Development and characterization of 16 channel fast sampling and readout electronics for imaging telescope camera

Abstract

Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy research involves studying celestial sources that emit gamma rays with energies from 10 GeV to a few tens of TeV. The Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (IACT) is a widely used technique for ground-based gamma-ray astronomy. Current generation experiments are especially interested in low-energy gamma-ray sources. High sampling rates, good time resolution, quick processing, and the transfer of large amounts of data are typically prerequisites for research in this field. Previously, low-energy gamma-ray sources could only be detected by space-borne experiments. However, because of recent advances in sensor technology and data acquisition systems, ground-based experiments can now also detect them. This thesis describes the work done in the development and characterization of prototype 16-channel ultrafast digitizer and data concentrator modules. It also describes the development of a prototype 16-channel bias supply system for Silicon Photomultiplier, a photodetector from the current era. These prototype modules will be part of a 256-pixel IACT-based telescope camera. The thesis discusses several topics, including Silicon Photomultipliers, the design of a readout system for a domino ring sampler (DRS4) chip, various low-speed and high- speed communication protocols and their implementation in the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and the development of temperature and night sky background compensation algorithms for the SiPM bias supply system. The research work was carried out at the High Energy Physics Department of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. newline