CMOS pixel vertex detector for STAR

We present development and prototyping efforts directed towards construction of a new vertex detector for the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) accelerator at BNL. The new detector system will extend the physics range of STAR by providing capability for precision measurements of yields and spectra of particles containing heavy quarks. The most precise and central part of the new detector system is a high resolution pixel-type detector (PIXEL) based on the Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (MAPS) technology. We describe basic PIXEL requirements and selected progress on sensor prototypes dedicated to the PIXEL detector and the detector readout system architecture that has been validated in recent tests of hardware prototypes.