MSc thesis project proposal

High-Count Rate Readout ASIC for Single Electron Detector

Particle detection readout integrated circuits are used for a wide range of applications from experimental physics to material testing and medical imaging. State-of-the-art imaging systems, such as scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), demand the ability to detect small amounts of charge with small time resolution and limited power consumption, creating an implementation dead-end for conventional readout topologies. The goal of this project is to design, tape out, and experimentally qualify the performance of a high-count rate, low power, and low noise application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) capable of counting every single electron impinging on the detector.

This graduate project will be part of a multi-disciplinary research effort in the field of integrated high-performance sensor interfaces for industrial applications. The graduate student will be a member of the Industrial Electronic Instrumentation team, in close cooperation with industrial partners. In this team, we are busy developing measurement instruments and smart sensor systems with unmatched performance.

During the execution of the project, the graduate student will obtain knowledge in the fields: particle detectors, analog and mixed-signal circuit design, electronic instrumentation. He/she will experience working in an IC design environment and performance qualification of integrated electronic circuits, as well as a complete trajectory of an IC design process.

The project will be executed at TU Delft. However, due to its application nature, the master student will be eligible of receiving an internship from a high-tech Dutch company.

Contact

prof.dr. Stoyan Nihtianov

Electronic Instrumentation Group

Department of Microelectronics

Last modified: 2021-12-20