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KATRIN
Abstract:
The KATRIN experiment is currently the most precise experiment neutrino mass measurement, from tritium β-decay. To this day the KATRIN collaboration has determined an upper mass limit on the effective neutrino mass m(ν) < 0.8 eV/c^2 (at 90 % C.L.). With this uniquely precise expeirmental setup it’s possible to search for a sterile neutrino in the mass range of several keV, a viable dark matter candidate. To start the search, the KATRIN experiment will be upgraded with the new TRISTAN detector, a precision, low noise silicon drift detector capable of handling β-decay electron count rates of up to 105 electrons per second. In the KATRIN setup, the detector will be located in a strong magnetic field, requiring magnetic field compatible electronics for biasing and readout. The goal of this work was to develop schematics for a magnetic field compatible bias and readout system, which can be used for the final TRISTAN setup. I designed, build and tested these schematics, which showed good performance. I also identified the design weaknesses, which can be improved in the next hardware iteration. In the first part of the thesis I will introduce the KATRIN experiment, follow up with the electronic signal chain of the TRISTAN detector, and continue with the requirements and design of the bias and readout electronics. With the built electronics I sucessfully operated our prototype detector, which allowed me to compare the existing, non magnetic field compatible setup with the thesis setup. At last I discuss the results and improvements to be made. In the second part of this thesis I explain the histogram technique of measuring and evaluating nonlinearities of the analog to digital converter, a critical component in the signal chain, which could introduce distortions into the measured signal and potentially create a false sterile neutino signal. Therefore these nonlinearities need to be precisely known and accounted for.
