Optimization of very low noise CCD readout and control for the DAMIC experiment

NUMERUS astrophysics observations indicate the existence of great quantity of invisible mass in the universe. This mass is known as dark matter, and its nature remains undefined, which makes it one of the major challenges of modern physics. This thesis is devoted to the development of read-out electronic in the framework of the DAMIC experiment, a direct dark matter detector operating in the SNOLAB underground laboratory in Canada. My research work took place within the LPNHE which participates in this collaboration. A CCD reading and control system is installed at the LPNHE which aims to study the behavior of this detector: it consists of electronic boards designed at the LPNHE by a group of engineers. One of these boards supports an ASIC reading called ASPIC or its upgrade CROC, which amplifies the output signal delivered by the CCD with a programmable gain, and allows this signal to be read in two modes: Clamp and sample and Dual Slope Integrator. Another board supporting three control ASICs called CABAC is capable of providing all the clocks and bias voltages necessary for operating the CCD. This FPGA-controlled system also contains an ADC which digitizes the signal provided by the CCD in order to be processed by computer. The objective of this thesis is to study the performance of these ASICS as well as studying the results obtained for the characterization of CCDs. (author)