The Forward Silicon Vertex Detector Upgrade for the PHENIX Experiment at RHIC

The PHENIX detector at RHIC will be upgraded with the Forward Silicon Vertex Detector (FVTX). The FVTX consists of two arms, each with four discs of silicon strip sensors combined with FPHX readout chips, covering the acceptance of existing muon arm detectors (1.2 $< \quad \vert $y$\vert \quad <$ 2.4). It will provide precision tracking and reconstruction of the primary vertex and the recognition of secondary decay vertices in the collision system, to allow discrimination among prompt muons, heavy flavor decay muons and muons from hadronic decays. The proposed tracker is planned to be put into operation in FY2011. The tracking performance and expectations for the physics signal extraction, the current status of detector construction, assembly plan, and the results of beam tests will be presented.