BASIC: An 8-channel front-end ASIC for Silicon Photomultiplier detectors

Multi-channel, integrated front-end electronics suitable for Silicon Photomultiplier detectors and mainly intended for medical imaging applications has been developed in a CMOS standard technology, according to a current-mode approach. Full exploitation of the good performance of the detector in terms of fast response and gain has been made possible by this design approach. An 8-channel, self-triggered prototype with an on-chip ADC has been designed and realized, also featuring a good degree of programmability and sparse read-out capabilities. Characterization measurements, carried out by coupling the circuit to both an injection capacitance and a SiPM manufactured from FBK-irst, confirm the expected results in terms of overall charge to voltage gain, dynamic range (more than 70pC at 1% non-linearity error), equivalent input noise charge (about 50fC) and timing accuracy.