Operation and Performance of the ATLAS Semiconductor Tracker

The ATLAS detector is the largest of the four main particle detectors at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, Switzerland. A crucial requirement for it to accomplish its physics goals is efficient and precise tracking of charged particles in the region around the point where proton-proton collisions take place. This role is performed by the ATLAS Inner Detector, of which the Semiconductor Tracker (SCT) is a key component. I will briefly describe the design and layout of the SCT, before discussing the commissioning of the detector and its operation over the course of LHC Run 1. (authors)