Design of an integrated circuit for critical particle detection application

Particle detectors used in high energy physics often employ a hybrid structure comprising a sensor and a readout chip. The sensor is tasked with the physical detection of particles, while the readout chip is responsible for storing the signals provided by the sensor, converting these signals into a suitable form for further processing, and subsequently routing them to the outputs. A crucial element in such a system is the serial interfacing unit, which must support data rates in the order of 100 Mbit/s or higher. The project is conducted in close collaboration with the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications of Politecnico di Torino (VLSI Lab) and the Torino section of INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare). The Thesis focuses on the design and implementation of a digital integrated circuit that facilitates high-speed serial communication for these critical applications. The work is organized into two distinct phases: Firstly, a serial interface is designed according to the Aurora open-source standard. This phase begins with the conceptual design and simulation, focusing on achieving higher data transfer rates and a standard protocol adoption for data transmission. The design incorporates triple modular redundancy to enhance fault tolerance. The RTL model is developed and verified through simulation, followed by physical layout design using the Cadence design flow, leading to the production of the final GDSII file. Secondly, a previously designed integrated circuit FLEXSI is mounted on a suitable board and subjected to rigorous testing and characterization. This involves PCB development and exhaustive testing to assess the chip's performance, including data transfer rates, error rates, and power consumption, under various conditions. The testing phase also provides essential feedback for design optimization. The successful completion of this project demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of using advanced design techniques for particle detectors in high-energy physics. The integration of triple modular redundancy and compliance with industry standards such as Aurora ensures the reliability of the developed interfaces, making them suitable for deployment in high-radiation environments. This work represents an interesting starting point for an integrated circuit for critical applications.