Quality control tests on the new front-end electronics for the Schwarzschild–Couder Telescope

Abstract

One of the proposed Medium-Sized Telescopes for the Cherenkov Telescope Array is the dual mirror optics Schwarzschild–Couder Telescope (SCT). The prototype SCT camera is currently equipped with 24 SiPM modules each one made of 64 pixels. The upgrade of the current camera is in progress, with the aim of fully equipping the 177 SiPM modules. A new front-end electronics is being developed and tested in order to improve the noise performance and match CTA requirements. In this process, 11328 SiPMs and the related electronics will be tested in the laboratories before the assembly on the telescope camera. The SiPM Multichannel ASIC for high Resolutions Cherenkov Telescope (SMART) has been developed by INFN to amplify the SiPM signals to be digitized and inserted in the trigger logic based on the TeV Array with GSa/s sampling and Experimental Trigger Application Specific Integrated Circuit (TARGET ASICs). An experimental setup has been devised to test about 750 SMART, which will be used to equip the full camera of the prototype SCT. Each SMART was tested for proper operation in response to a laser pulse. In this contribution we present a detailed scheme of the test bench and the first results obtained on the quality control measurements.