[en] Silicon microstrip detectors will provide the forward tracking in the TOTEM experiment at the LHC. To allow efficient tracking closest to the beam (∼1 mm) these detectors should be sensitive up to their physical edge (i.e. edgeless). Edgeless (without guard rings) microstrip planar detectors can be operated at cryogenic temperatures (about 130 deg. K) where leakage currents due to the active edge are drastically reduced. A silicon microstrip prototype, cut perpendicular to the strips, has been tested with a pion beam at CERN to study its efficiency close to the edge by using reference tracks from a simple silicon telescope. Results indicate that the detector measures tracks with good efficiency up to the physical edge of the silicon

[en] This article discusses the physics programme of the TOTEM experiment at the LHC (Large Hadron Collider in CERN). A new special beam optics with β^* 90 m (betatron value), enabling the measurements of the total cross-section, elastic pp scattering and diffractive phenomena already at early LHC runs, is explained. For this and the various other TOTEM running scenarios, the acceptances of the leading proton detectors and of the forward tracking stations for some physics processes are described. (authors)

[en] TOTEM will measure the total pp cross-section at LHC by using a luminosity independent method based on simultaneous evaluation of the total elastic and inelastic rates. For an extended coverage of the inelastic and diffractive events, two forward tracking telescope are employed. The elastically or diffractively scattered protons are measured by a set of special detectors, which can be moved close to the circulating protons beams. The paper describes the physics reach of the experiment and the detectors which are being considered. (orig.)

[en] We report measurements in a high-energy pion beam of the sensitivity of the edge region in 'edgeless' planar silicon pad diode detectors diced through their contact implants. A large surface current on such an edge prevents the normal reverse biasing of the device, but the current can be sufficiently reduced by the use of a suitable cutting method, followed by edge treatment, and by operating the detector at low temperature. The depth of the dead layer at the diced edge is measured to be (12.5±8_stat..±6_syst.) μm

[en] We report measurements in a high-energy beam of the sensitivity of the edge region in 'edgeless' planar silicon pad diode detectors. The edgeless side of these rectangular diodes is formed by a cut and break through the contact implants. A large surface current on such an edge prevents the normal reverse biasing of this device above the full depletion voltage, but we have shown that the current can be sufficiently reduced by the use of a suitable cutting method, followed by edge treatment, and by operating the detector at a low temperature. A pair of these edgeless silicon diode pad sensors was exposed to the X5 high-energy pion beam at CERN, to determine the edge sensitivity. The signal of the detector pair triggered a reference telescope made of silicon microstrip detector modules. The gap width between the edgeless sensors, determined using the tracks measured by the reference telescope, was then compared with the results of precision metrology. It was concluded that the depth of the dead layer at the diced edge is compatible with zero within the statistical precision of ±8 μm and systematic error of ±6 μm

[en] The TOTEM experiment at the CERN LHC has measured elastic proton-proton scattering at the centre-of-mass energy √(s) = 8 TeV and four-momentum transfers squared, vertical stroke t vertical stroke, from 6 x 10"-"4 to 0.2 GeV"2. Near the lower end of the t-interval the differential cross-section is sensitive to the interference between the hadronic and the electromagnetic scattering amplitudes. This article presents the elastic cross-section measurement and the constraints it imposes on the functional forms of the modulus and phase of the hadronic elastic amplitude. The data exclude the traditional Simplified West and Yennie interference formula that requires a constant phase and a purely exponential modulus of the hadronic amplitude. For parametrisations of the hadronic modulus with second- or third-order polynomials in the exponent, the data are compatible with hadronic phase functions giving either central or peripheral behaviour in the impact parameter picture of elastic scattering. In both cases, the ρ-parameter is found to be 0.12 ± 0.03. The results for the total hadronic cross-section are σ_t_o_t = (102.9 ± 2.3) mb and (103.0 ± 2.3) mb for central and peripheral phase formulations, respectively. Both are consistent with previous TOTEM measurements. (orig.)

[en] The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton-proton total cross section at √(s) = 13 TeV with a luminosity-independent method. Using dedicated β* = 90 m beam optics, the Roman Pots were inserted very close to the beam. The inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes during the same LHC fill. After applying the optical theorem the total proton-proton cross section is σ_tot = (110.6±3.4) mb, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: σ_el = (31.0±1.7) mb and σ_inel = (79.5±1.8) mb. (orig.)

[en] The pseudorapidity density of charged particles dN_ch/dη is measured by the TOTEM experiment in proton-proton collisions at √(s) = 8 TeV within the range 3.9 < η < 4.7 and -6.95 < η < -6.9. Data were collected in a low intensity LHC run with collisions occurring at a distance of 11.25 m from the nominal interaction point. The data sample is expected to include 96-97 % of the inelastic proton-proton interactions. The measurement reported here considers charged particles with p_T > 0 MeV/c, produced in inelastic interactions with at least one charged particle in -7 < η < -6 or 3.7 < η < 4.8. The dN_ch/dη has been found to decrease with vertical stroke η vertical stroke, from 5.11 ± 0.73 at η = 3.95 to 1.81 ± 0.56 at η = -6.925. Several Monte Carlo generators are compared to the data and are found to be within the systematic uncertainty of the measurement. (orig.)