Configurable frequency synthesizer for large scale physics experiments

This thesis describes the design and implementation of frequency synthesizers for the ”Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO)” project as a physical experiment. The fully integrated analog phase-locked loop (PLL) based frequency synthesizer is intended to generate the sampling clocks for the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital signal processing (DSP) part. They are employed in the read-out electronics to be used in a neutrino experiment. The proposed design was fabricated in 65 nm CMOS technology. The design provides the best compromise between noise, power consumption and area for a highly reliable and configurable operation based on the application requirements. The design procedure for the PLL architecture and different sub-blocks are presented. A 4 GHz LC-based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is suggested for the low noise operation while providing an optimum tuning range to increase the linearity and frequency coverage in case of process-voltage-temperature (PVT) changes. Furthermore, a novel technique for the amplitude regulation is suggested to detect amplitude errors at the outputs of the VCO and provide an optimized range for the amplitude for a low noise and reliable design. In addition, a new approach for the charge pump is introduced that suppresses the associated current mismatch problem of conventional structures. This minimizes the static phase error at the input of the PLL that causes spurs at the output. The measurement results of the analog PLL show very good performance of the structure based on the required specifications and confirm the simulations. The total power consumption for the PLL core equals to 18.5 mW at 1.8 V supply for the VCO and 1 V supply for the other blocks. [...

A 4-GHz LC-Based Voltage Controlled Oscillator & Frequency Divider for use in Neutrino Experiments

A low power, low phase noise and wide tuning range 4GHz LC-based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) to be used in a phase locked loop for neutrino experiments is presented. The design process should consider the limitations on the maximum tolerable jitter of the clock that is generated in the PLL. The presented structure consists of VCO block followed by two frequency dividers. To achieve a linear characteristic over a wide frequency range, the VCO uses NMOS varactors to control the frequency. The circuit is fabricated in a TSMC 65nm CMOS technology. The power consumption from 1.2V power supply excluding 50Ω buffer stage equals to 6.9mW. Measurement results provide -94dBc/Hz phase noise at 1MHz offset frequency from 1GHz carrier frequency. The circuit features a tuning range of 360MHz at the output of dividers for a control voltage range from 0 to 0.8V

Modeling and Simulation of Digital Phase-Locked Loop in Simulink

This paper presents a high-level model for a digital phase-locked loop implemented in Simulink. This modeling enables the flexible and fast estimation of the design behavior and parameters before transistor-level implementation. The design includes a digital controlled oscillator that is defined using a linear s-domain model. Furthermore, the design of a time-to-digital converter based on oversampling and noise shaping is introduced to increase the effective resolution of the block. The simulation results of locking process, stability and phase noise verify the functionality of the model

An Automatic Baseline Regulation in a Highly Integrated Receiver Chip for JUNO

This paper describes the data processing unit and an automatic baseline regulation of a highly integrated readout chip (Vulcan) for JUNO. The chip collects data continuously at 1 Gsamples/sec. The Primary data processing which is performed in the integrated circuit can aid to reduce the memory and data processing efforts in the subsequent stages. In addition, a baseline regulator compensating a shift in the baseline is described

Test strategy for low failure rates and status of a highly integrated readout chip for PMTs in JUNO

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is a multi-purpose experiment with the neutrino mass hierarchy determination as main objective. The signal detection is based on a 20 kt liquid scintillator surrounded by photomultipliers (PMTs) that are read out with electronics close to them. A highly integrated analog to digital conversion unit with low power and large dynamic range is developed in 65 nm CMOS to be integrated into the PMT housing. Due to the inaccessibility of the electronics, low failure rate has to be achieved. A rigorous production test strategy is developed and presented here to increase the test coverage and effectively eliminate the expected failure rate in the experiment's runtime. This work also gives an overview of the features and some recent measurement results from the second generation of the readout chip

Potential for a precision measurement of solar pppp neutrinos in the Serappis Experiment

The Serappis (SEarch for RAre PP-neutrinos In Scintillator) project aims at a precision measurement of the flux of solar $pp$ neutrinos on the few-percent level. Such a measurement will be a relevant contribution to the study of solar neutrino oscillation parameters and a sensitive test of the solar luminosity constraint. The concept of Serappis relies on a small organic liquid scintillator detector ($\sim$20 m$^3$) with excellent energy resolution ($\sim$2.5 % at 1 MeV), low internal background and sufficient shielding from surrounding radioactivity. This can be achieved by a minor upgrade of the OSIRIS facility at the site of the JUNO neutrino experiment in southern China. To go substantially beyond current accuracy levels for the $pp$ flux, an organic scintillator with ultra-low $^{14}$C levels (below $10^{-18}$) is required. The existing OSIRIS detector and JUNO infrastructure will be instrumental in identifying suitable scintillator materials, offering a unique chance for a low-budget high-precision measurement of a fundamental property of our Sun that will be otherwise hard to access

Potential for a precision measurement of solar pp neutrinos in the Serappis experiment

The Serappis (SEarch for RAre PP-neutrinos In Scintillator) project aims at a precision measurement of the flux of solar pp neutrinos on the few-percent level. Such a measurement will be a relevant contribution to the study of solar neutrino oscillation parameters and a sensitive test of the equilibrium between solar energy output in neutrinos and electromagnetic radiation (solar luminosity constraint). The concept of Serappis relies on a small organic liquid scintillator detector (∼20 m$^3$) with excellent energy resolution (∼2.5% at 1 MeV), low internal background and sufficient shielding from surrounding radioactivity. This can be achieved by a minor upgrade of the OSIRIS facility at the site of the JUNO neutrino experiment in southern China. To go substantially beyond current accuracy levels for the pp flux, an organic scintillator with ultra-low $^{14}$C levels (below 10$^{−18}$) is required. The existing OSIRIS detector andJUNO infrastructure will be instrumental in identifying suitable scintillator materials, offering a unique chance for a low-budget high-precision measurement of a fundamental property of our Sun that will be otherwise hard to access

Potential for a precision measurement of solar pppp neutrinos in the Serappis Experiment

The Serappis (SEarch for RAre PP-neutrinos In Scintillator) project aims at a precision measurement of the flux of solar $pp$ neutrinos on the few-percent level. Such a measurement will be a relevant contribution to the study of solar neutrino oscillation parameters and a sensitive test of the solar luminosity constraint. The concept of Serappis relies on a small organic liquid scintillator detector ($\sim$20 m$^3$) with excellent energy resolution ($\sim$2.5 % at 1 MeV), low internal background and sufficient shielding from surrounding radioactivity. This can be achieved by a minor upgrade of the OSIRIS facility at the site of the JUNO neutrino experiment in southern China. To go substantially beyond current accuracy levels for the $pp$ flux, an organic scintillator with ultra-low $^{14}$C levels (below $10^{-18}$) is required. The existing OSIRIS detector and JUNO infrastructure will be instrumental in identifying suitable scintillator materials, offering a unique chance for a low-budget high-precision measurement of a fundamental property of our Sun that will be otherwise hard to access