16-DEC-2009 Notes

Chris Kenney, Sherwood Parker and I met for about an hour and a half in Chris' office in the Central Lab Annex, sandwiched between other meetings.

Agenda:

1. Application Detector Specs
1. FP420
2. TDA (Time Encoded Differential Absorption)
3. Super KEKB
   
2. Electronics Specs (for each of applications above)
1. Number channels
2. noise/speed trade-offs
3. dynamic range/least count
4. readout speed/rep rate/data volume
3. Getting first test sensor (something in hand -- can be tiny)
4. Current run plans
5. Future run plans
   

Notes:

1. Time pressure didn't allow too much discussion of items 1 and 2, as much discussion was about issues with current run processing issues with SINTEF.
2. Sherwood now focussed on getting a faster readout chip and sensors compatible to play with
3. Much synergy here, though Chris is completely buried...
   

Action items:

1. Agreement on Item 3 -- Sherwood is having the two test sensors, the measurement of which he wrote the high-speed paper on (Fig. 12-14), since he is now "done" with them.  (so we can test -- even in beam)
2. Chris has agreed to try and fab a layout matching a previous version of our specs, the layout drawing of which is posted here.  (the layer mapping isn't correct -- made in Cadence, viewed in Tanner)
   
3. He has a number of sensors that we could probably use -- if they can figure out how to remove a surface contaminant from the wafers.  He estimated an assay to resolve would cost 0.5-1k$, and no guarantees.  However, since the rest of the batch seemed OK, apart from one mucked up (final) step, there is a good chance we will have a large number of useable sensors -- if the contaminant can be identified so the appropriate cleaner can be used.  I told him we would pay.  Will follow-up in the new year.
4. Sherwood is putting in a DOE ADR for a next generation, fast timing pixel detector development.  This is along the lines for which I have applied for a DOE Early Career (last year -- as I'll be Assoc Prof from summer -- or be given the boot).