A silicon pixel readout ASIC with 100 ps time resolution for the NA62 experiment

Abstract

The silicon tracker of the NA62 experiment requires the measurement of the particles arrival time with a resolution better than 200 ps rms and a spatial resolution of 300 μm. A time measurement technique based on a Time to Amplitude Converter has been implemented in an ASIC in order to prove the possibility to integrate a TDC with resolution better than 200 ps in a pixel cell. Time-walk problem has been addressed with the use of the Constant Fraction Discriminator technique. The ASIC has been designed in a CMOS 0.13 μm technology with single event upset protection of the digital logic.