Particle identification using digital pulse shape discrimination in a nTD silicon detector with a 1 GHz sampling digitizer

TL;DR

This study demonstrates effective particle identification using digital pulse shape analysis in a silicon detector with high-speed digitization, enabling isotopic separation of light heavy-ions in nuclear reaction experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of a 1 GHz sampling digitizer with FPGA processing for pulse shape discrimination in nTD silicon detectors.

Findings

Good isotopic separation achieved for light heavy-ions

Effective particle identification using only digitized charge output

Setup suitable for charged particle spectroscopy near Coulomb barrier energies

Abstract

In beam test experiments have been carried out for particle identification using digital pulse shape analysis in a 500~$\mu$m thick Neutron Transmutation Doped (nTD) silicon detector with an indigenously developed FPGA based 12 bit resolution, 1 GHz sampling digitizer. The nTD Si detector was used in a low-field injection setup to detect light heavy-ions produced in reactions of $\sim$ 5 MeV/A $^{7}$Li and $^{12}$C beams on different targets. Pulse height, rise time and current maximum have been obtained from the digitized charge output of a high bandwidth charge and current sensitive pre-amplifier. Good isotopic separation have been achieved using only the digitized charge output in case of light heavy-ions. The setup can be used for charged particle spectroscopy in nuclear reactions involving light heavy-ions around the Coulomb barrier energies.