Speaker
Description
We present the design, construction, and characterization of a compact, fully indigenous plastic scintillator-based test and trigger system employing silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and custom-developed electronics. The system uses Extruded Plastic Scintillator (EPS) paddles integrated with wavelength-shifting (WLS) fibers, with SiPMs coupled to both ends for photon detection. The choice of SiPMs over traditional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) significantly reduces size and power requirements, contributing to the system’s compact form factor while maintaining high detection efficiency. In particular, the scintillators, operated with the custom bias source and front-end electronics, have demonstrated more than 99% efficiency under test conditions.
A custom dedicated bias supply ensures stable SiPM operation, providing regulated bias voltage with integrated digital control and monitoring. Signal readout and processing are handled by in-house front-end electronics incorporating transimpedance amplifiers, threshold discriminators, and pulse shapers, followed by digital logic for three- and four-fold coincidence detection. Data acquisition (DAQ) is managed by an STM32 microcontroller, which performs real-time event counting using hardware counters. This microcontroller-based approach offers a cost-effective and flexible alternative to FPGA-based systems, simplifying both development and deployment.
The system adopts a modular architecture, with each unit functioning as an independent module, and offers user-friendly controls via knobs, buttons, and display screens. The integrated design approach provides a reliable and scalable solution for compact cosmic-ray detection and trigger applications.
| Position | Research Scholar |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research |
| Country | India |