Results from beam tests of large area silicon drift detectors

Silicon drift detectors with an active area of 7.0×7.5cm2 will equip the two middle layers of the Inner Tracking System of the ALICE experiment. The performance of several prototypes was studied during beam tests carried out at the CERN SPS facility. In this paper, the results obtained from the data taken during August 2000 will be presented. The spatial resolution was studied in the case of tracks perpendicular to the detector and in the case of inclined tracks. Results on the signal analysis and of the double-track resolution are also shown.