Temperature dependence of time resolution and electronic noise in a silicon detector telescope

We have constructed a silicon detector time-of-flight spectrometer operating at low temperature with an overall time resolution of 115.2 ± 2.0 ps at −50°C for minimum ionizing particles with unitary charge. We report the measurement of the overall time resolution of the telescope versus temperature in several relevant experimental conditions from −50 to 20°C. An extensive experimental study of the noise components of the detector and of the electronic readout as a function of the temperature is also given. We present an analysis of the measured noise components in order to account for the improvement of time resolution when the temperature varies from 20 to −50°C. Future developments of cold silicon strip detectors for time-of-flight determination are considered.