Photomultiplier Tube Signals Research Articles

Upgrade of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter for the High Luminosity LHC

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is the hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment. TileCal is a sampling calorimeter with steel as absorber and scintillators as active medium. The scintillators are read-out by wavelength shifting fibers coupled to photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The analogue signals from the PMTs are amplified, shaped, digitized by sampling the signal every 25 ns and stored on detector until a trigger decision is received. The High-Luminosity phase of LHC (HL-LHC) expected to begin data taking in 2026 requires readout electronics suitable for a 1 MHz trigger rate, higher ambient radiation, and for better performance under high pileup. Both the on- and off-detector TileCal electronics will be replaced during the shutdown of 2024-2025. PMT signals from every TileCal cell will be digitized and sent directly to the back-end electronics, where the signals are reconstructed, stored, and sent to the first trigger level at a rate of 40 MHz. This will provide better precision of the calorimeter signals used by the trigger system and will allow the development of more complex trigger algorithms. Changes to the electronics will also enhance the data integrity and reliability of the system. Three front-end board options were built and investigated both in laboratory and in several beam test campaigns. The final version has been chosen after evaluating the results. A hybrid Demonstrator for the new readout architecture and compatible with the present system has been developed, adopting the new chosen front-end option. The Demonstrator is undergoing extensive testing and is planned for future insertion in ATLAS.

Detecting Temporal Changes of Self-Absorption in a Laser-Induced Copper Plasma from Time-Resolved Photomultiplier Signal Emission Profiles.

This work reports an investigation on the feasibility of using a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to follow the time evolution of self-absorption of copper resonance transitions at 324.7 nm and 327.4 nm. The plasma was obtained by focusing a Nd:YAG laser, operated at 1064 nm, on a series of aluminum alloy standard disks containing different copper concentrations. The results described have been obtained at different times and with different set-ups. These set-ups consisted of a Paschen-Runge polychromator, a LIBS 2000 spectrometer, and a spectrometer equipped with both an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) and PMT. Both PMT signals and time-resolved spectra were obtained and the ratio of the two Cu resonant lines was calculated, compared, and discussed. By selecting different delay times and integration gates of the PMT signals, the self-absorption effect of the Cu resonant lines was found to be changing, implying that, by careful selection of the integration window of PMT signals, the self-absorption may be minimized, thus improving the calibration linearity of the technique.

Digitization of Waveforms from Photosensors of the DANSS Detector

The detection equipment of the DANSS setup includes 2500 silicon photomultipliers and approximately 100 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The system of data acquisition from these photosensors is based on waveform digitization, with which it is possible to simultaneously obtain both amplitude and timing information. The modules of waveform digitizers (WFDs) are made to the VME standard and allow parallel digitization of 64 differential signals at a frequency of 125 MHz with a 12-bit amplitude resolution. The programmable logic of the WFDs provides production of the system trigger based on the analysis of the PMT signals and its propagation without any additional hardware. Owing to the extremely low analog noise, it is possible to use the full dynamic range of the digitization. These WFD modules are superior to other similar modules in the throughput and may find wide application to perform similar tasks of waveform digitization.

Data acquisition architecture and online processing system for the HAWC gamma-ray observatory

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov observatory (HAWC) is an air shower array devised for TeV gamma-ray astronomy. HAWC is located at an altitude of 4100 m a.s.l. in Sierra Negra, Mexico. HAWC consists of 300 Water Cherenkov Detectors, each instrumented with 4 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). HAWC re-uses the Front-End Boards from the Milagro experiment to receive the PMT signals. These boards are used in combination with Time to Digital Converters (TDCs) to record the time and the amount of light in each PMT hit (light flash). A set of VME TDC modules (128 channels each) is operated in a continuous (dead time free) mode. The TDCs are read out via the VME bus by Single-Board Computers (SBCs), which in turn are connected to a gigabit Ethernet network. The complete system produces ≈500 MB/s of raw data. A high-throughput data processing system has been designed and built to enable real-time data analysis. The system relies on off-the-shelf hardware components, an open-source software technology for data transfers (ZeroMQ) and a custom software framework for data analysis (AERIE). Multiple trigger and reconstruction algorithms can be combined and run on blocks of data in a parallel fashion, producing a set of output data streams which can be analyzed in real time with minimal latency (<5 s). This paper provides an overview of the hardware set-up and an in-depth description of the software design, covering both the TDC data acquisition system and the real-time data processing system. The performance of these systems is also discussed.

