# Prototype Analog Front-end for Negative-ion Gas and Dual-phase Liquid-Ar TPCs

## TL;DR

This paper presents a newly designed ASIC for versatile analog front-end applications in negative-ion and liquid argon TPCs, demonstrating its performance and first operation in a negative-ion μ-TPC for dark matter detection.

## Contribution

A novel ASIC was developed using 180-nm CMOS technology, compatible with both negative-ion and liquid argon TPCs, and its performance was experimentally validated.

## Key findings

- Achieved wide dynamic range up to 1600 fC
- Noise level below 2000–5000 electrons for typical signals
- Successful operation of ASIC in a negative-ion μ-TPC

## Abstract

We report on the recent development of a versatile analog front-end compatible with a negative-ion $\mu$-TPC for a directional dark matter search as well as a dual-phase, next-generation $\mathcal{O}$(10~kt) liquid argon TPC to study neutrino oscillations, nucleon decay, and astrophysical neutrinos. Although the operating conditions for negative-ion and liquid argon TPCs are quite different (room temperature \textit{vs.} $\sim$88~K operation, respectively), the readout electronics requirements are similar. Both require a wide-dynamic range up to 1600 fC, and less than 2000--5000 e$^-$ noise for a typical signal of 80 fC with a detector capacitance of $C_{\rm det} \approx 300$~pF. In order to fulfill such challenging requirements, a prototype ASIC was newly designed using 180-nm CMOS technology. Here, we report on the performance of this ASIC, including measurements of shaping time, dynamic range, and equivalent noise charge (ENC). We also demonstrate the first operation of this ASIC on a low-pressure negative-ion $\mu$-TPC.