  We present the results of the characterization of novel n-in-p planar pixel
detectors, designed for the future upgrades of the ATLAS pixel system. N-in-p
silicon devices are a promising candidate to replace the n-in-n sensors thanks
to their radiation hardness and cost effectiveness, that allow for enlarging
the area instrumented with pixel detectors. The n-in-p modules presented here
are composed of pixel sensors produced by CiS connected by bump-bonding to the
ATLAS readout chip FE-I3. The characterization of these devices has been
performed with the ATLAS pixel read-out systems, TurboDAQ and USBPIX, before
and after irradiation with 25 MeV protons and neutrons up to a fluence of
5x10**15 neq /cm2. The charge collection measurements carried out with
radioactive sources have proven the feasibility of employing this kind of
detectors up to these particle fluences. The collected charge has been measured
to be for any fluence in excess of twice the value of the FE-I3 threshold,
tuned to 3200 e. The first results from beam test data with 120 GeV pions at
the CERN-SPS are also presented, demonstrating a high tracking efficiency
before irradiation and a high collected charge for a device irradiated at
10**15 neq /cm2. This work has been performed within the framework of the RD50
Collaboration.
