CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array). The CTA project is an initiative to build the next generation ground-based very high energy gamma-ray instrument. It will serve as an open observatory to a wide astrophysics community and will provide a deep insight into the non-thermal high-energy universe. In addition to Physics case studies, the ICCUB is involved in the design and prototyping of CTA telescope cameras. This activity involves designing ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) for preamplification, signal processing and triggering.
Radiation detectors/ASICs: The ICCUB is expert on the development of radiation detectors and instrumentation thereof. It holds expertise in the design and testing of low noise and high speed acquisition systems for scientific instrumentation and medical imaging, as well as for satellite and space missions’ instrumentation. Particularly, the ICCUB researchers and engineers have more than ten years of experience in the design of radiation-tolerant ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and discrete electronics for high speed photodetectors like photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) or Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM, MPPC, GAPDs, etc.). In collaboration with UB electronics department, they designed, produced, tested and installed the electronics of SPD (a subdetector of the calorimeter of the LHCb detector at CERN) and are at present working in different ASICs for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), the design of an ASIC for the calorimeter and the new Scintillating
Fiber Tracker of the upgraded LHCb, and the development of ASICs for new PET (Positron Emission Tomography) systems based in silicon photomultipliers.