An integrated CMOS time interval measurement system with subnanosecond resolution for the WA-98 calorimeter

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1997 · IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/4.551911· OSTI ID:471084

Simpson, M L; Britton, C L; Wintenberg, A L; Young, G R ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

The time interval measurement system of the WA-98 calorimeter is presented. This system consists of a constant fraction discriminator (CFD), a variable delay circuit, a time-to-amplitude converter (TAC), and a Wilkinson analog-to-digital converter (ADC) all realized in a 1.2-{micro}m N-well CMOS process. These circuits measured the time interval between a reference logic signal and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) signal that had amplitude variations of 100:1 and 10-ns rise and fall times. The system operated over the interval range from 2 ns to 200 ns with a resolution of {approximately}{+-}300 ps including all walk and jitter components. The variable delay circuit allowed the CFD output to be delayed /by up to 1 {micro}s with a jitter component of {approximately}0.04% of the delay setting. These circuits operated with a 5-V power supply. Although this application was in nuclear physics instrumentation, these circuits could also be useful in other scientific measurements, medical imaging, automatic test equipment, ranging systems, and industrial electronics.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 471084
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 32, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
SHOWER COUNTERS
TIMING CIRCUITS
TIME MEASUREMENT
DESIGN
OPERATION
TIME RESOLUTION
USES
PULSE DISCRIMINATORS
ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTERS