Radiation Testing of Electronics for the CMS Endcap Muon System

TL;DR

This study evaluates the radiation tolerance of electronic components intended for the CMS Endcap Muon System at CERN, demonstrating that selected commercial components can withstand the high-radiation environment of the HL-LHC upgrade.

Contribution

It provides empirical radiation testing results for electronic components, confirming their suitability for use in the high-radiation conditions of the HL-LHC.

Findings

COTS components operate reliably under expected radiation levels

Digital components function during irradiation with active data readout

Components withstand neutron and proton radiation doses equivalent to 30 years at HL-LHC

Abstract

The electronics used in the data readout and triggering system for the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator at CERN are exposed to high radiation levels. This radiation can cause permanent damage to the electronic circuitry, as well as temporary effects such as data corruption induced by Single Event Upsets. Once the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) accelerator upgrades are completed it will have five times higher instantaneous luminosity than LHC, allowing for detection of rare physics processes, new particles and interactions. Tests have been performed to determine the effects of radiation on the electronic components to be used for the Endcap Muon electronics project currently being designed for installation in the CMS experiment in 2013. During these tests the digital components on the test boards were operating with active data readout while being irradiated with 55 MeV protons. In reactor tests, components were exposed to 30 years equivalent levels of neutron radiation expected at the HL-LHC. The highest total ionizing dose (TID) for the muon system is expected at the inner-most portion of the CMS detector, with 8900 rad over ten years. Our results show that Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components selected for the new electronics will operate reliably in the CMS radiation environment.