PARISROC, a photomultiplier array integrated read out chip

PARISROC is a complete read out chip, in AMS SiGe 0.35 μm technology, for photomultipliers array. It allows triggerless acquisition for next generation neutrino experiments and it belongs to an R&D program funded by the French national agency for research (ANR) called PMm2: “Innovative electronics for photodetectors array used in High Energy Physics and Astroparticles” (ref.ANR-06-BLAN-0186). The ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) integrates 16 independent and auto triggered channels with variable gain and provides charge and time measurement by a Wilkinson ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) and a 24-bit Counter. The charge measurement should be performed from 1 up to 300 photo-electrons (p.e.) with a good linearity. The time measurement allowed to a coarse time with a 24-bit counter at 10 MHz and a fine time on a 100ns ramp to achieve a resolution of 1 ns. The ASIC sends out only the relevant data through network cables to the central data storage. This paper describes the front-end electronics ASIC called PARISROC.