LHCb is an experiment designed to make precision measurements of Charge- Parity violation in the B meson system. We report a measurement of the B± crosssection and production asymmetry, using B± → J/u K± decays collected at the LHCb detector in 2010 and 2011. Using 27.6 pb-1 of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy 7 TeV, we obtain a B± cross-section of [41.6 ± 0.6 (stat.) ± 3.0 (sys.) ± 4.2 (lumi.)] μb in the rapidity region 2 to 4.5. Using 371.1 pb-1 of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy 7 TeV, we obtain a B± production asymmetry of [-2.09 ± 1.20 ± 0.8 (CP) ]% in the same rapidity region. The Ring Imaging Cherenkov system of LHCb uses Hybrid photon detectors (HPDs) for single photon detection. This thesis summarises the use of ion feedback measurements as indicators of HPD vacuum quality.

The Large Hadron Collider started operation this year, 2008. LHCb is a precision heavy-flavour experiment at this collider. The precision of LHCb is greatly aided by the LHCb Ring Imaging Cherenkov system for the separation and identification of charged hadrons. This system uses pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors, an innovative new technology for single photon imaging. The simulation and testing of these photon detectors are reported and discussed. The photodetectors were measured to have reached or exceeded the specifications in key areas. In particular, the detector quantum efficiencies far exceed expectations, by a relative 27 %. The precision of LHCb will be used to examine CP-violation and rare decays of B-mesons. A key part of the physics programme will be a measurement of the CP-violating flavour specific asymmetry in neutral B-meson mixing. This asymmetry is expected to be very small in the Standard Model, of order 10-4, however it is very sensitive to new physics, which can increase the asymmetry dramatically. We present an improved event selection and a novel method to control systematics. This will enable us to make a world-leading measurement of this parameter in one nominal year of data taking (2 fb-1).

LHCb is a high-precision experiment for the study of CP violation and rare decays in B physics. It has two Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) counters for particle identification. The RICH system uses Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPD) for single photon detection. This thesis describes tests performed on individual HPDs for quantum efficiency and vacuum quality. It then presents work done monitoring HPD vacuum quality through regular ion feedback measurements after they were mounted into the RICH. Also discussed is HPD vacuum degradation and how replacement and repair of deteriorated HPDs was implemented using data from the vacuum monitoring. Preparations for an upgrade to LHCb have started. The upgrade will extend the discovery potential of the LHCb by increasing the rate of data collection. This thesis presents particle identification and avour tagging studies using upgrade simulations. Flavour tagging using kaons was then reoptimised for upgrade conditions and this work is described with discussions of the results.

<p>The world’s largest particle accelerator, Large Hadron Collider, located at CERN outside Geneva performed its first proton-proton collisions in November 2009. One of the four main experiments is LHCb, studying rare decays of hadrons containing the beauty quark. An essential part of the particle identification in LHCb is made by the two Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors. These detectors use pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors for detection and imaging of Cherenkov rings. This paper reports on measurements carried out on the Hybrid Photon Detectors, including a discussion of the results. In particular, ageing effect and image stability are studied. A fraction of the photon detectors show a degradation in performance within these fields.</p> / <p>Världens största partikelaccelerator, LHC, belägen vid CERN utanför Genève utförde sina första proton-proton kollisioner i November 2009. Ett av de fyra huvudexperimenten är LHCb, som studerar sällsynta sönderfall av hadroner innehållande <em>b</em> kvarken. En viktig del av partikelidentifikationen i LHCb görs av de två RICH detektorerna. Dessa använder hybrida fotondetektorer för detektering och avbildning av Cherenkov ringar. Denna rapport handlar om mätningar utförda på dessa hybrida fotondetektorer, med en diskussion av resultaten. I synnerhet studeras åldringseffekter och bildstabilitet. En andel av fotondetektorerna visar en degradering i prestanda inom dessa områden.</p>

The world’s largest particle accelerator, Large Hadron Collider, located at CERN outside Geneva performed its first proton-proton collisions in November 2009. One of the four main experiments is LHCb, studying rare decays of hadrons containing the beauty quark. An essential part of the particle identification in LHCb is made by the two Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors. These detectors use pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors for detection and imaging of Cherenkov rings. This paper reports on measurements carried out on the Hybrid Photon Detectors, including a discussion of the results. In particular, ageing effect and image stability are studied. A fraction of the photon detectors show a degradation in performance within these fields. / Världens största partikelaccelerator, LHC, belägen vid CERN utanför Genève utförde sina första proton-proton kollisioner i November 2009. Ett av de fyra huvudexperimenten är LHCb, som studerar sällsynta sönderfall av hadroner innehållande b kvarken. En viktig del av partikelidentifikationen i LHCb görs av de två RICH detektorerna. Dessa använder hybrida fotondetektorer för detektering och avbildning av Cherenkov ringar. Denna rapport handlar om mätningar utförda på dessa hybrida fotondetektorer, med en diskussion av resultaten. I synnerhet studeras åldringseffekter och bildstabilitet. En andel av fotondetektorerna visar en degradering i prestanda inom dessa områden.