Timing performance of a MCP photon detector read out with multi-channel electronics for the TORCH system

Conference item

As part of the R&D; phase of the (Time Of internally Reflected Cherenkov light) TORCH project, 8x8 pad micro-channel plate photon detectors are being characterized. Multichannel electronics based on fast amplifier discriminator and time digitization conversion ASTCs are used to read out and time the charge signals from single photoelectrons. The MCP performance is investigated with a 20ps pulsed blue laser diode. A time resolution of 90ps is achieved. Timing properties are obtained at modest MCP gain, without time walk correction and no fine calibration of the time-to-digital converter circuit. The reference time is provided by a single-channel MCP photon detector coupled to a Constant Fraction Discriminator. Photoelectron detection efficiencies and back-scattering effect are discussed together with the laser source influence on the timing performance.

Authors: Castillo García, L; Fopma, JM; Forty, R; Frei, C; Gao, R

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
• Host title: Astroparticle, particle, space physics and detectors for physics applications : proceedings of the 14th ICATPP Conference, Como, Italy, 23-27 September 2013
• Pages: 633-638
• Series: Astroparticle, Particle, Space Physics, Radiation Interaction, Detectors and Medical Physics Applications
• Series number: 8
• Publication date: 2014-07-14
• Event title: Astroparticle, Particle, Space Physics and Detectors for Physics Applications (14th ICATPP Conference)
• Event location: Como, Italy
• Event start date: 2013-09-23
• Event end date: 2013-09-27
• DOI: 10.1142/9789814603164_0101
• ISSN: 2010-0868
• ISBN: 9789814603157
• Language: English
• Keywords: photoelectron detection efficiency; micro-channel plate photon detector; photoelectron back-scattering effect; particle identification; Cherenkov light; TORCH detector