Next-Generation Electronics for the Read-Out of Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors

Developed by the RD51 collaboration, the Scalable Readout System (SRS) is widely used for the read-out of Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs). With different front-end Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) integrated into the SRS and its capability to read out small R&D set-ups up to mid-size experiments, the SRS functions as a multi-purpose read-out system. One of the ASICs integrated into the SRS is the VMM3a, which was specifically developed for the read-out of gaseous detectors. Due to its rich feature set and high configurability, it is the ideal candidate to further enhance the multi-purpose character of the SRS and move it into its next era. In the scope of this thesis, the capabilities of the VMM3a front-end of the RD51 Scalable Readout System (VMM3a/SRS) were explored for the charge read-out of MPGDs. This includes characterisation studies and the evaluation and improvement of calibration procedures to understand and optimise the system response. There it was found that the time resolution of VMM3a/SRS is better than 2 ns and that it allows to read-out detectors with trigger rates in the MHz regime. Furthermore, it was explored how different measurement types can benefit from the capabilities of VMM3a/SRS. As such, various kinds of X-ray imaging studies were performed with a single-detector set-up. In addition, a new beam telescope with VMM3a/SRS read-out was built for the RD51 collaboration, which meant the read-out of multiple detectors at the same time. This allowed to demonstrate that VMM3a/SRS can be used as an integrated read-out system, which provides position, time and energy information at the same time. In addition to the characterisation measurements, also different applications of VMM3a/SRS were demonstrated, such as the possibility to resolve argon fluorescence interactions inside gaseous detectors and use these interactions to determine the electron drift velocity. Ultimately, the newly built beam telescope was used in the NA61/SHINE experiment at CERN, demonstrating that VMM3a/SRS can be successfully operated in particle physics experiments.