A very high performance stabilization system for large mass bolometer experiments

作者：Arnaboldi C; Giachero A^*; Gotti C; Pessina G

来源：Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment , 2011, 652(1): 306-309.

DOI：10.1016/j.nima.2010.09.151

• Double beta decay
• Bolometers
• CUORE
• Response stabilization
• Optical coupling

CUORE is a large mass bolometric experiment, composed of 988 crystals, under construction in Hall A of the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratories (LNGS). Its main aim is the study of neutrinoless double beta decay of (130)Te. Each bolometer is a 760 g crystal of Tellurium dioxide on which a Nuclear Transmutation Doped Ge thermistor, Ge NTD, is glued with proper thermal contact. The stability of the system is mandatory over many years of data taking. To accomplish this requirement a heating resistor is glued on each detector across which a voltage pulse can be injected at will, to develop a known calibrated heating power. We present the design solution for a pulse generator system to be used for the injection of such a small and short voltage pulse across the heaters. This system is composed by different custom PCB boards each of them having multi-channel independent outputs completely remotely programmable from the acquisition system, in pulse width and amplitude, through an on-board ARM7 microcontroller. Pulse amplitudes must be selectable, in order to handle each detector on its full dynamic range. The resolution of the output voltage is 12 bits over 10 V range. An additional 4 steps programmable voltage attenuator is added at every output. The width of any pulse can range from 100 mu s to 25.5 ms. The main features of the final system are: stability and precision in pulses generation (at the level of less than a ppm/degrees C), low cost (thanks to the use of commercial components) and compact implementation.

• 出版日期2011-10-1