Advanced Sensor and Readout Technologies for High Time and Energy Resolutions

HV-MAPS PandaPix

One example of our high-performance sensor technology is HV-MAPS PandaPix, inspired by the PANDA experiment. Key specifications include:

• High time resolution of 1 ns RMS, enabling efficient track reconstruction and potential particle identification via time-of-flight (TOF).
• Wide dynamic range with an energy resolution of 100 ke and 100 e noise, supporting dE/dX measurements and particle identification.

PandaPix2021 is a 5 × 5 mm² high-voltage CMOS detector chip implemented in 180 nm HVCMOS technology (TSI). It features a pixel size of 165 µm × 50 µm, with each pixel integrating two comparators — one for timing measurements and another for energy measurements. The comparator output signals are processed in hit buffers outside the pixel matrix, ensuring high time and energy resolution with low sensor capacitance.
The chip has been successfully characterized, demonstrating:

• Time resolution of ~1.2 ns when detecting beta particles from a ⁹⁰Sr source.
• Signal-to-noise ratio of ~170 (7500 ns / 45 ns) for a 35 ke signal.

Neutrino Readout ASIC

Another notable development is the Neutrino readout ASIC, designed for segmented electron detectors in the 10 keV energy range. Initially developed for the TRISTAN experiment, its key features include:

• 10 readout channels with various amplifier designs optimized for silicon drift diode (SDD) sensors.
• Implementation of both continuous and novel constant charge reset schemes for improved performance.
• Successful testing with an SDD produced by FBK, achieving:
  • Baseline noise of ~14 e.
  • Energy resolution of ~75 eV (sigma).

These projects have been supported by German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Helmholtz Programme Matter and Technology.