Half of the 137 giant neutrino sensors, known as Anode Plane Assemblies (APAs), being built by the UK for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) in the US are now complete. This marks a significant step for the international project, which aims to investigate why the Universe is made of matter rather than antimatter.
The APAs are designed to detect tiny electrical signals produced when neutrinos interact with liquid argon within DUNE's underground detector. Each APA is approximately 6.3 metres tall and 2.3 metres wide, containing about 24 kilometres of copper-beryllium wire.
A team of 25 technicians at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Daresbury Laboratory is manufacturing the APAs. They are working with universities across the UK, including Lancaster, Liverpool, Imperial College London, Manchester, Sheffield, and Sussex, which contribute components, quality assurance, and scientific leadership.
Eight completed APAs have already arrived at Fermilab for final testing before their installation at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota. The remaining APAs are scheduled for completion by May 2029, with delivery for installation between November 2029.