A precision time of flight readout system for the TORCH prototype detector. (1st May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, R.; Bhasin, S.; Blake, T.; Brook, N.; Cicala, F.; Conneely, T.; Cussans, D.; Forty, R.; Frei, C.; Gabriel, E.; Gershon, T.; Gys, T.; Hadavizadeh, T.; Hancock, T.; Harnew, N.; Kreps, M.; Milnes, J.; Piedigrossi, D.; Rademacker, J.; Van Dijk, M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of instrumentation. Volume 17:Number 5(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05-01
• Subjects: Cherenkov detectors -- Electronic detector readout concepts (solid-state) -- Front-end electronics for detector readout -- Timing detectors; Scientific apparatus and instruments -- Periodicals; 502.84
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/17/05/C05015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-0221

Abstract

Abstract: The TORCH detector provides low-momentum particle identification, combining Time of Flight (TOF) and Cherenkov techniques to achieve charged particle pi/K/p separation between 2–20 GeV/c over a flight distance of 10 m. The measurement requires a timing resolution of 70 ps for single Cherenkov photons. For precision photon detection, customised Micro-Channel Plate Photomultiplier Tubes (MCP-PMTs) with high precision TOF measurement electronics have been developed. The electronics measures time-over-threshold from the MCP-PMT and features a 10-Gigabit Ethernet readout. This paper reports the design and performance of a 5120-channel system which currently instruments a pair of MCP-PMTs, but has the capacity to read out ten customised MCP-PMT devices in the future.