Speaker
Dr
Tomasz Szumlak
(Glasgow University)
Description
The LHCb experiment is dedicated to the search for new physics
signatures in beauty and charm decays. The selection of interesting
signal events requires accurate measurements of decay lifetimes
and reconstruction of complex vertex topologies. The VErtex LOcator (VELO)
has been designed to fulfill these functions, by providing tracking
information close to the proton-proton collision region.
At present analogue information from its readout electronic is digitized, corrected
for various sources of coherent noise, and further processed through
a series of algorithms implemented on FPGAs residing on the ìoff detectorî
readout boards. The tuning of the parameters of these algorithms is performed
using a bit-perfect emulation of these algorithms integrated in to the full
off-line software of the experiment. These algorithms are described, and their
performance and tuning in the course of the 2011 data taking cycle are summarized.
For the LHCb upgrade in addition to the evolution to the present strip design
a pixel option is also being developed. In both cases the zero-suppression
functionality will be preformed by the read out front-end chip. For this a new ASIC
is being designed - the chip will be a derivative of the TimePix/MediPix family.
The chip will incorporate a local intelligence in the pixel for time over
threshold measurement, time stamping and spare read out. In order to cope with
the data rates and use the pixel area most effectively an on-chip data compression
scheme will be implemented. This contribution will give an overview of the chip
digital architecture, and describe the off-detector signal processing, including
the time ordering and clustering.
Summary
Signal processing for the LHCb VELO detector and LHCb upgrade
Authors
Marina Artuso
(Syracuse University (US))
Dr
Tomasz Szumlak
(Glasgow University)
Co-author
Dr
Chris Parkes
(Glasgow)
