TARGET 5: a new multi-channel digitizer with triggering capabilities for gamma-ray atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes

Abstract

TARGET~5 is a new application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the TARGET family, designed for the readout of signals from photosensors in the cameras of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) for ground-based gamma-ray astronomy. TARGET~5 combines sampling and digitization on 16 signal channels with the formation of trigger signals based on the analog sum of groups of four channels. We describe the ASIC architecture and performance. TARGET~5 improves over the performance of the first-generation TARGET ASIC, achieving: tunable sampling frequency from $<0.4$~GSa/s to $>1$~GSa/s; a dynamic range on the data path of 1.2 V with effective dynamic range of 11~bits and DC noise of $\sim 0.6$~mV; 3-dB bandwidth of 500 MHz; crosstalk between adjacent channels $<1.3\%$; charge resolution improving from 40\% to $<4\%$ between 3 photoelectrons (p.e.) and $>100$~p.e. (assuming 4 mV per p.e.); and minimum stable trigger threshold of 20 mV (5 p.e.) with trigger noise of 5 mV (1.2 p.e.), which is mostly limited by interference between trigger and sampling operations. TARGET~5 is the first ASIC of the TARGET family used in an IACT prototype, providing one development path for readout electronics in the forthcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA).

17 pages, 30 figures, v2 fixes typo

References in corpus (9)

• Teraelectronvolt Astronomy
• Wide field aplanatic two-mirror telescopes for ground-based gamma-ray astronomy
• Novel Calibration Method for Switched Capacitor Arrays Enables Time Measurements with Sub-Picosecond Resolution
• Monte Carlo Studies of medium-size telescope designs for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• The first GCT camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• A Compact High Energy Camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• Development of a SiPM Camera for a Schwarzschild-Couder Cherenkov Telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• The small size telescope projects for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• The GCT camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Detection of the Crab Nebula with the 9.7 m Prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope
• Characterisation and Testing of CHEC-M - a camera prototype for the Small-Sized Telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• Characterization of SiPM Optical Crosstalk and its Dependence on the Protection-Window Thickness
• CHEC: A Compact High Energy Camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• CTC and CT5TEA: an advanced multi-channel digitizer and trigger ASIC for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes