Synchronization methods for the PAC RPC trigger system in the CMS experiment

The PAC (pattern comparator) is a dedicated muon trigger for the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiment at the LHC (Large Hadron Collider). The PAC trigger processes signals provided by RPC (resistive plate chambers), a part of the CMS muon system. The goal of the PAC RPC trigger is to identify muons, measure their transverse momenta and select the best muon candidates for each proton bunch collision occurring every 25 ns. To perform this task it is necessary to deliver the information concerning each bunch crossing from many RPC chambers to the trigger logic at the same moment. Since the CMS detector is large (the muon hits are spread over 40 ns), and the data are transmitted through thousands of channels, special techniques are needed to assure proper synchronization of the data. In this paper methods developed for the RPC signal synchronization and synchronous transmission are presented. The methods were tested during the MTCC (magnet test and cosmic challenge). The performance of the synchronization methods is illustrated by the results of the tests

Challenges in QCD matter physics - The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR

Substantial experimental and theoretical efforts worldwide are devoted to explore the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. At LHC and top RHIC energies, QCD matter is studied at very high temperatures and nearly vanishing net-baryon densities. There is evidence that a Quark-Gluon-Plasma (QGP) was created at experiments at RHIC and LHC. The transition from the QGP back to the hadron gas is found to be a smooth cross over. For larger net-baryon densities and lower temperatures, it is expected that the QCD phase diagram exhibits a rich structure, such as a first-order phase transition between hadronic and partonic matter which terminates in a critical point, or exotic phases like quarkyonic matter. The discovery of these landmarks would be a breakthrough in our understanding of the strong interaction and is therefore in the focus of various high-energy heavy-ion research programs. The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR will play a unique role in the exploration of the QCD phase diagram in the region of high net-baryon densities, because it is designed to run at unprecedented interaction rates. High-rate operation is the key prerequisite for high-precision measurements of multi-differential observables and of rare diagnostic probes which are sensitive to the dense phase of the nuclear fireball. The goal of the CBM experiment at SIS100 (sqrt(s_NN) = 2.7 - 4.9 GeV) is to discover fundamental properties of QCD matter: the phase structure at large baryon-chemical potentials (mu_B > 500 MeV), effects of chiral symmetry, and the equation-of-state at high density as it is expected to occur in the core of neutron stars. In this article, we review the motivation for and the physics programme of CBM, including activities before the start of data taking in 2022, in the context of the worldwide efforts to explore high-density QCD matter.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. Published in European Physical Journal

Implementacja algorytmów kryptograficznych opartych na krzywych eliptycznych dla 8-bitowych i 32-bitowych systemów wbudowanych - analiza wydajności i zużycia energii

Results of research that compares possibilities of securing transmission from biomedical embedded telemetry devices with elliptic curve cryptography algorithms performed on 8-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers is presented in the paper. The review of possible ways of implementing cryptographic protocols based on elliptic curves in embedded systems with usage of commercial MIRACL library and open-source GMP arithmetic library was performed. We have used MIRACL library to compare time efficiency and energy costs of elliptic curve point multiplication on selected AVR and ARM embedded platforms. Additionally we have implemented basic ECC library based on open-source GMP library for ARM microcontrollers to check efficiency of algorithms based on different number representations. Results obtained during the work showed that despite of the fact that selected ARM microcontroller active supply current is higher than selected AVR device active supply current, total energy cost associated with elliptic point curve multiplication is much smaller in case of ARM microcontrollers.Celem pracy była analiza możliwości wykorzystania kryptografii opartej na krzywych eliptycznych w wybranych systemach wbudowanych w celu realizacji bezpiecznej transmisji danych biomedycznych W pracy porównano możliwości implementacji algorytmów kryptograficznych bazujących na krzywych eliptycznych w środowisku 8-bitowych mikrokontrolerów AVR oraz 32-bitowych mikrokontrolerów ARM. Za pomocą komercyjnej biblioteki MIRACL zbadano wydajność obliczeniową oraz koszt energetyczny związany z operacją mnożenia punktu na krzywej eliptycznej w środowisku wybranych systemów wbudowanych. Dodatkowo bazując na bibliotece GMP wykonano implementację podstawowych operacji na krzywych eliptycznych dla wybranego mikrokontrolera ARM. Za pomocą wykonanej implementacji porównano wydajność operacji na krzywych eliptycznych realizowanych dla różnej reprezentacji liczb (reprezentacji binarnej i NAF (ang. Non-Adjacent Form)). Wyniki pokazują, iż rozpatrywana rodzina mikrokontrolerów 32-bitowych charakteryzuje się mniejszym kosztem energetycznym operacji mnożenia punktu na krzywej eliptycznej oraz większą wydajnością obliczeniową niż układy 8-bitowe

GBTX emulator for development and special versions of GBT-based readout chains

The GBTX ASIC is a standard solution for providing fast control and data readout for radiation detectors used in HEP experiments. However, it is subject to export control restrictions due to the usage of radiation-hard technology. An FPGA-based GBTX emulator (GBTxEMU) has been developed to enable the development of GBT-based readout chains in countries where the original GBTX cannot be imported. Thanks to utilizing a slightly modified GBT-FGPA core, it maintains basic compatibility with standard GBT-based systems. The GBTxEMU also may be an interesting solution for developing GBT-based readout chains for less demanding experiments.Comment: Conference "22nd International Workshop on Radiation Imaging Detectors" (22nd IWoRID

First GEM measurements at WEST and perspectives for fast electrons and heavy impurities transport studies in tokamaks

International audienceSoft X-ray (SXR) radiation emitted from tokamak plasmas contains very useful information about plasma stability, shape and impurity content, all key parameters to improve plasma performance. In the deuterium-tritium phase of ITER, the high neutron fluxes, gamma and hard X-ray emission will constitute too harsh an environment to permit the use of classical semiconductor detectors. New SXR detector technologies, more robust to such environments, should thus be investigated. First GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) measurements performed at WEST were successful and showed that both spatially and spectrally resolved calibrated data could be acquired. Strategies to reconstruct tungsten (W) impurity radiation synthetic diagnostics, modelling and real measurements based on multiple diagnostics are proposed

MCORD - MPD Cosmic Ray Detector a new features

The main detector system at the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA) located in Dubna, Russia is the Multi-Purpose Detector (MPD). For better calibration reason, the MPD needs an additional trigger system for an off-beam calibration of MPD sub-detectors and for rejection (veto) of cosmic muons. The system should also be useful for practical astrophysics observations of cosmic showers. The consortium NICA-PL group defines goals and basic assumptions for the MPD Cosmic Ray Detector (MCORD). This article describes the conceptual design and simulation plans of the MCORD detector based on plastic scintillators with SiPM photodetectors and electronic digital system based on the MicroTCA crate

MCORD - MPD Cosmic Ray Detector a new features

The main detector system at the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA) located in Dubna, Russia is the Multi-Purpose Detector (MPD). For better calibration reason, the MPD needs an additional trigger system for an off-beam calibration of MPD sub-detectors and for rejection (veto) of cosmic muons. The system should also be useful for practical astrophysics observations of cosmic showers. The consortium NICA-PL group defines goals and basic assumptions for the MPD Cosmic Ray Detector (MCORD). This article describes the conceptual design and simulation plans of the MCORD detector based on plastic scintillators with SiPM photodetectors and electronic digital system based on the MicroTCA crate