FemtoDAQ: A Low-Cost Digitizer for SiPM-Based Detector Studies and its Application to the HAWC Detector Upgrade

摘要

The FemtoDAQ is a low-cost two channel data acquisition system which we haveused to investigate the signal characteristics of silicon photomultipliers(SiPMs) coupled to fast scintillators. The FemtoDAQ system can also be used toinstrument low cost moderate performance passive detectors, and is suitable foruse in harsh environments (e.g., high altitude). The FemtoDAQ is being used asa SiPM test bench for the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory, aTeV gamma ray detector located 4100 m above sea level. Planned upgrades to theHAWC array can benefit greatly from SiPMs, a robust, low-voltage, low-costalternative to traditional vacuum photomultipliers. The FemtoDAQ is used topower the SiPM detector front end, bias the SiPM, and digitize the photosensoroutput in a single compact unit.