First radiation background studies for the TOTEM Roman Pot and T2 detectors

TOTEM detectors, together with their related readout electronics, are located in different LHC areas exposed to heterogeneous radiation levels. To evaluate the radiation damage and to understand radiation-induced changes on the detector performance, very early measurements of the radiation background were carried out during 2010 and 2011, with both active (RadFETs and p-i-n diodes) and passive radiation sensors. In this work, a detailed analysis of the radiation data recorded in the TOTEM Roman Pot system and in the T2 inelastic telescope is presented. The experimental data are validated against Monte Carlo simulations and used to predict TOTEM radiation levels in forthcoming LHC runs.