicon Microstrip Tracker (SMT) at the D0 experiment in the Fermilab Tevatron collider has been operating since 2001. In 2006, an additional layer, referred to as Layer 0, was installed to improve impact parameter resolution and compensate for detector degradation due to radiation damage to the original innermost SMT layer. The SMT detector provides valuable tracking and vertexing information for the experiment. This talk will highlight aspects of the long term operation of the SMT, including the impact of the silicon readout test stand. Due to the full integration of the test stand into the D0 trigger framework, this test stand provides a valuable tool for training new experts and studying subtle effects in the SMT while minimizing impact on the global data acquisition.