A Serializer ASIC for High Speed Data Transmission in Cryogenic and HiRel Environment

A low power 16:1 serializer (called LOCs1), operates from 4.0 to 5.8 Gb/s, has been developed using a commercial 0.25 μm silicon-on-sapphire CMOS technology. LOCs1 is the first step towards an optical link for the readout upgrade of the Liquid Argon Calorimeter (LAr) in ATLAS for the super LHC. This optical link needs to operate at 100 Gb/s for one front-end board (FEB) over a 12-way fiber ribbon, with 20% redundant channels to improve system reliability in the radiation environment of the LHC. There are 1524 FEBs so the total data bandwidth will be over 150 Tb/s. LOCs1 is also a candidate for another optical link system proposed to readout the experimental data in the large Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) for the Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE). In this application the transmitting side of the link will operate inside a cryostat at 89 K. In this paper we present the test results of LOCs1, both in room temperature and at liquid nitrogen temperature of 77 K. A proton irradiation of LOCs1 is scheduled in June. Results will be presented when available.