ICARUS-SDD: a 16 channel ASIC for silicon drift detectors read-out

A prototype Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) to read out signals from Silicon Drift Detector has been realised and characterised. The device is based on the ICARUS ASIC that is currently employed into the PICsIT detector on board the INTEGRAL satellite http://astro.estec.esa.nl/Integral/integral.html. The first stage of the charge preamplifiers collecting the signals from the detectors is mounted externally to the ASIC. The ASIC functional behaviour is described and its performances are summarised and discussed.