Speaker
Description
The FastRICH is a novel front-end ASIC developed for single-photon detectors in future RICH systems and targeting the upgrades of the LHCb experiment. With 24.4 ps TDC time bins, the ASIC allows for precise time-of-arrival measurements of photons in order to improve particle identification, especially in the high-multiplicity environment of the High-Luminosity LHC. The 16-channel FastRICH includes constant-fraction discrimination, on-chip time gating to suppress background, and a data-driven output format. It supports configurable data rates from 320 Mb/s to 5.12 Gb/s, addressing non-uniform hit rates across the detector. A wide input dynamic range allows coupling to various photon sensors, such as SiPMs and vacuum-based devices. The power consumption is measured to be around 12 mW/channel at 1.2 V. Fabricated in 65 nm CMOS, it includes triplication of sensitive logic for radiation tolerance. A prototype compact single-photon detector module has been assembled, integrating the FastRICH with the CERN lpGBT and VTRx+ optical link chipset. Beam tests with Cherenkov photons are foreseen at the CERN PS/SPS charged particle beam facility in autumn 2025. Initial performance results will be presented, along with details of the module integration and its role in the upgrades of the LHCb RICH system.
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