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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

First survey of centimeter-scale AC-LGAD strip sensors with a 120 GeV proton beam

We will present the first beam test results with centimeter-scale AC-LGAD strip sensors, using the Fermilab Test Beam Facility, and a study of the performance of AC-LGAD sensors as a function of their thickness. Sensors of this type are envisioned for applications that require large-area precision 4D tracking coverage with economical channel counts, including timing layers for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC), and space-based particle experiments. Long strip sensors with sparse readout offer better cost and performance for applications where channel count or electrical power density is a constraint. Thanks to the excellent signal to noise ratio in AC-LGADs, sparse readout can be exploited without significant degradation of spatial or time resolution, which is demonstrated in our studies. A survey of sensor designs is presented, with the aim of optimizing the electrode geometry for spatial resolution and timing performance. We will present our studies of the sensor geometry optimization to maintain the desirable sensor performance characteristics with increasingly larger electrodes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

The ETROC2 prototype for CMS MTD Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) upgrade

The Endcap Timing ReadOut Chip (ETROC) is designed to process LGAD signals with time resolution down to about 40-50ps per hit. The ETROC2 is the first full size (16x16) prototype design with the front-end based on and scaled up from the ETROC1 (4x4). The readout designs at pixel and global level and the system interfaces are all new and are compatible with the final chip specifications in terms of functionality. The ETROC2 is intended as a learning chip, as a stepstone to the ETROC3 which is intended as the pre-production design. The ETROC2 design and test results will be presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Smart pixel sensors Towards on-sensor filtering of pixel clusters with deep learning

High granularity silicon pixel sensors are at the heart of energy frontier particle physics collider experiments. At an collision rate of 40\,MHz, these detectors create massive amounts of data. Signal processing that handles data incoming at those rate and intelligently reduces the data within the pixelated region of the detector \textit{at rate} will enhance physics performance and enable physics analyses that are not currently possible. Using the shape of charge clusters deposited in an array of small pixels, the physical properties of the traversing particle can be extracted with locally customized neural networks. In this first work, we present a neural network that can be embedded into the on-sensor readout and filter out hits from low momentum tracks, reducing the detector's data volume by 54.4-75.4\%. The network is designed and simulated as a custom readout integrated circuit with 28\,nm CMOS technology and is expected to operate at less than 300\,$\mu W$ with an area of less than 0.2\,mm$^2$.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

From ETROC to VTROC

The Endcap Timing ReadOut Chip (ETROC) is designed to process LGAD signals with time resolution down to about 40-50ps per hit, to reach 30-35ps per track with two detector layers. The ETROC2 is the first full size (16x16) prototype design and is fully compatible with the final chip specifications in terms of functionality. The ETROC2 has been extensively tested recently. In this talk, the testing results of the ETROC2 will be presented first, including performance study using charge injection, laser and beam, as well as TID testing and wafer probe testing to study the yield. In addition, future challenges of precision position and timing ASIC design will be discussed, based on what we have learned from the ETROC development, and how the challenges could be addressed in the VTROC, Vertically integrated Timing ReadOut chip (funded as SBIR phase 2) for precision position and timing detector R&D.

Liu, Ted↗
DOE OSTI2023

Prototyping the Light Detection of the DUNE Near Detector

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a 70kt liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr TPC) at the Far Detector complex at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) and a Near Detector (ND) complex planned for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The ND complex plans for three detector subsystems, including a modular LAr TPC comprised of 35 optically segregated modules. The modular detector design required the development a novel dielectric light readout, the ArCLight technology, which can be operated in a high voltage environment and has a large active surface. A demonstrator of four modular detectors, DUNE ND-LAr 2x2, will operate in 2023 in Fermilab's NuMI beam. After the construction of the modules was completed, they were successfully operated and commissioned in liquid argon using cosmic-ray muons at the University of Bern. This talk will discuss the designs of the light readout systems used in these modules with focus on the construction and commissioning of the ArCLights as well as the performance of the LRS during the tests at Bern.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Highly Segmented Silicon Strip Detectors for Radiation Detection (LDRD Final Report)

Large area highly segmented silicon strip detectors were investigated for use in applied radiation detection applications. Two ASIC-based readout electronics solutions were tested for compatibility. During the analysis, it was determined that significant computational resources and highly specialized firmware are required to reconstruct the data into a meaningful data stream for generalized spectroscopic performance. Future investment in the technology and careful choice of readout ASIC is expected to demonstrate relevance in measuring high activity samples.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Towards Three-Dimensional Neutron Imaging with Light-field Technology

