Planar edgeless silicon detectors for the TOTEM experiment

Silicon detectors for the Roman Pots of the the large hadron collider TOTEM experiment aim for full sensitivity at the edge where a terminating structure is required for electrical stability. This work provides an innovative approach reducing the conventional width of the terminating structure to less than 100 /spl mu/m, still using standard planar fabrication technology. The objective of this new development is to decouple the electric behavior of the surface from the sensitive volume within a few tens of micrometers. The explanation of the basic principle of this new approach together with the experimental confirmation via electric measurements and beam test are presented in this paper, demonstrating that silicon detectors with this new terminating structure are fully operational and efficient to under 60 /spl mu/m from the die cut.