MSGCROC -a selftriggered ASIC for readout of hybrid gas microstrip neutron detectors for event rates of 10 8/s and 2D spatial resolutions ≪100 μm FWHM

In the frame of the DETNI project a 32-channel ASIC suitable for readout of a novel 2D thermal neutron detector type based on a hybrid low-pressure micro-strip gas chamber (MSGC) with solid ¹⁵⁷Gd converter has been developed. Each microstrip and ASIC channel delivers position information, a fast time stamp of 2 ns resolution and the signal amplitude. The time stamp T is used for correlating the signals from the X and Y strips with low chance coincidence rate while the amplitude E is used for finding the center of gravity of a cluster of strips. The T and E information are stored in derandomizing buffers and read out via a token ring architecture.