The Higgs boson discovery and the role of detector technology

Abstract

On 4 July 2012 the ATLAS and CMS collaboration at LHC announced the observation of a new particle, consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson. The significance of its observation stands now close to the 7 sigma level, well beyond the 5 required for a discovery and the measurement of the new particle's properties appear to be consistent with those of a Standard Model Higgs boson. This discovery marks the definitive triumph of the Standard Model of particle physics and represents a milestone in our understanding of the Universe. Behind this important achievement there is the hard work of the experimentalists, who have dedicated more than 20 years of their lives to the R&D work necessary to the conception and realization of huge and sophisticated apparatus of unprecedented sensitivities capable to stand the harsh running conditions at the LHC. The crucial role played by the different detectors techniques will be revised.