The electronics, trigger and data acquisition system for the liquid argon time projection chamber of the DarkSide-50 search for dark matter

The DarkSide-50 experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso is a search for dark matter using a dual phase time projection chamber with 50 kg of low radioactivity argon as target. Light signals from interactions in the argon are detected by a system of 38 photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs), 19 above and 19 below the TPC volume inside the argon cryostat. We describe the electronics which processes the signals from the photo-multipliers, the trigger system which identifies events of interest, and the data-acquisition system which records the data for further analysis. The electronics include resistive voltage dividers on the PMTs, custom pre-amplifiers mounted directly on the PMT voltage dividers in the liquid argon, and custom amplifier/discriminators (at room temperature). After amplification, the PMT signals are digitized in CAEN waveform digitizers, and CAEN logic modules are used to construct the trigger; the data acquisition system for the TPC is based on the Fermilab artdaq software. The system has been in operation since early 2014.

Data acquisition system for the Baikal-GVD neutrino telescope

The objective of the Baikal-GVD project is the construction of a km3-scale neutrino telescope in Lake Baikal. The Gigaton Volume Detector consists of a large three-dimensional array of photo-multiplier tubes. The first GVD-cluster has been deployed and commissioned in April 2015. The data acquisition system (DAQ) of the detector takes care of the digitization of the photo-multiplier tube signals, data transmission, filtering and storage. The design and the implementation of the data acquisition system are described.

Prototype of readout electronics for the LHAASO KM2A electromagnetic particle detectors**Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11375210) and the Knowledge Innovation Fund of IHEP, Beijing

The KM2A (one kilometer square extensive air shower array) is the largest detector array in the LHAASO (Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory) project. The KM2A consists of 5242 EDs (Electromagnetic particle Detectors) and 1221 MDs (Muon Detectors). The EDs are distributed and exposed in the wild. Two channels, anode and dynode, are employed for the PMT (photomultiplier tube) signal readout. The readout electronics designed in this paper aims at accurate charge and arrival time measurement of the PMT signals, which cover a large amplitude range from 20 P.E. (photoelectrons) to 2 × 105 P.E. By using a “trigger-less” architecture, we digitize signals close to the PMTs. All digitized data is transmitted to DAQ (Data Acquisition) via a simplified White Rabbit protocol. Compared with traditional high energy experiments, high precision of time measurement over such a large area and suppression of temperature effects in the wild become the key techniques. Experiments show that the design has fulfilled the requirements in this project.

An analogue front-end ASIC prototype designed for PMT signal readout**Supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX2-YW-N27), National Natural Science Foundation of China (11175174) and CAS Center for Excellence in Particle Physics (CCEPP)

The Water Cherenkov Detector Array (WCDA) is one of the core detectors in the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), and it consists of 3600 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). Both high resolution time and charge measurement are required over a large dynamic range from 1 photoelectron (P.E.) to 4000 P.E. The prototype of an analogue front-end Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) fabricated using Global Foundry 0.35 μm CMOS technology is designed to read out the PMT signal in the WCDA. This ASIC employs leading edge discrimination and an (RC)4 shaping structure. Combined with the following Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) and Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), both the arrival time and charge of the PMT signal can be measured. Initial test results indicate that time resolution is better than 350 ps and charge resolution is better than 10% at 1 P.E. and better than 1% with large input signals (300 P.E. to 4000 P.E.). Besides, this ASIC has a good channel-to-channel isolation of more than 84 dB and the temperature dependency of charge measurement is less than 5% in the range 0–50°C.

Onboard calibration circuit for the DAMPE BGO calorimeter front-end electronics

DAMPE (DArk Matter Particle Explorer) is a scientific satellite which is mainly aimed at indirectly searching for dark matter in space. One critical sub-detector of the DAMPE payload is the BGO (bismuth germanium oxide) calorimeter, which contains 1848 PMT (photomultiplier tube) dynodes and 16 FEE (Front-End Electronics) boards. VA160 and VATA160, two 32-channel low power ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), are adopted as the key components on the FEEs to perform charge measurement for the PMT signals. In order to monitor the parameter drift which may be caused by temperature variation, aging, or other environmental factors, an onboard calibration circuit is designed for the VA160 and VATA160 ASICs. It is mainly composed of a 12-bit DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), an operational amplifier and an analog switch. Test results showed that a dynamic range of 0–30 pC with a precision of 5 fC (Root Meam Square, RMS) was achieved, which covers the VA160’s input range. It can be used to compensate for the temperature drift and test the trigger function of the FEEs. The calibration circuit has been implemented for the front-end electronics of the BGO Calorimeter and verified by all the environmental tests for both Qualification Model and Flight Model of DAMPE. The DAMPE satellite was launched at the end of 2015 and the calibration circuit will operate periodically in space.