A broad range of applications in nuclear safeguards and security can benefit from compact, fast neutron imagers with large angular acceptance. However, accurate 3D multi-vertex reconstruction in a monolithic detector remains a significant barrier to realization. Current approaches, such as the centroiding approach and the use of shadow masks, have not yet resulted in a successful demonstration in a light-starved environment. This project explored the use of cutting-edge technology—a light field camera—which inherently preserves both the spatial and directional information of incident light. Such technology can, in principle, resolve multi-vertex events and offer accurate position reconstruction in 3D with relatively simple readout electronics. Since the project's inception in May 2023, we have built an experimental setup to calibrate and characterize a commercial light-field camera (Lytro Illum). We assessed its 3D event reconstruction capability in a relatively low-light intensity environment by analyzing the cross-correlation of a series of 2D images of a characterized tunable light source taken at various distances. A sub-cm resolution, lower than typical neutron interaction separations in a compact scintillator volume, was observed with the LED light source, suggesting the promising capability of its nominal optics design to provide the adequate resolution required for a compact monolithic neutron directional detector. However, using a light-field-based readout for a neutron camera requires incorporating an ultra-low-noise light sensor, which is beyond the scope of this project. We also initiated the development of a 3D light-field-based reconstruction algorithm tailored to sparse scenes, as expected from particle interactions in a scintillator medium. Additionally, we demonstrated the capability of the algorithm to replicate the ground truth. Finally, we began the development of a neutron directional detector simulation to determine the performance criteria for light-field-based reconstruction that allows for good neutron directional reconstruction. This Feasibility Study has led to a successful follow-up project under the DNN R&D innovation portfolio starting May 2024.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

A demonstrator for a real-time AI-FPGA-based triggering system for sPHENIX at RHIC

The RHIC interaction rate at sPHENIX will reach around 3 MHz in pp collisions and requires the detector readout to reject events by a factor of over 200 to fit the DAQ bandwidth of 15 kHz. Some critical measurements, such as heavy flavor production in pp collisions, often require the analysis of particles produced at low momentum. This prohibits adopting the traditional approach, where data rates are reduced through triggering on rare high momentum probes. We explore a new approach based on real-time AI technology, adopt an FPGA-based implementation using a custom designed FELIX-712 board with the Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale FPGA, and deploy the system in the detector readout electronics loop for real-time trigger decision.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Test Beam Results of Planar Pixel Sensor for the CMS Phase 2 Inner Tracker Upgrade

Results of the test beam measurements that characterise the performance of CMS Readout Chip (CROC) sensors to be used in the High Luminosity era of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) are presented. The HL-LHC peak instantaneous luminosity of $7.5 \times 10^{34} \ \text{cm}^{-2} s^{-1}$ corresponds to an average of around 200 inelastic proton-proton collisions per beam-crossing every 25 ns. In order to efficiently reconstruct and track particles in this extreme and challenging conditions, the present CMS tracking detector will be completely replaced. The new tracking detector consists of an Inner Tracker closest to the beamline and an Outer Tracker surrounding it. These are populated with modules that comprise of readout chips and silicon sensors. The test beam measurements of these modules are vital to understand the performance of the related technologies. Using a primary 120 GeV proton beam from the Main Injector at Fermilab, data was collected at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility (FTBF) using the silicon tracker telescope that provides a precision position measurement of the track impact point with less than 5 $\mu$m uncertainty. The proton beam was incident on a 1x2 planar CROC module developed by Hamamatsu. The sensor has 100x25 $\mu m^2$ standard pixels and also a smaller number of 225x25 $\mu m^2$ longer pixels at the boundary between the two ROCs. We present characterization of these modules that includes pixel efficiency, resolution, cluster size and charge distributions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Cryogenic Control Circuitry for Superconducting Qubits

