Title :
A pixel readout chip for 10-30 MRad in standard 0.25 μm CMOS
Author :
Campbell, M. ; Anelli, G. ; Burns, M. ; Cantatore, E. ; Casagrande, L. ; Delmastro, M. ; Dinapoli, R. ; Faccio, F. ; Heijne, E. ; Jarron, P. ; Luptak, M. ; Marchioro, A. ; Martinengo, P. ; Minervini, D. ; Morel, M. ; Pernigotti, E. ; Ropotar, I. ; Snoeys,
Author_Institution :
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
fDate :
6/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A radiation tolerant pixel detector readout chip has been developed in a commercial 0.25 μm CMOS process. The chip is a matrix of two columns of 65 identical cells. Each readout cell comprises a preamplifier, a shaper filter, a discriminator, a delay line and readout logic. The chip occupies 10 mm2, and contains about 50000 transistors. Electronic noise (~220 e rms) and threshold dispersion (~160 e rms) allow operation at 1500 e average threshold. The radiation tolerance of this mixed mode analog-digital circuit has been enhanced by designing NMOS transistors in enclosed geometry and introducing guardrings wherever necessary. The chip, which was developed at CERN for the ALICE and LHCb experiments, was still operational after receiving 3.6×1013 protons over an area of 2 mm ×2 mm. Other chips were irradiated with X-rays and remained fully functional up to 30 Mrad(SiO2) with only minor changes in analog parameters. These results indicate that careful use of deep submicron CMOS technologies can lead to circuits with high radiation tolerance
Keywords :
CMOS image sensors; X-ray effects; mixed analogue-digital integrated circuits; nuclear electronics; proton effects; radiation hardening (electronics); readout electronics; 0.25 micron; 10 to 30 Mrad; ALICE experiments; LHCb experiments; NMOS transistors; X-ray irradiated; deep submicron CMOS technology; delay line; discriminator; electronic noise; enclosed geometry; guardrings; mixed mode analog-digital circuit; pixel readout chip; preamplifier; proton irradiated; radiation tolerant; readout logic; shaper filter; standard CMOS process; threshold dispersion; Analog-digital conversion; CMOS logic circuits; CMOS process; CMOS technology; Circuit noise; Delay lines; Filters; Noise shaping; Preamplifiers; Radiation detectors;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
