Upgrade Analog Readout and Digitizing System for ATLAS TileCal Demonstrator

A potential upgrade for the front-end electronics and signal digitization and data acquisition system of the ATLAS hadron calorimeter for the high luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) is described. A Demonstrator is being built to readout a slice of the TileCal detector. The on-detector electronics includes up to 48 Analog Front-end Boards for PMT analog signal processing, 4 Main Boards for data digitization and slow controls, 4 Daughter Boards with high speed optical links to interface the on-detector and off-detector electronics. Two super readout driver boards are used for off-detector data acquisition and fulfilling digital trigger. The ATLAS Tile Calorimeter on-detector electronics is housed in the drawers at the back of each of the 256 detector wedges. Each drawer services up to 48 photomultiplier tubes. The new readout system is designed to replace the present system as it will reach component lifetime and radiation tolerance limits making it incompatible with continued use into the HL-LHC era. With demonstrator, we are preparing test samples of each of the components needed for the full upgrade. It is envisioned that at least one drawer of the new electronics will be installed in the detector for the LHC RUN-2 in 2014. This will permit us to acquire experience and detail studies with fully digital trigger scheme without reconfiguring the present analog trigger system for data taking in 2015-2022.