In the first week of October, ATLAS teams at SLAC successfully loaded detector modules onto the first production ring of the Inner Tracker (ITk) Pixel Inner System – marking an important step in the assembly of the experiment’s next-generation tracker.

Located closest to the LHC beam pipe at the heart of the ATLAS experiment, the ring will form part of the ITk Pixel Inner System. It consists of silicon pixel detector modules mounted on lightweight carbon-fibre supports, together with the power, data and cooling services required for operation.

The modules on the first side of the ring are now in place, with the second side scheduled for loading this week. Initial metrology measurements confirm that the modules are correctly positioned, marking an encouraging start to this stage of assembly.

Learn more

• About High-Luminosity ATLAS
• ATLAS enters the high-luminosity era, ATLAS Press Statement, June 2026
• Read more HiLumi ATLAS upgrade stories