Engineering_contributions - CIEMAT Particle Physics
DEVELOPMENTS ON ENGINEERING FOR PARTICLE PHYSICS
In what follows we describe some examples of contributions from our group to Particle Physics experiments, both mechanical or electronics developments.
ASIC DEVELOPMENT FOR CTA EXPERIMENT
Our group has developed an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to be used in the CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) experiment. This ASIC implements the logic to determine whether the camera has to be read based on the analog signal provided by the camera. Each camera has 265 of these ASICs, which have been approved for installation in the first camera of the large size telescope. These ASICs have already been produced, tested and have been delivered for integration into electronic boards for the camera of the first large size telescope. As for the signal distribution system, these ASICs are being evaluated for their use in the medium size telescopes.
Further information can be found here:
uTCA BOARD FOR CMS EXPERIMENT PHASE 1 UPGRADE
We have participated in the design and construction of a uTCA board for the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) Phase 1 Upgrade (factor 2 LHC increase of luminosity), so called TM7 board. The TM7 is a single-slot, double-width and full-height AMC module, designed around a Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA. It includes optical transceivers for up to 72 low-speed inputs, and 12 high-speed bidirectional communicaiton links up to 13 Gbps. The function of the TM7 board is determined by the firmware and the optical transceivers assembled. For the CMS Drift Tube experiments we have built two flavours:
- TwinMux board: its functionality is the merging of the trigger primitives from each of the 4 Drift Tube (DT) chambers in one sector and merge it with the RPC (Resistive Plate Chambers) information, building the so-called Superprimitives, which profit from the very good spatial resolution from the DTs and the precise time resolution from the RPC. Our contributions to the board design validation, firmware implementation, online software development, installation and commissioning have been critical.
- uROS board: its functionality is the event building and synchronization of the readout data coming from each of the 12 chambers of one CMS quadrant. Data quality control is performed on reception and an intelligent mechanism for automatic link recovery in case of unlocks has been implemented. Transmission to the next level of the DAQ chain at each Level 1 Accept trigger signal is performed.
Further information can be found in the web page:
CTA CHAMBER CONSTRUCTION
The CTA CIEMAT group is responsible for the complete mechanical design of the large size telescope camera and its cooling system.
The dimensions of the large size telescope are outstanding compared with traditional telescopes, both by the diameters of its mirror (23 meters) and its camera (3 meters). The camera has a total of 1855 photomultiplier distributed in a roughly circular area with a weight of about two tons and will be installed in the focal plane of the telescope.
The design, manufacturing and testing of mechanical and environmental control system aims to finish their production and assembly by beginning of 2017. The mechanical structure of the camera, has recently been completed and is undergoing verification prior to first mechanical integration tests.
Further information can be found here:
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CMS SHIELDING
We have designed the shielding structure to protect the top part of the CMS detector agains the radiation field permeating the CMS cavern during operation of the LHC proton-proton collisions.
In particular, the DT (Drift Tubes) chambers are particularly affected by this radiation field and its performance during HL-LHC will be compromised. Accordingly a mechanical structure fixed to present CMS detector structure that can support the shielding cassettes has been designed and fabricated at CIEMAT. The supporting structure for each sector weights approximately 400 Kg and supports 6 cassettes. Each cassete is made of a 7 mm thickness lead plate and 30 or 90 cm 5% borated polyethylene sheets, inserted into an aluminum box. Each cassette weights 256 kg. Moreover, an insertion tool system that allows to place them safely in the different CMS positions and inclinations. This insertion tool system includes all the electronics needed to operate them, which has also been fabricated at CIEMAT.
DESIGN OF THE NEW ON DETECTOR BOARD FOR HL-LHC CMS DRIFT TUBES
We have designed the first prototype of the OBDT board (On detector Board for the Drift Tubes). This board is responsible for the time digitization of the DT chamber signals of the CMS detector, and has been designed specifically to be able to survive in the HL-LHC environment.
It is built around a Microsemi Polarfire FPGA and digitizes up to 240 input channels. It forwards the information to the upstream level through a GBT optical link and also contains a second GBT optical link for timing, synchronization and slow control.
Further information can be found here:
http://cms.ciemat.es/cmsupgrade
HV SPLITTER BOARDS FOR DOUBLE CHOOZ DETECTOR
READOUT BOARD FOR CALICE EXPERIMENT
We have designed and produced the readout board for the CALICE detector. This board is called DIF (Detector InterFace Boards) electronics and interfaces the ASIC chips with the DAQ for configuration and readout, and participate in the test beam data analysis.
Further information can be found here:
http://rdgroups.ciemat.es/web/ciemat-ic/calice