CMOS Charge amplifier for liquid argon Time Projection Chamber detectors

Abstract

We developed an integrated circuit (IC) for the readout of LAr (Liquid Argon) TPC (Time Projection Chamber) neutrino detectors. Typical signals are around 3 fC per particle per wire but they can go up to 120fC. They necessitate low noise electronics for the readout. The goal is to achieve 1000e- ENC (Equivalent Noise Charge) with a detector capacitance of 250pF. In order to limit cable capacitances (and therefore the noise), we studied the possibility to install the frontend electronics into the Argon vapours, above the LAr filled volume. Argon is liquid between 83 K and 87 K. A typical temperature around 120K is reached in the Argon vapours. In order to optimize the cost per channel ratio we selected a standard 0.35μ CMOS technology: AMSC35B4