Progress towards a large area, thin DEPFET detector module

Large arrays of depleted field effect transistor (DEPFET) detector elements are one possible technology for the vertex detector of the planned International Linear Collider. The main challenges are the production of large (10cm2) devices with an average thickness of around 100μm (silicon) and their fast column parallel readout. This paper describes in some detail how a DEPFET based sensor module could be built and presents the design of the latest generation of ‘Switcher’ steering chips.