Single-power-supply differential-output circuit-architecture for digitized preamplifiers of semiconductor detector signals

A new compact circuit architecture is proposed for digitized preamplifiers of semiconductor detector signals, suitable for high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. The circuit features single power supply, active decay time reduction, differential output with precise common mode level setting for ADC matching, auto zeroing of the differential output signal offset. Use of a single power supply minimizes the cable burden and is useful when maximum integration is required. Use of a differential output signal maximizes the voltage range while keeping the power supply and the power consumption low. Reduction of the decay time is useful for pattern recognition and minimizes event-to-event pileup at high counting rates. Automatic zeroing of the output differential voltage and precise setting of the common mode voltage is useful to match the preamplifier to differential flash ADCs, using at best their dynamic range. Experimental data and more details on these and other key design issues will be shown in the paper.