The CMS Beam Halo Monitor electronics

The CMS Beam Halo Monitor has been successfully installed in the CMS cavern in LHC Long Shutdown 1 for measuring the machine induced background for LHC Run II. The system is based on 40 detector units composed of synthetic quartz Cherenkov radiators coupled to fast photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The readout electronics chain uses many components developed for the Phase 1 upgrade to the CMS Hadronic Calorimeter electronics, with dedicated firmware and readout adapted to the beam monitoring requirements. The PMT signal is digitized by a charge integrating ASIC (QIE10), providing both the signal rise time, with few nanosecond resolution, and the charge integrated over one bunch crossing. The backend electronics uses microTCA technology and receives data via a high-speed 5 Gbps asynchronous link. It records histograms with sub-bunch crossing timing resolution and is read out via IPbus using the newly designed CMS data acquisition for non-event based data. The data is processed in real time and published to CMS and the LHC, providing online feedback on the beam quality. A dedicated calibration monitoring system has been designed to generate short triggered pulses of light to monitor the efficiency of the system. The electronics has been in operation since the first LHC beams of Run II and has served as the first demonstration of the new QIE10, Microsemi Igloo2 FPGA and high-speed 5 Gbps link with LHC data.

Evaluation of a front-end ASIC for the readout of PMTs over a large dynamic range

The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) project has been proposed for the survey and study of cosmic rays. In the LHAASO project, the Water Cherenkov Detector Array (WCDA) is one of the major detectors for searching for gamma ray sources. A Charge-to-Time Convertor (QTC) ASIC (Application Specification Integrated Circuit), fabricated with Global Foundry 0.35 μm CMOS technology, has been developed for readout of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) in the WCDA. This ASIC provides both time and charge measurement of PMT signals. The input charge is converted to a pulse width based on the Time-Over-Threshold (TOT) technique and linear discharge method; as for time measurement, leading edge discrimination is employed. This paper focuses on the evaluation of this front-end readout ASIC performance. Test results indicate that the time resolution is better than 400 ps and the charge resolution is better than 1% with large input signals and remains better than 15% @1 photoelectron (P.E.), both beyond the application requirement. Moreover, this ASIC has a weak ambient temperature dependence, low input rate dependence and high channel-to-channel isolation.

Design of the Readout Electronics for the BGO Calorimeter of DAMPE Mission

The DAMPE (DArk Matter Particle Explorer) is a scientific satellite being developed in China, aimed at cosmic ray study, gamma ray astronomy, and searching for the clue of dark matter particles in the near future. The BGO (Bismuth Germanate Oxide) Calorimeter, which consists of 616 PMTs (photomultiplier tubes) and 1848 dynode signals, is a crucial part of the DAMPE payload for measuring the energy of cosmic ray particles, distinguishing interesting particles from background, and providing trigger information. An electronics system, which consists of 16 FEE (Front End Electronics) modules with a total power consumption of about 26 W, has been developed. Its main functions are based on the low power, 32-channel VA160 and VATA160 ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) for precisely measuring the charge of PMT signals and providing“hit”signals as well. To assure the long-term reliability in harsh space environment, a series of critical issues such as the radiation hardness, thermal design, components and board level quality control, etc., are taken into consideration. Test result showed that the system level ENC (equivalent noise charge) for each channel is about 10 fC in RMS (root mean square), and the timing uncertainty of the hit signals is about 300 ns, both of which satisfy the physics requirements of the detector. Experiments with $^{60}{\hbox {Co}}$ radioactive source proved that 20 krad(Si) TID (Total Ionizing Dose) level is achieved, while the heavy ion beam and laser beam tests indicated that its SEL (Single Event Latch-up) and SEU (Single Event Upset) performance in orbit will be acceptable by taking some hardness measures. All the readout modules successfully passed the board-level screening, the sub-system level and finally the satellite system level environmental tests, and behave well in the beam test at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research).

