The D0 collaboration began in 1983 and NIU joined the collaboration in 1986. D0 collected data from 1992-96 and then from 1996-2002 the detector ( muon detector detailed figure) was upgraded for the higher intensity conditions of the new Main Injector at Fermilab. Data will be collected until 2010. This new data is allowing for further studies of quarks, especially top and bottom quarks, and searches for new phenomena. Of particular interest will be searches for thr Higgs particle, which is thought to provide mass to the W and Z bosons and bare quarks, and for evidence of supersymmetry. Detailed information on the upgrade and the latest physics results can be obtained from the D0 homepage .

Major additions to D0 include an inner solenoidal magnet, scintillating fiber tracking, and a silicon vertex detector. These provide momentum determination of all charged particles, and the identification of secondary vertics (such as from b-quark decays). The muon system was extensively modified with the addition of shielding and new chambers and scintillation counters and is described in the muon NIM paper . (Also check photo of the muon group and muon NSF groups .) Over 100 physicists from Russia, India, China, Fermilab, Indiana Univerity, Northeastern University, Boston University, University of Arizona, University of Washington, and NIU participated in either the muon upgrade or ongoing muon operations. The detector has performed extremely well as can be seen in this 2008 muon status report by Andrey Schulkin.

NIU RESPONSIBILITIES

NIU had responsibilities for aspects of the trigger and muon portions of the upgrade. We are supported by a grant from the NSF and funds from Fermilab. Repsonsibilities included the leadership of the Run II trigger effort (Blazey), development of the muon Level 2 trigger (Fortner and Maciel), leadership of the tau (Chakraborty), jet (Zutshi), and muon (Hedin) identification groups, design of the muon upgrade (Hedin), calculation of muon shielding (Sirotenko), construction of new muon trigger counters (Hedin), and development of muon reconstruction and monitoring code (Fortner and Hedin). Blazey was spokesperson of D0 from 2002-2006. Details on some of these items can be found in the following: