R&D in photosensors and data acquisition systems for a new generation of Cosmic Ray Cherenkov and Fluorescence Imaging focal planes

In this work we present the design, first prototypes and experimental R&D activities on the development of novel imaging cameras for Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov and Fluorescence Telescopes. The baseline solution for the focal plane is based on a photosensor architecture instrumented with Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). To decrease the trigger threshold and improve the signal-to-noise ratio for low-energy events, the Photon Counting technique is used. For very bright events the conventional Charge Integration approach is retained. The large number of channels requires a compact and modular design with minimal cabling and distance between the photosensors and the frontend. Other design requirements are an efficient light concentration system treated with an anti-reflective coating, a liquid cooling system able to keep the SiPMs at a temperature of −20°C to −10°C, a low-power frontend electronics down to 1 kW/m2 and an easy field maintenance, high reliability data acquisition and trigger system. In the baseline design, the data acquisition system is partitioned in on-board frontend and off-detector high-level trigger electronics. Extensive use of mixed-signal ASICs and low-power FPGAs for early data reduction (Level 1 trigger), compatible with a liquid cooling sub-system for temperature control is adopted. The off-detector data acquisition and higher trigger (Level 2 and Level 3) architecture is based on the VME64X standard. The boards are connected by multi-Gbps optical links to the focal plane camera. Trigger primitives are sent asynchronously to the trigger boards via data links running at their own clocks. Data and slow-control data streams are also sent over the same links with the parallel VME64X backplane kept for trigger board configuration, slow-control and final data readout. Each 8-slot 6U crate can process up to about 3.6×104 SiPM channels.