Characterization of large area photomultiplier ETL 9357FLB for liquid argon detector

The China Dark Matter Experiment (CDEX) Collaboration will carry out a direct search for weakly interacting massive particles with germanium detectors. Liquid argon will be utilized as an anti-Compton and cooling material for the germanium detectors. A low-background and large-area photomultiplier tube (PMT) immersed in liquid argon will be used to read out the light signal from the argon. In this paper we have carried out a careful evaluation on the performance of the PMT operating at both room and cryogenic temperatures. Based on the single photoelectron response model, the absolute gain and resolution of the PMT were measured. This has laid a foundation for PMT selection, calibration and signal analysis in the forthcoming CDEX experiments.

Study on neutron emission from 2.2 kJ plasma focus device

The neutron emission from a low energy (2.2 kJ) plasma focus device operated in deuterium medium has been investigated by employing photo-multiplier tube (PMT) and bubble dosimeter. The neutron emission is found to be pressure dependent and anisotropic in nature. In most cases of plasma focus shots, the PMT signal shows double pulses of neutron emission with different intensities and widths. An interesting relation between intensity of hard X-ray and neutron emission is also observed.

Waveform-Sampling Electronics for a Whole-Body Time-of-Flight PET Scanner.

Waveform sampling is an appealing technique for instruments requiring precision time and pulse-height measurements. Sampling each PMT waveform at oscilloscope-like rates of several gigasamples per second enables one to process PMT signals digitally, which in turn makes it straightforward to optimize timing resolution and amplitude (energy and position) resolution in response to calibration effects, pile-up effects, and other systematic sources of waveform variation. We describe a system design and preliminary implementation that neatly maps waveform-sampling technology onto the LaPET prototype whole-body time-of-flight PET scanner that serves as the platform for testing this new technology.

The waveform digitiser of the Double Chooz experiment: performance and quantisation effects on photomultiplier tube signals

We present the waveform digitiser used in the Double Chooz experiment.We describe the hardware and the custom-built firmware specifically developedfor the experiment. The performance of the device is tested with regards todigitising low light level signals from photomultiplier tubes and measuringpulse charge. This highlights the role of quantisation effects and leads tosome general recommendations on the design and use of waveform digitisers.

Evaluation of triggering schemes for KM3NeT

The future neutrino telescope KM3NeT, to be built in the Mediterranean Sea, will be the largest of its kind. It will include nearly two hundred thousand photomultiplier tubes (PMT) mounted in multi-PMT digital optical modules (DOM). The dominant source of the PMT signals is decays of 40K and marine fauna bioluminescence. Selection of neutrino and muon events from this continuous optical background signals requires the implementation of fast and efficient triggers. Various schemes for the filtering of background data and the selection of neutrino and muon events were evaluated for the KM3NeT telescope using Monte Carlo simulations.

Transit time and charge correlations of single photoelectron events in R7081 photomultiplier tubes

During the calibration phase of the photomultiplier tubes (PMT) for the Double Chooz experiment the PMT response to light with single photoelectron (SPE) intensity was analysed. With our setup we were able to measure the combined transit time and charge response of the PMT and therefore we could deconstruct and analyse all physical effects having an influence on the PMT signal. Based on this analysis charge and time correlated probability density functions were developed to include the PMT response in a Monte Carlo simulation.

Suppressing ringing caused by large photomultiplier tube signals

We describe here the characteristic features of the ringing we observed following large PMT signals in the Daya Bay reactor antineutrino experiment. We conclude that the ceramic capacitors used in the circuitry of the PMT bases and the HV-signal decouplers are the primary cause for this ringing. We present some possible schemes to reduce the ringing when replacing these ceramic capacitors is not feasible.

Some test results of an anti-Cherenkov photomultiplier tube

We report on the beam test results of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) specially designed to suppress the signal due to Cherenkov light emitted by window glass when impacted by relativistic charged particles. This signal becomes a concern when it is comparable to the true PMT signal, especially in the case of calorimeters, where the response is at the level of a few photoelectrons per GeV. This design allows for placement of these PMTs behind the calorimeter without concern for hot spots from the Cherenkov background.