My dissertation discusses the design, development, and testing results of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) named ALPHA for the Advanced Particle-astrophysics Telescope (APT) sensor elements readout. ALPHA is responsible for scintillating fiber-trackers, and imaging calorimeters to measure gamma-rays and other cosmic-rays. The readout process includes analog sampling (trackers at 250 MHz and calorimeters at 100 MHz), sample conversion with an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) of 12 bits resolution, output-data packet transmission, and collection to Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) operated at 250 MHz. Novel in this architecture is the daisy chaining of the readout, as well as sharing of clocking resources, all to reduce power. When the three ALPHAs were daisy chained with one FPGA, the power consumption per channel was measured at 2.66 mW. For the readout sequence and the data transmission sequence to work adequately, two data paths, two token paths, and two sampling banks are featured. Two paths can bypass any defective ALPHAs, and a token is used for collision avoidance in the data transmission path. The token and data packet transmit in opposite directions from each other. A token starts from the FPGA initially and loops around the daisy chain until the ADAPT ends its mission. On the other hand, the data packets start from each ALPHA. When a token reaches an ALPHA that has a data packet that is waiting to shift out, the data packet starts shifting through the data path toward the FPGA for collection. Two versions of ALPHAs were manufactured by TSMC. The functionality of the digital block was tested for version one ALPHA. After an error of inverted channel select pins in the digital library were corrected, full functionality was tested for version two ALPHA. In conclusion, the ALPHA functions as expected.

Makiko Kuwahara is a PhD candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She has worked as a research assistant at the Instrumentation Development Lab (IDLab), also known as the Varner Lab, in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the university. Makiko earned both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Master of Science (MS) in Electrical Engineering Systems track, from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She is an invited member of Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE- ΗΚΝ). Additionally, Makiko holds an Associate of Science (AS) degree from Windward Community College and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa.