Maximizing the Bandwidth Efficiency of the CMS Tracker Analog Optical Links

The feasibility of achieving faster data transmission using advanced digital modulation techniques over the current CMS Tracker analog optical link is explored. The spectral efficiency of Quadrature Amplitude Modulation -Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (QAM-OFDM) makes it an attractive option for a future implementation of the readout link. An analytical method for estimating the data-rate that can be achieved using OFDM over the current optical links is described and the first theoretical results are presented

Potential Upgrade of the CMS Tracker Analog Readout Optical Links Using Bandwidth Efficient Digital Modulation

The potential application of advanced digital communication schemes in a future upgrade of the CMS Tracker readout optical links is currently being investigated at CERN. We show experimentally that multi-Gbit/s data rates are possible over the current 40 MSamples/s analog optical links by employing techniques similar to those used in ADSL. The concept involves using one or more digitally-modulated sinusoidal carriers in order to make efficient use of the available bandwidth.Comment: Presented at LECC 2006, Valencia, Spain. 5 pages, 11 figures

Predicting the Gain Spread of the CMS Tracker Analog Readout Optical Links

Approximately 40 000 analog optical links will read out the data from 10 million silicon microstrips in the CMS Tracker. In an analog system, the overall gain directly determines the dynamic range and resolution of the data being read out. Production is sufficiently advanced to allow the extraction of the real distribution of gain for each component making up the complete optical link. The purpose of this study is to examine the aggregate effect of the individual component gain distributions on the readout system's dynamic range, and its uniformity throughout the thousands of deployed links in the CMS Tracker. To this end, a Monte Carlo simulation based on production test data, and augmented with results from deployed links in real test systems, has been carried out. The results give an estimate of the spread in gain and dynamic range that can be expected in the final system, running at -10 degree C

Feasibility of Using Bandwidth Efficient Modulation to Upgrade the CMS Tracker Readout Optical Links

Plans to upgrade the LHC after approximately 10 years of operation are currently being considered at CERN. A tenfold increase in luminosity delivered to the experiments is envisaged in the so-called Super LHC (SLHC). This will undoubtedly give rise to significantly larger data volumes from the detectors, requiring faster data readout. The possibility of upgrading the CMS Tracker analog readout optical links using a bandwidth efficient digital modulation scheme for deployment in the SLHC has been extensively explored at CERN. Previous theoretical and experimental studies determined the achievable data rate using a system based on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) to be ~3-4Gbit/s (assuming no error correction is used and for an error rate of ~10-9). In this note we attempt to quantify the feasibility of such an upgrade in terms of hardware implementation complexity, applicability to the high energy physics (HEP) environment, technological feasibility and R&D effort required.Comment: CERN CMS Note. 16 pages, 10 figure

CMS Optical Links: Lessons learned from Mass Production

The CMS Tracker will install over 40000 optical links in its data-readout and control system, representing an unprecedented deployment of this technology in a Particle Physics Experiment. After reviewing the Quality Process employed in this project, a summary of the performance data measured during production will be shown. The analysis of this data will then be used to illustrate how the performance of the installed system may be predicted, giving confidence that the specified functionality will be attained in the final system. Completion of the production has allowed reflection upon the processes used and improvements for future such projects will be given in the form of some lessons learned

Characterization of Semiconductor Lasers for Radiation Hard High Speed Transceivers

In the context of the versatile link project, a set of semiconductor lasers were studied and modelled aiming at the optimization of the laser driver circuit. High frequency measurements of the laser diode devices in terms of reflected and transmission characteristics were made and used to support the development of a model that can be applied to study their input impedance characteristics and light modulation properties. Furthermore the interaction between the laser driver, interconnect network and the laser device itself can be studied using this model. Simulation results will be compared to measured data to validate the model and methodology