Multi-channel front-end board for SiPM readout

TL;DR

This paper presents a high-speed, multi-channel front-end electronic board for SiPM arrays, enabling precise timing, adjustable bias, and efficient data readout for scintillating detectors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel FEB design with adjustable bias, low-noise amplification, and Ethernet-based data interface, supporting scalable multi-unit configurations.

Findings

Event timing accuracy of 1.3 ns RMS achieved.

Supports daisy-chaining of up to 256 units.

Enables compact, efficient multi-channel detector readout.

Abstract

We describe a novel high-speed front-end electronic board (FEB) for interfacing an array of 32 Silicon Photo-multipliers (SiPM) with a computer. The FEB provides individually adjustable bias on the SiPMs, and performs low-noise analog signal amplification, conditioning and digitization. It provides event timing information accurate to 1.3 ns RMS. The back-end data interface is realized on the basis of 100 Mbps Ethernet. The design allows daisy-chaining of up to 256 units into one network interface, thus enabling compact and efficient readout schemes for multi-channel scintillating detectors, using SiPMs as photo-sensors.