A Serializer ASIC at 5 Gbps for Detector Front-end Electronics Readout

Abstract

Optical data links are used in detector front-end electronics readout systems of experiments in the Tevatron and the LHC. Optical links in high energy particle physics experiments usually have special requirements such as radiation tolerance, ultra high reliability and low power dissipation. These requirements are often not met by commercial components which are designed for applications in non-radiation, accessible (for maintenance) environment, and for multi-vendor systems so the parts must comply with certain standards. Future HEP experiments such as the upgrades for the sLHC call for optical links with ultra high data bandwidth, higher radiation tolerance and ultra low power dissipation. To meet these challenges and in particular those in the upgrade for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter readout that calls for an optical link system of 100 Gbps for each front-end board, we adopted a full custom front-end electronics system design based on application specific integrated circuits. Reported here are the development and test results of two circuits: a 5 Gbps serializer and a 5 GHz phase locked loop, and a block diagram design for the 100 Gbps optical link.