Neutron-Irradiation Testing of FPGA-Embedded Hadron Fluence Sensors

Giordano, R.; Tortone, G.; Vincenzi, D.; Loffredo, Filomena; Quarto, Maria; Pestotnik, R.; Lozar, A.; Seljak, A.

doi:10.1109/tns.2023.3265740

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…Additional details about the sensor board (SB) and firmware can be found in [13]. However, due to the high count rates of the measurements described in this work, we did not use our firmware to access the CRAM via ICAP, rather we read it via JTAG.…”

Section: Sensor Boardmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Proton irradiation of FPGA-embedded hadron fluence sensors

Giordano,

Tortone,

Vincenzi

et al. 2024

J. Inst.

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Hadron fluence monitors based on static random access memories (SRAMs) are in use at particle accelerators for the protection of electronics and at proton-therapy facilities for measuring secondary neutrons. One shortcoming of current solutions is that they necessitate SRAMs to detect radiation-induced single event upsets and require additional components to transfer the counts from the radiation area. This approach limits the practicality of the sensors due to their power requirements, increased board complexity, larger physical footprint and reduced total ionizing dose tolerance. In this work, we present proton irradiation test results of a novel proton and neutron fluence sensor we designed. The sensor is fully embedded in a SRAM-based field programmable gate array (FPGA) solving the abovementioned limitations of the state of the art. The FPGA configuration SRAM is used as a sensitive element, while the Joint Test Action Group interface is leveraged as a read out circuitry. We irradiated six sensor units by means of a variable-energy proton beam at the Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (TIFPA, Trento, Italy). We discuss our results in terms of proton to upset cross section as a function of the proton energy in the range from 70 to 228 MeV, also parameterized with respect to the power supply voltage. We evaluate the variability of the cross section in the set of irradiated samples. Moreover, we show how we used the device to image the proton beam and measure beam profiles for aligning the configuration RAM and beam centers. We also suggest alternate reading modes to measure the fluence on the device by measuring the drawn current, rather than counting upsets.

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Section: Sensor Boardmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The CRAM is used as a sensitive element, while the fabric is programmed to read out upsets according to a user-defined protocol. We tested the neutron tolerance of the sensor and of its readout logic implemented in the fabric [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proton irradiation of FPGA-embedded hadron fluence sensors

Giordano,

Tortone,

Vincenzi

et al. 2024

J. Inst.

Self Cite

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“…It can also be used to provide information about local gamma-ray radiation background aboard small satellites in space, based on ten-second and minute-period measurements, without the use of a high-voltage Geiger tube. This latter task could also be performed by alternative technologies, either commercial [ 14 ] or under development [ 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmo ArduSiPM: An All-in-One Scintillation-Based Particle Detector for Earth and Space Application

Bocci,

Ali,

Chiodi

et al. 2024

Sensors

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Thanks to advancements in silicon photomultiplier sensors (SiPMs) and system-on-chip (SoC) technology, our INFN Roma1 group developed ArduSiPM in 2012, the first all-in-one scintillator particle detector in the literature. It used a custom Arduino Due shield to process fast signals, utilizing the Microchip Sam3X8E SoC’s internal peripherals to control and acquire SiPM signals. The availability of radiation-tolerant SoCs, combined with the goal of reducing system space and weight, led to the development of an innovative second-generation board, a better-performing device called Cosmo ArduSiPM, suitable for space missions. The architecture of the new detector is based on the Microchip SAMV71 300 MHz, 32-bit ARM® Cortex®-M7 (Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, AZ, USA). While the analog front-end is essentially identical to the ArduSiPM, it utilizes components with the smallest possible package. The board fits in a CubeSat module. Thanks to the compact design, the board has two independent channels, with a total weight of only 40 grams within a CubeSat form factor. The ArduSiPM architecture is based on a single microcontroller and fast discrete analog electronics. It benefits from the continued development of SoCs related to the IoT (Internet of Things) market. Compared with a system with a custom ASIC, this architecture based on software and SoC capabilities offers considerable advantages in terms of cost and development time. The ability to incorporate new commercial SoCs, continuously emerging from advancements in the aerospace and automotive industries, provides the system with a robust foundation for sustained growth over the years. A detailed characterization of the hardware and the system’s response to different photon fluxes is presented in this article. Additionally, coupling the device with a scintillator was tested at the end of this article as a preliminary trial for future measurements, showing potential for further enhancement of the detector’s capabilities.

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Neutron-Irradiation Testing of FPGA-Embedded Hadron Fluence Sensors

Cited by 2 publications

References 22 publications

Proton irradiation of FPGA-embedded hadron fluence sensors

Proton irradiation of FPGA-embedded hadron fluence sensors

Cosmo ArduSiPM: An All-in-One Scintillation-Based Particle Detector for Earth and Space Application

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