APD Readout Research Articles

A prototype electromagnetic calorimeter for the MUonE experiment: status and first performance results

The MUonE experiment proposes a novel approach to determine the leading hadronic contribution to the muon g-2, from a precise measurement of the differential cross section of the μ-e elastic scattering, achievable by using the CERN SPS muon beam onto atomic electrons of a light target. The detector layout is modular, consisting of an array of identical tracking stations, each one made of a light target and silicon strip planes, followed by an electromagnetic calorimeter made of PbWO4 crystals with APD readout, placed after the last station, and a muon filter. The scattering particles are tracked without any magnetic field, and the event kinematics can be defined in a large phase space region from the expected correlation of the outgoing particle angles. The ambiguity affecting a specific region, with electron and muon outgoing with similar deflection angles, can be solved by identifying the electron track as the one with extrapolation matching the calorimeter cluster or the muon track by associating it to hits in the muon filter. The role of the calorimeter will be important for background estimate and reduction, and to assess systematic errors, providing some useful redundancy and allowing for alternative selections.Beam tests are carried out at CERN with a prototype calorimeter to determine its calibration with both high energy (20–150 GeV) and low energy electrons (1–10 GeV). In late summer a pilot run is scheduled with up to three tracking stations and the calorimeter integrated within a common triggerless readout system. The main motivations for the MUonE calorimeter are discussed, and the status and first performance results will be presented.

Tile and crystal calorimeters for the KLOE 2 experiment

The upgrade of the DA$\Phi$NE machine layout requires a modification of the size and position of the inner focusing quadrupoles of KLOE$^2$ thus asking for the realization of two new calorimeters covering the quadrupoles area. To improve the reconstruction of $K_L\to 2\pi^0$ events with photons hitting the quadrupoles, a tile calorimeter, QCALT, with high efficiency to low energy photons (20-300 MeV), time resolution of less than 1 ns and space resolution of few cm, is needed. We propose a tile calorimeter with a high granularity readout corresponding to about 2500 silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) of $1\times 1$ mm$^2$ area. Moreover, the low polar angle regions need the realization of a dense crystal calorimeter with very high time resolution performances to extend the acceptance for multiphotons events. Best candidates for this calorimeter are LYSO crystals with APD readout or PbWO$_4$ crystals with large area SIPM readout.

Experimental characterization of the 192 channel Clear-PEM frontend ASIC coupled to a multi-pixel APD readout of LYSO:Ce crystals

In the framework of the Clear-PEM project for the construction of a high-resolution scanner for breast cancer imaging, a very compact and dense frontend electronics system has been developed for readout of multi-pixel S8550 Hamamatsu APDs. The frontend electronics are instrumented with a mixed-signal Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which incorporates 192 low-noise charge pre-amplifiers, shapers, analog memory cells and digital control blocks. Pulses are continuously stored in memory cells at clock frequency. Channels above a common threshold voltage are readout for digitization by off-chip free-sampling ADCs. The ASIC has a size of 7.3 × 9.8 mm 2 and was implemented in a AMS 0.35 μ m CMOS technology. In this paper the experimental characterization of the Clear-PEM frontend ASIC, reading out multi-pixel APDs coupled to LYSO:Ce crystal matrices, is presented. The chips were mounted on a custom test board connected to six APD arrays and to the data acquisition system. Six 32-pixel LYSO:Ce crystal matrices coupled on both sides to APD arrays were readout by two test boards. All 384 channels were operational. The chip power consumption is 660 mW (3.4 mW per channel). A very stable behavior of the chip was observed, with an estimated ENC of 1200 – 1300 e - at APD gain 100. The inter-channel noise dispersion and mean baseline variation is less than 8% and 0.5%, respectively. The spread in the gain between different channels is found to be 1.5%. Energy resolution of 16.5% at 511 keV and 12.8% at 662 keV has been measured. Timing measurements between the two APDs that readout the same crystal is extracted and compared with detailed Monte Carlo simulations. At 511 keV the measured single photon time RMS resolution is 1.30 ns, in very good agreement with the expected value of 1.34 ns.

