Silicon microstrip detectors have been the elective technology for tracking particles in space during the last decades.
The new generation of space experiments, currently under discussion, will require an important improvement in spatial resolution.
Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors already proved to be able to replicate the best performance of microstrip detectors, and the development of the technology is still
in its early stages.
Although the good tracking performance, there are two limits to be taken into account to allow the use of the technology in space:
* Lack of information on long-term operation
* Power consumption
The first problem can be partially overcome with extensive tests, and the second can be directly addressed during the design of a new detector.
ARCADIA is the first R&D project of a MAPS that explicitly target the use of the detector in space. For this reason, a special attention has been dedicated to the
development of a low-power “space mode” that can be used if the expected particle rate is below 10 KHz.
The Main Demonstrator and the structures of interest for space applications will be tested in a dedicated space qualification campaign.