High precision timing measurements in next generation detectors will require the development of circuitry to measure timing to 1 ps or better over channel counts that may exceed 100,000. A high pixel count requires an unwieldy quantity of signal cables and the challenge of signal transfer from an anode to the cabling. Furthermore, propagation over a long distance to a readout system compromises timing measurements due to signal dispersion and attenuation. The transit time spread timing performance reported for MCP photodetectors is often limited by the speed of cost-effective read-out electronics, rather than the actual timing of the detector device itself. However, most existing readout systems are bulky, expensive, power hungry and cannot be colocated with the detector due to poor radiation tolerance. An improved approach would be to place charge-sensitive electronics at the detector itself, coupled with radiation-hardened processing electronics. In this project, we propose to integrate high-speed low-cost waveform sampling ASICs, like Nalu Scientific, LLC (NSL) AARDVARC (with a sampling rate of 14 Gsa/s and a timing resolution below 5 ps) directly onto readout boards that can be located at the detector, able to acquire time synchronized waveform data locally and promptly and export a reduced data set, including charge, position and accurate timing information. During phase I, the project will concentrate on establishing concept feasibility by developing a boardthat incorporates existing NSL components capable of reading, interfacing, and measuring the timing performance of a full LAPPD system. Phase I results will demonstrate the feasibility of a high channel count, high accuracy readout system for modern high speed photodetectors and will inform the architecture decision process of a Phase II design and development effort. This device can be used by scientists in high energy and nuclear physics experiments for accurate readout of fast large area photodetectors. Also, it has applications in general purpose instrumentations and medical/PET imaging, possibly bundled with sensing devices (photomultipliers). We anticipate to be able to sell the device as an OEM manufacturer, provide associated design services or license it to a larger device manufacturer due to the low cost and low power nature of the design which will give us a competitive edge.
