Rad Hard SiGe ADC for Detector Applications

Particle accelerators require detector designs that possess high dynamic range and wide bandwidths, and are hardened to withstand radiation effects during physics experiments. A critical component in the detector is the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which must have excellent linearity to eliminate measurement errors. This project will develop a high speed silicon germanium (SiGe)-based ADC with a switchable sampling rate up to 100 MSPS and up to 14 bits of resolution. This component not only will help improve the detection capabilities for low-level signals but also will have a switchable sampling rate. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: A high-performance radiation-hard ADC for detector assemblies would survive the harsh environment of physics experiments while digitizing the low level signals to provide accurate results and excellent linearity. There are approximately 24 beam lines in North America with a large number of channels. In addition to the DOE application, the detector¿s tolerance to radiation effects would be useful for space satellites, where cosmic radiation would damage the electronics.