Paolo Musico

Detector readout systems in modern nuclear and particle-physics experiments must handle a large number of channels and high throughput while maintaining well-defined timing. Trigger and data acquisition requirements are also becoming more diverse, motivating architectures that support multiple acquisition modes and remain maintainable at the system scale. This work presents MPD-Eth, a crate-independent, detector-agnostic, Ethernet-connected multipurpose digitizer/DAQ backend implemented on a Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA. The system couples a register-mapped control plane to a fully hardware TCP/IP data plane for 1-GbE event transport. The firmware implements front-end timing/control, digitized capture compatible with an ADS5281 eight-channel, 12-bit ADC’s source-synchronous LVDS interface, clock-domain buffering, and self-delimiting event framing supporting triggered, self-triggered, and streaming operation. The first demonstrated configuration targets the Jefferson Lab tracking program using APV25-instrumented GEM/μRWELL detectors. In the fully populated configuration (16 APVs, 6 samples/channel), the payload is 24.96 kB per trigger, yielding a sustained rate of ∼4 kHz at an effective 1-GbE payload throughput of ∼100 MB/s. These results demonstrate a compact network backend suitable for experimental deployment and provide a validated baseline for a forthcoming 10-GbE extension.

In the framework of the H2020 CLEANDEM project, a small robotic vehicle was equipped with a series of different sensors that were developed for the preliminary inspection of areas possibly contaminated by radiation. Such unmanned inspection allows to identify dangerous locations prior to the possible start of human operations. One of the developed devices, named the MiniRadMeter, is a compact low-cost sensor that performs gamma and neutron radiation field mapping in the environment. The MiniRadMeter was successfully tested in a simulated field mission with four “hidden” radioactive sources and a neutron generator. In this work, we describe the test procedure and the results, which were supported by the outcome of dedicated Monte Carlo simulations.

In the framework of the H2020 CLEANDEM project a small robotic vehicle was equipped with a series of different sensors, developed for the preliminary inspection of areas possibly contaminated by radiation. Such unmanned inspection allows to identify dangerous locations prior to the possible start of human operations. One of the developed devices, named MiniRadMeter, is a compact, low-cost sensor to perform gamma and neutron radiation field mapping of the environment. The MiniRadMeter was successfully tested in a simulated field mission with four "hidden" radioactive sources and a neutron generator. In this work we describe the test procedure and the results, also supported by the outcome of dedicated Monte Carlo simulations.

The KM3NeT Collaboration is building an underwater neutrino observatory at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of two neutrino telescopes, both composed of a three-dimensional array of light detectors, known as digital optical modules. Each digital optical module contains a set of 31 three-inch photomultiplier tubes distributed over the surface of a 0.44 m diameter pressure-resistant glass sphere. The module also includes calibration instruments and electronics for power, readout, and data acquisition. The power board was developed to supply power to all the elements of the digital optical module. The design of the power board began in 2013, and ten prototypes were produced and tested. After an exhaustive validation process in various laboratories within the KM3NeT Collaboration, a mass production batch began, resulting in the construction of over 1200 power boards so far. These boards were integrated in the digital optical modules that have already been produced and deployed, which total 828 as of October 2023. In 2017, an upgrade of the power board, to increase reliability and efficiency, was initiated. The validation of a pre-production series has been completed, and a production batch of 800 upgraded boards is currently underway. This paper describes the design, architecture, upgrade, validation, and production of the power board, including the reliability studies and tests conducted to ensure safe operation at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea throughout the observatory’s lifespan.

The decommissioning of nuclear installations, as well as the possible necessary accident remediations, requires the physical presence of human operators in potentially radiologically hostile environments. The number of active nuclear reactors worldwide is greater than 400, and most of them are 40 to 50 years old, thus implying that soon they will have to be dismantled. In the framework of the H2020 CLEANDEM project, a small robotic vehicle is being developed that is equipped with a series of different sensors for areas that are significantly contaminated by radiation. In this work, we describe the MiniRadMeter system, a compact low-cost sensor capable of being used to perform quick gamma and neutron radiation field mapping of environments prior to the possible start of human operations. The miniature gamma sensor is a 1 cm³ scintillator counter with moderate spectroscopic features read out by means of a 6 × 6 mm² SiPM, whereas neutrons are detected by means of a silicon diode coupled to a layer of ⁶LiF and placed inside a 6 × 6 × 6 cm³ polyethylene box. The front-end and data acquisition electronics were developed based on a Raspberry Pi4 microcomputer. In this paper, the system performance and the preliminary test results are described.