NIM ELECTRONICS

Zhenyu Ye January 23, 2015

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References

• Ch11-14 of “Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments” by Leo: •  Pulse Signals in Nuclear Electronics •  The NIM Standard •  Signal Transmission •  Electronics for Pulse Signal Processing

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Introduction •  Particle detectors (as we shall see in Week 4+) provides

information on detected particles in the form of electrical signals. These signals need to be further processed by an electronics system to extract the information.

•  Electronics for nuclear and particle physics experiments has been largely standardized into modular forms, i.e., circuits for basic signal processing functions have been build into separate modules of standard mechanical and electrical specifications.

•  These modules, which are available commercially, can be interconnected as desired to process electrical signals of various detectors. A detailed knowledge of electronics at the level of circuit design is not necessary. What is needed is a understanding of the basic functions and logic of the modules.

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Pulse Signal Terminology •  Information about detected particles may be contained in

characteristics of electric signals from detectors (usually electrical current or voltage pulses), such as, pulse polarity, amplitude, shape, occurrence in time relative to another pulse, or simply its presence.

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Analog and Digital Signals • Analog: continuous signals

•  RC, amplifier, videotape…

• Digital: discrete signals (usually only two states, 0 vs 1) •  Logic gate, discriminator, …

• A/D and D/A conversions •  Cell phone, camera, computer, …

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Voltage level is LOW when switch is closed. Voltage level is HIGH when switch is open.

Nuclear Instrument Module Standard • Slow signals >100ns rise time

•  Fast signals ~1ns rise time/width

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NIM Standard - Mechanical Modules: • minimum 1.35 inch width, 8.75 inch height •  single, double, triple width units

Power Bins: •  accept up to 12 single width modules, •  allowing mounting in a 19-inch rack • Provide +/-6V, +/-12V, +/-24V DC voltages

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TTL and ECL Signals

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TTL: Transistor-Transistor Logic ECL: Emitter-coupled Logic

Co-axial Cables

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Ideal Lossless Co-axial Cables

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5 ns/m delay for typical 50 Ohms cables

Reflections in Co-axial Cables

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Discriminators

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Coincidence Units

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Logic Units

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Gate and Delay Generators

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Analog-to-Digital Converters

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Digit-to-Analog Converters

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Time-to-Digit Converters

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Single Channel Analyzers

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Multi-Channel Analyzers

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