Superconducting qubits have reached the point where system designers are worried about the heat that control wiring brings into the cryostat. To continue scaling cryogenic quantum systems, control solutions that work inside the cold space must be explored. One possibility is to use control electronics that is native to superconductivity, so called single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuitry, to form an interface between qubits and whatever other electronics is needed to control eventual quantum systems. To begin exploring the utility of SFQ as control circuitry, we performed modeling and experiments on qubit readout using ballistic fluxons which are SFQ in the limit of ballistic fluxon transport. Our modeling results show that a flavor of qubit, the fluxonium, can be read out using ballistic fluxons. We designed test samples to prove some of the key concepts needed for such a readout but were ultimately unable to getting a working demonstration. The lack of testing success was due to challenges in fabrication and running short of time to perform testing rather than a fundamental problem with our analysis.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

HLS4ML Integration with QICK

The QICK (Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit) integration aims to enhance the readout of superconducting qubits by leveraging machine learning (ML) techniques. These techniques offer high accuracy, increased speed, and better state preservation for qubit readouts. The integration process employs neural network algorithms to optimize system performance and achieve high accuracy rates. The QICK board uses an FPGA, allowing for efficient real-time processing and high-performance execution of machine learning algorithms.

Ali, Mohamud↗
DOE OSTI2024

Smart Pixels: In-pixel AI for on-sensor data filtering

We present a smart pixel prototype readout integrated circuit (ROIC) designed in CMOS 28 nm bulk process, with in-pixel implementation of an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) based data filtering algorithm designed as proof-of-principle for a Phase III upgrade at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) pixel detector. The first version of the ROIC consists of two matrices of 256 smart pixels, each 25$\times$25 µm\textsuperscript{2} in size. Each pixel consists of a charge-sensitive preamplifier with leakage current compensation and three auto-zero comparators for a 2-bit flash-type ADC. The frontend is capable of synchronously digitizing the sensor charge within 25 ns. Measurement results show an equivalent noise charge (ENC) of $\sim$30e\textsuperscript{-} and a total dispersion of $\sim$100e\textsuperscript{-} The second version of the ROIC uses a fully connected two-layer neural network (NN) to process information from a cluster of 256 pixels to determine if the pattern corresponds to highly desirable high-momentum particle tracks for selection and readout. The digital NN is embedded in-between analog signal processing regions of the 256 pixels without increasing the pixel size and is implemented as fully combinatorial digital logic to minimize power consumption and eliminate clock distribution, and is active only in the presence of an input signal. The total power consumption of the neural network is $\sim$ 300 $\mu$W. The NN performs momentum classification based on the generated cluster patterns and even with a modest momentum threshold, it is capable of 54.4\% – 75.4\% total data rejection, opening the possibility of using the pixel information at 40MHz for the trigger. The total power consumption of analog and digital functions per pixel is $\sim$ 6 $\mu$W per pixel, which corresponds to $\sim$ 1 W/cm\textsuperscript{2} staying within the experimental constraints.

Parpillon, Benjamin↗
DOE OSTI2024

The ETROC2 prototype for CMS MTD Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) upgrade

The ETROC2 prototype for CMS MTD Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) upgrade 520__ $$aThe Endcap Timing ReadOut Chip (ETROC) is designed to process LGAD signals with time resolution down to about 40-50ps per hit. The ETROC2 is the first full size (16x16) prototype design with the front-end based on and scaled up from the ETROC1 (4x4). The readout designs at pixel and global level and the system interfaces are all new and are compatible with the final chip specifications in terms of functionality. The ETROC2 is intended as a learning chip, as a stepstone to the ETROC3 which is intended as the pre-production design. The ETROC2 design and test results will be presented.

Gong, Datao↗
DOE OSTI2024

Region of Interest Filter in DUNE DAQ

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is the next generation neutrino experiment currently under construction. It consists of a broadband neutrino beam at Fermilab, a high precision near detector, and the largest liquid argon time projection chamber far detector ever designed at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The Region of Interest (ROI) filter is designed for DUNE’s online Data Acquisition (DAQ) system to address data rate constraints and enable low energy physics in the <10 MeV range. The filter employs zero suppression on the detector signal, and by tuning the readout window and threshold the data rates can be reduced by >90%. Performance of the ROI is analyzed in LArsoft on MARLEY generated low energy MC events propagated through the detector simulation. Notably, the optimized ROI filter enables a lower trigger threshold for readout at ~5-10 MeV, allowing DUNE to explore low-energy physics, specifically focusing on solar boron 8 neutrinos which are relevant in this energy range. This advancement enhances DUNE's scientific capabilities, opening avenues for detailed analyses of previously inaccessible low-energy neutrino interactions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

