1

MICE Tracker 2 Cassette Characterization, Firmware Update,

• Status of Tracker 2 Cassette Characterization• Further Firmware Optimizations at IIT• Summary and Plans

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

2

MICE Tracker Acronyms and Data Flow

• AFE-IIt – Analog Front End, Version II, with time– Tracker readout boards for D0 modified for MICE– Analog signals converted to charge, time measurements

• VLPC – Visible Light Photon Counter– Receives light from tracker scintillating fibers– Cryostats keep these at ~ 9 K

• VLSB – VME LVDS Serdes Buffer Formatted data stored in these modules, sent to MICE DAQ

– Versa Module Eurocard– Low Voltage Differential Signalling– Serializing/Deserializing

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

3

2nd Tracker Preparation at FNAL

• Cryostats 3 and 4 being prepared for temperature tests

• List of tasks for cassette characterization – Collect VLSB data collection boards– Assemble LVDS cables– Prepare AFE-IIt backplanes– Review characterization procedures– Ship LED pulser from RAL to FNAL

All these tasks are done.

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

4

Multiboard Readout• Multiboard AFE-IIt/VLSB/cryostat tracker readout tests at

FNAL in late October/early November – Done for tracker 1 in May

• Personnel: – Terry Hart, Ben Freemire, maybe Malcolm Ellis

– Paul Rubinov, Tom Fitzpatrick (FNAL)

• Goals (same as for tracker 1 cryostat cassettes)– Characterize 4 cryostat cassettes with new AFE-IIt/VLSB firmware

– Read out 4 cryostats

4Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

5

Cassette Characterization

• Pulser sends light to VLPCs

• AFE-IIt’s measure charges

• Scan over bias voltages

• Determine optimum voltage settings for each AFE-IIt

• Characterize for 9.0, 9.5 K

5Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

6

Interface with MICE DAQ

• VLSB sends word, trigger counts to MICE DAQ over VME

• AFE-IIt temperature, bias voltage monitoring– Sent to MICE DAQ at starts, ends of runs (few hour time scale)– Interface with EPICS written by James Leaver

6Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

This is done.

7

Tracker Firmware Optimizations

• Needed for high muon rates ~ 600 kHz

• Development with – Bill Luebke (IIT)– Paul Rubinov, Tom Fitzpatrick (FNAL)

7Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

8

Zero Suppression:Keeping Data From Channels Above Threshold

• Reduces time to digitize charges, times

• More efficient data storage than when all channels are read out

• Works at IIT and FNAL single-board test stands

• For cosmic ray test– 7 out of 8 boards have almost no hits (1 board has expected hit number)

• Can read out all channels and bitmap with current spreadsheet– Will try in cassette characterization, cosmic ray set-ups– Cassette characterization has priority now

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

9

Data Buffering: 4-level buffer to allow data collection during data digitization

• Logic has been verified in simulation

• Tests with self-injected not working for short trigger periods– Bad values for reconstructed charges, times– Data format breaks down– These are repeatable

• Some firmware modifications being written for tests– 2 events less than 100 ns apart– Check pedestal width vs. trigger period, buffer depth

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

10

News With Me

• Start appointment with U. of Mississippi with Don Summers on Nov. 1– Inverse cyclotron development– MuCool– Still on MICE

• I hope to continue with tracker work, but this will be worked out with Don and tracker group

• Special thanks to Dan Kaplan, MICE tracker group, and so many more for pleasure of working on MICE

• I look forward to continued work on MICE

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008

11

Summary

• Tracker one taking cosmic ray data– Complete set-up to be used for MICE– Interface with MICE DAQ complete

• Tracker priority is characterization of tracker 2 cryostat cassettes– Same as June tracker 1 cassette characterization– Equipment gathered and setup being assembled– Start characterization in late October/early November

• Tests of firmware optimization code at IIT, FNAL test stands– Zero suppression– 4-level data buffer

Terry Hart, MICE CM 22, October 19, 2008