Requirement:
Electronics near the silicon drift detectors are required for preamplification and shaping of the signals from the anodes. These electronics must handle the dynamic range (20:1) of signals produced by the particles of interest.
Justification:
Preamplification and pulse shaping is the first stage of electronically processing the data from silicon detectors. The signals from such detectors are small (a few mV) and effort must always be made to place the initial electronics as close as possible to the detector. Minimum requirements for satisfactory performance of the electronics must be explicitly stated. Simulation studies determine the effects of signal to noise, cross talk, etc., on the final information extracted from the detector.
Status:
A preamp and shaping amplifier (PASA) has been under design for several years. The design specifications are given in Chapter 23. A dynamic range of 40:1 is specified to give headroom.