Shift Register Readout for Wire Spark Chambers

Abstract

Spark information is read out by means of integrated circuit shift registers placed directly on the spark chamber. This information is held on individual wire capacitors until the electrical pulsing noise has subsided, at which time it is parallel loaded into the shift register. Subsequently this information is serially transferred out at the user's convenience. The advantage of this system over other capacity readout systems is fewer components and interconnections, simplified cabling and readout, and lower cost. A 1024‐wire system has been tested at the Chicago Cyclotron; these tests (2×10⁶ individual sparks) indicate that the circuits hold up very well. Spatial resolution at 1 mm wire spacing is 1 mm FWHM, and the efficiency is 99%. The average number of adjacent wires read out at full efficiency is 4.5.