PSEC5 Physical Verification

Ultra-Fast timing detectors, having a time resolution of 10pSec or less, are becoming increasingly important for many scientific disciplines, including High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Medical Imaging and more. When developing ultra-fast detectors such as MCPs, LAPPDs, LGADs, SNSPDs, it is necessary to have access to a readout system that is low power, can support many channels and is cost effective. The PSEC5 chip was an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) developed by the pioneering group of Prof. Henry Frisch at University of Chicago and micro electronic engineers at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Three boards were designed, two to implement the readout system for an LAPPD and one to only characterize the PSEC1 chip. The main goal of the project shifted to setting up a testing environment to focus on the characterization of the chip. My student and I tested and characterized this ASIC using the third chip-on-board printed circuit board. Results show the successful fabrication and operation of some of the key building blocks and lead to the suggestions on modification for the second iteration of the chip.

Rico Aniles, H. D. [Unlisted]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing TinyTPC Test Stand for Low Energy Event Reconstruction

Introducing dopants into liquid argon offers a promising avenue to enhance the sensitivity and performance of LAr detectors such as DUNE. To explore this opportunity, we are optimizing and deploying the TinyTPC test stand, a compact time projection chamber with LArPix readout to study the effects of photosensitive dopants on the charge detected. TinyTPC enables comparative measurements of low-energy responses under various operational configurations and provides a platform to study the behavior of pixel readouts at low energy. We ensured system reliability through continuous current and voltage monitoring, modeling the detector's electrical behavior, and indirectly estimating total resistance under testing conditions. We ran the Blanche cryostat under various thresholds and gain configurations to evaluate their potential impact to low-energy event reconstruction and advancing R&D efforts for dopant integration in neutrino detectors

Van Loenen, Drew [Franciscan U. Steubenville]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantum Zeno Control of Superconducting Qubit Coherence

The Quantum Zeno Effect (QZE) dictates how the dynamics of a quantum system can be modified through continuous or discrete measurements [1]. It has gained increasing attention in quantum computing community in recent years, both due to its inevitable implications for qubit readout as well as for its promise for enabling new methods of quantum state control such as reservoir engineering and Zeno-dragging. Here, we investigate Zeno effects implemented via weak measurements for controlling superconducting-qubit coherence during gate and readout operations in a multi-qubit setup. Building on prior observations [2] that measurement backaction can both suppress and enhance qubit relaxation, we predict and measure QZE-altered qubit coherence times by manipulating the spectral overlap of qubit spectrum with background noise sources. We also discuss modifications and opportunities for controllable QZE due to anharmonic effects in multi-level superconducting atoms. [1] S. Greenfield, A. Kamal, J. Dressel, E. Levenson-Falk, arXiv:2506.12679 (2025) [2] Thorbeck, Z. Xiao, L. Govia, A. Kamal, Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 090602 (2024)

Seidel, Olivia [Texas U., Arlington; Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Complete time-resolved X-ray shape capability for a 10 MJ implosion: Milestone Report for MRT 8818

This report documents completion of MRT 8818, which established an upgraded equatorial time-resolved X-ray imaging capability for high-yield inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) using the equatorial Dilation X-ray Imager (DIXI). The need for this work arose from the sustained increase in fusion yield at NIF, which progressively intensified the neutron and gamma-ray environment experienced by target diagnostics. Although the existing polar imaging capability, particularly the Polar Dilation X-ray Imager (PDIXI), remained viable at high yields, the equatorial capability became inadequate because of radiation-induced failure of electronic readout hardware and increasing background levels that degraded image quality and ultimately caused saturation. The work performed under MRT 8818 addressed this limitation through a combination of hardware replacement, background characterization, and targeted mitigation. The DIXI backend was converted from CCD-based electronic readout to photographic film, and the principal sources of internally generated background were investigated using prior analyses, dedicated tests, and comparison with PDIXI performance on high-yield shots. This effort led to implementation of two principal improvements: a multilayer optical coating to suppress broadband radiation-induced background generated in the fiber-optic extension cylinder, and replacement of Kodak TMAX 400 film with Agfa Copex Rapid to reduce background generated directly in the film. These upgrades were completed in 2025 and performance assessment based on DT shot data since then, comparing with Polar DIXI and scaling of these experiments to 10 MJ indicates an expected signal-to-background ratio of approximately 34 for a single pinhole image, substantially exceeding the MRT 8818 completion criterion of SNR > 5.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