Self-triggering readout system for the neutron lifetime experiment PENeLOPE

The aim of PENeLOPE (Precision Experiment on Neutron Lifetime Operating with Proton Extraction) at the Forschungsreaktor München II is a high-precision measurement of the neutron lifetime and thereby an improvement of the parameter׳s precision by one order of magnitude. In order to achieve a higher accuracy, modern experiments naturally require state-of-the-art readout electronics, as well as high-performance data acquisition systems. This paper presents the self-triggering readout system designed for PENeLOPE which features a continuous pedestal tracking, configurable signal detection logic, floating ground up to 30 kV, cryogenic environment and the novel Switched Enabling Protocol (SEP). The SEP is a time-division multiplexing transport level protocol developed for a star network topology.