Design and status of COMPASS FAST-RICH

In the context of the upgrade of COMPASS RICH-1, we are developing a fast photodetection system for RICH counters, based on UV extended Multi-Anode PhotoMultiplier Tubes (MAPMT) and a custom, low dead-time electronic readout system. Photons are concentrated on the MAPMT photocathode by an optical system that preserves the position information. The ratio between the collection and the photosensitive surfaces is ∼7.5∼7.5 in our design, larger than in previous applications. A new front-end electronics, based on a modified version of the MAD4 discriminator chip, is being realized to digitize the MAPMT signals. We report about the design of the photodetection system and of the associated electronic readout system, and on the preliminary test beam results.