Characterization of the first prototype of the ALICE SAMPA ASIC for LHC Run 3 and beyond

Abstract

A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is planing to upgrade its Time Projection Chamber (TPC) due to the expected higher Pb-Pb collision-rates in the next running period (Run 3) of the LHC starting in 2020. In the upgraded TPC, Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) chambers and continuous readout system will replace Multi-Wire Proportional (MWP) chambers and conventional triggered readout. In the continuous readout, GEM signals will be processed using a 32 channel SAMPA ASIC. The first version of the SAMPA (MPW1) was delivered in 2014 and the production of final version is in progress. In this paper, the test results obtained for charge injection to the device using pulse generator as well as GEM detector prototype are reported.