Detector Developments for the LHC: CMS TOB Silicon Detector Modules and ATLAS TileCal Read-Out Driver

This Research Report is divided in two different parts corresponding to two different periods of time working in different collaborations. First, a general approach to the framework where this work is set is presented at the Introduction: the CERN laboratory near Geneva, the LHC accelerator and its two general purpose experiments CMS and ATLAS. The first part of this report consists in the study of the performance of the silicon strip detectors specifically designed for the Tracker Outer Barrel (TOB) of the CMS Tracker detector. Results of the performance of CMS TOB silicon detector modules mounted on the first assembled double-sided rod at CERN are presented. These results are given in terms of noise, noise occupancies, signal to noise ratios and signal efficiencies. The detector signal efficiencies and noise occupancies are also shown as a function of threshold for a particular clustering algorithm. Signal efficiencies versus noise occupancy plots as a function of the threshold level, which could also be used to grade detector modules in rods during production, are presented. In the second part the standalone software developments for the characterization and system tests of the pre-production ATLAS TileCal Read-Out Driver (ROD) prototypes are presented. The XTestROD and XFILAR programs, specifically written for the TileCal ROD characterisation and system tests, are presented and all their functionalities are discussed in detail. These programs allow to write/read the registers and configure the different operation modes of all the modules in the ROD crate and the ROS computer. Using this software standalone data acquisition runs can also be performed through the VMEbus or standard read-out cards in ATLAS.