A trigger-less acquisition system for the EXILL large germanium detectors array

The combination of the intense cold neutron beam available at the PF1b beam position of the Institute Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, together with the high detection efficiency of a large array of high purity Ge detectors (HPGe) has offered a unique opportunity for a set of experiments devoted to nuclear spectroscopy on stable isotopes as well as on exotic nuclei produced in the fission process of uranium and plutonium samples. The emitted γ-rays from neutron capture on stable targets as well as from the decay of fission fragments have been acquired in a trigger-less mode to preserve a maximum of information for further off-line treatment. A dedicated fully digital acquisition system using a combination of a 14-bit 100 MS/s digitisers with a PowerPC-based VME single board computer has been developed to ensure data collection and real-time processing capabilities. The present article will describe the experimental setup as well as the specific electronic configuration used during the EXILL campaign of measurements with particular emphasis on the technical achievements as well as on the preliminary results obtained in the various experiments.