Skipper-CCD Output Sensitivity Improvement with a Common Source Cascode Amplifier

Conference · Thu Mar 13 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · No journal information

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/CAE64243.2025.10961998· OSTI ID:2563136

Alcalde Bessia, Fabricio ^[1]; Chavez, Claudio ^[2]; Fernandez Moroni, Guillermo ^[2]; Lipovetzky, José ^[2]; Estrada, Juan ^[2]

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1. Buenos Aires, CONICET; Balseiro Inst., San Carlos de Bariloche
2. Fermilab

A Skipper-CCD output has been traditionally readout in a source follower configuration, also known as common drain, mainly because in this configuration a good compromise between sensitivity, noise and speed is achieved. In this work a different approach is presented: the output transistor is connected in a common source configuration and an external cascode device is added in series, obtaining a voltage gain higher than unity without increasing significantly the parasitic capacitance due to Miller effect and thus increasing the obtained voltage per electron of charge. The proposed output stage improves the sensitivity 3.4 times when compared with the traditionally used stage while keeping almost the same equivalent noise charge.

• Research Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Buenos Aires, CONICET; Balseiro Inst., San Carlos de Bariloche
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: 89243024CSC000002
• OSTI ID: 2563136
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-CONF-25-0137-PPD; oai:inspirehep.net:2915437
• Resource Type: Conference paper
• Conference Information: Journal Name: No journal information
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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