Measurements of timing resolution of ultra-fast silicon detectors with the SAMPIC waveform digitizer

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the timing resolution of ultra-fast silicon detectors using the SAMPIC waveform digitizer, demonstrating resolutions down to 4 ps with synthesized signals and 40 ps with silicon detectors.

Contribution

It introduces a new software framework and experimental validation for the SAMPIC chip's timing capabilities with silicon detectors.

Findings

Achieved 4 ps timing resolution with synthesized signals.

Achieved 40 ps timing resolution with silicon detector signals.

Validated SAMPIC's effectiveness in practical detector measurements.

Abstract

The SAMpler for PICosecond time (SAMPIC) chip has been designed by a collaboration including CEA/IRFU/SEDI, Saclay and CNRS/LAL/SERDI, Orsay. It benefits from both the quick response of a time to digital converter and the versatility of a waveform digitizer to perform accurate timing measurements. Thanks to the sampled signals, smart algorithms making best use of the pulse shape can be used to improve time resolution. A software framework has been developed to analyse the SAMPIC output data and extract timing information by using either a constant fraction discriminator or a fast cross-correlation algorithm. SAMPIC timing capabilities together with the software framework have been tested using pulses generated by a signal generator or by a silicon detector illuminated by a pulsed infrared laser. Under these ideal experimental conditions, the SAMPIC chip has proven to be capable of timing resolutions down to 4 ps with synthesized signals and 40 ps with silicon detector signals.