Development of front-end electronics for M-MSGC using analog-to-digital-to-analog encoding readout method

A multi-grid-type microstrip gas chamber (M-MSGC) is being developed for the new spallation neutron source in Japan. The objective of this study is to develop a new position readout electronics for two-dimensional M-MSGC, which can reduce the number of interconnections through a high-pressured gas vessel by using a new encoding readout scheme based on ASIC technology. In order to test an ASIC based individual readout method, an ASIC chip, which has typically 16 individual input channels, has been designed and fabricated using a ROHM 0.35μm CMOS process and the chip was connected to a developed encoding circuit. The main results of the performance test indicated that the front-end electronics was able to encode 1500 pixels of the input position with 4.4% of position non-linearity. The results of this work confirm that the developed circuit is appropriate for the front-end electronics of of two-dimensional M-MSGC. (author)