A Novel Time-Based Readout Scheme for a Combined PET-CT Detector Using APDs

This paper summarizes CERN R&D work done in the framework of the European Commission's FP6 BioCare Project. The objective was to develop a novel "time-based" signal processing technique to read out LSO-APD photodetectors for medical imaging. An important aspect was to employ the technique in a combined scenario for both computer tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) with effectively no tradeoffs in efficiency and resolution compared to traditional single mode machines. This made the use of low noise and yet very high-speed monolithic front-end electronics essential so as to assure the required timing characteristics together with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Using APDs for photon detection, two chips, traditionally employed for particle physics, could be identified to meet the above criteria. Although both were not optimized for their intended new medical application, excellent performance in conjunction with LSO-APD sensors could be derived. Whereas a measured energy resolution of 16% (FWHM) at the 511 keV photo peak competes favorably with that of 'classical' PMTs, the coincidence time resolution of 1.6 ns FWHM with dual APD readout is typically lower. This is attributed to the stochastic photon production mechanism in LSO and the photon conversion characteristic of the photo diode, as well as to the fluctuations in photon conversion, albeit the APD's superior quantum efficiency. Also in terms of CT counting speed, the chosen readout principle is limited by the intrinsic light decay in LSO (40 ns) for each impinging X-ray.

Longitudinally segmented lead/scintillator hadron calorimeter with micro-pixel APD readout

The construction and performance of a modular hadron calorimeter prototype is described. The prototype consists of 9 individual lead/scintillator sandwich modules with the sampling satisfying the compensating condition. The light from the individual scintillator tiles is captured and transported with the WLS-fibers embedded in the scintillator and extended along the lateral side to the rear end of the module. Set of 6 WLS-fibers from the neighboring tiles is grouped in one bundle and viewed by a 3×3 mm 2 avalanche micro-pixel photodiode. The construction ensures a longitudinal segmentation of the module in 10 independent sections. The results of beam tests of the calorimeter prototype are presented. The energy resolution σ / E ≈ 53 % / E ( GeV ) was obtained.

Scintillator strip detector with MRS APD readout for the Super BELLE

We report the results of the tests of 150 detectors consisting of a scintillator strip and a wavelength-shifting fiber, read out by a metal-resistor silicon avalanche photodiode operating in the Geiger mode (MRS APD). Using weak flashes of a Light Emitting Diode we clearly see individual photoelectrons in the amplitude spectra of all MRS APDs. Based on these spectra we determine the gain, the relative quantum efficiency and the cross-talk of the MRS APDs. Using cosmic rays we measure the light yield, the efficiency, the response uniformity and the time resolution of the strips. The first results of the radiation hardness study using a proton beam are presented. The strips are to be installed at the Belle detector as a prototype of the future muon system for the Super B-factory.

Gamma-Ray Induced Radiation Damage in Large Size LSO and LYSO Crystal Samples

This paper presents a study of the gamma-ray induced radiation damage effect in large size (2.5 times 2.5 times 20 cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> ) LSO and LYSO crystal samples. Optical and scintillation properties, including longitudinal transmittance and photo-luminescence spectra, light output and light response uniformity with PMT and APD readout, are measured before and after gamma-ray irradiations with an integrated dose up to 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</sup> rad for three LSO and LYSO samples from different vendors. It was found that 300degC thermal annealing removes all radiation induced absorption. The photo-luminescence spectra measured before and after the irradiations were found to be consistent, indicating that the scintillation mechanism is not damaged. The radiation damage recovers very slow under the room temperature, indicating that the radiation damage level in LSO and LYSO crystals is not dose rate dependent. It was also found that the overall radiation damage in LSO and LYSO crystals is small as compared to other crystal scintillators commonly used in high energy and nuclear physics experiments.

A high-granularity plastic scintillator tile hadronic calorimeter with APD readout for a linear collider detector

We report upon the performance of an analog hadron calorimeter prototype, where plastic scintillator tiles are read out with wavelength-shifting fibers coupled to avalanche photodiodes. This prototype configuration has been tested using a positron beam at DESY with energies between 1 and 6 GeV. We present different detector calibration methods, show measurements for noise, linearity, and energy resolution and discuss gain monitoring with an LED system. The results are in good agreement with our simulation studies and previous measurements using silicon photomultiplier readout.

Development of APD readout for pure-CsI crystals at cryogenic temperatures

To detect 511keVγ-rays from positron annihilations, a detector with 192 pure-CsI crystals and APD readout was developed to determine the energy and direction of the two back-to-back γ-rays. The working temperature of the detector is ∼140K. The performance of crystal and APD at cryogenic temperatures are described.

A front-end setup to amplify, shape, and compress the signals from the APDs of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

A complete electronics chain for APD readout for the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter has been simulated trying to take into account the noise level, consumption, and compression needed for this detector device.