Monolithic front end electronics for silicon calorimeters

This paper describes preamplifiers designed specifically to address the requirements of silicon calorimetry for the Superconductivity Super Collider (SSC). Some considerations are described for the design of a silicon-based sampling calorimetry detector for the SSC. For optimal performance, the front-end electronics must be matched to the detector characteristics and have the speed required by the high SSC interaction rates. The relation between the signal-to-noise ratio of the calorimeter electronics and the charge collection time, the preamplifier power dissipation, detector capacitance and leakage, charge gain, and signal shaping and sampling was studied. The electrostatic transformer connection was analyzed and found to be unusable for a tightly arranged calorimeter because of stray capacitance effects. Some results of radiation effects on selected junction field-effect transistors, MOS field-effect transistors, and bipolar junction transistors are presented. The evaluations include dc parameters, as well as capacitive variations and noise evaluations. The tests are made at the low current and voltage levels (in particular, at currents {le} 1 mA) that are essential for the low-power regimes required by SSC circuitry. Detailed noise data are presented both before and after 5-Mrad (gamma) total-dose exposure. SPICE radiation models for three high-frequency bipolar processes are compared for a typical charge-sensitivemore » preamplifier. Eight different preamplifiers designed for detector capacitances ranging from 20 pF to 500 pF and operating temperatures from 25 {degrees}C to {minus}20{degrees}C are discussed. The different topologies and their features are discussed in addition to the design methodologies employed. The results for noise, power consumption, speed, and radiation damage effects as well as data for post-damage annealing are presented for VTC process preamplifier. Simulations for the VHF process circuits are presented. 13 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.« less