CERN Microelectronics

CERN Microelectronics
Name	CERN Microelectronics
Formation	1970s
Headquarters	Geneva
Location	Meyrin
Parent organization	European Organization for Nuclear Research

CERN Microelectronics is the dedicated microelectronics group within the European Organization for Nuclear Research supporting detector readout, control systems, and accelerator instrumentation. The group provides custom application-specific integrated circuits used by collaborations such as ATLAS, CMS, ALICE, and LHCb, and engages with international partners including DESY, Fermilab, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, INFN. It bridges prototype design, radiation-hard layout, and production qualification for experiments at the Large Hadron Collider and other particle physics facilities.

History

The microelectronics activity at the European Organization for Nuclear Research traces to design efforts supporting experiments at the Super Proton Synchrotron, LEP, and the early Large Electron–Positron Collider upgrade era, intersecting with programs at CERN's detector divisions and accelerator departments. In collaboration with institutes like SERC and laboratories such as Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory, the group evolved through eras defined by shifts from bipolar to CMOS technologies, guided by standards from IEEE and engagements with foundries like TSMC, GlobalFoundries, and ON Semiconductor. The unit expanded during the Large Hadron Collider construction and operated within frameworks connected to projects such as Compact Muon Solenoid and ATLAS Inner Detector upgrades.

Research and Development

R&D activities encompass mixed-signal design, radiation-hardening by design (RHBD), and system-on-chip integration for front-end electronics used by CMS Tracker, ATLAS Tile Calorimeter, and neutrino experiments funded by collaborations with CERN Neutrino Platform. Work includes design flows adopting tools from Cadence Design Systems, Synopsys, and modeling informed by results from beam tests at facilities like CERN North Area, DESY II Test Beam, and PSI. Partnerships with academic groups at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Università di Pisa, and Imperial College London support doctoral projects and technology transfer to industry partners, including joint efforts with STMicroelectronics for sensor readout optimization.

Technologies and Processes

Technological focus spans deep-submicron CMOS, bipolar-CMOS-DMOS, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), and silicon-germanium (SiGe) processes validated against radiation criteria defined by studies at CERN Radiation to Electronics and requirements from High-Luminosity LHC. Designs implement redundancy and enclosed transistor layouts inspired by methods developed in conjunction with teams from University of Manchester, Lund University, and CSEM. Signal processing architectures use analog front ends, ADCs, DACs, and serializer-deserializer (SerDes) blocks leveraging clocking strategies akin to implementations in GigaBit Transceiver developments. Test methodologies reference standards applied in European XFEL electronics commissioning.

Facilities and Fabrication

Onsite capabilities include design laboratories, mixed-signal testing benches, automated test equipment (ATE), and cleanroom access via partnerships with Microelectronics Foundry networks and regional infrastructure such as CMI and national nanotechnology centers. Fabrication is outsourced to commercial foundries including TSMC, GlobalFoundries, and specialty fabs used historically by collaborations with AMS and UMC; qualification campaigns use irradiation facilities like the CERN CHARM and proton test beams at PSI. Packaging and assembly steps are coordinated with providers serving projects associated with ITER diagnostics and space projects linked to European Space Agency collaborations.

Key Projects and Collaborations

Major projects include readout chips for the ATLAS Inner Tracker upgrade, front-end ASICs for the CMS Phase-2 Upgrade, preamplifier designs for ALICE ITS Upgrade, and timing electronics for experiments aligned with LHCb Upgrade. Collaborative consortia include partnerships with RD53 for pixel readout, engagements with AIDA-2020, and joint activities with Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions funded research networks. International cooperation extends to KEK for sensor integration, JINR for testing alliances, and technology-sharing with CERN OpenLab for firmware and software co-design.

Applications and Impact

Beyond particle physics projects like Large Hadron Collider, the group's ASICs and methodologies influence medical imaging systems deployed in CERN MedAustron-related initiatives and photon science instruments at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and ESRF-EBS. Spin-offs and technology transfers have supported industrial instrumentation in collaborations with Siemens and contributed to space-qualified electronics for missions involving European Space Agency and satellite providers. Educational impact includes training programs with CERN Summer Student schemes, doctoral supervision tied to Horizon 2020 projects, and knowledge dissemination at conferences such as IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and TWEPP.

Category:Microelectronics Category:European Organization for Nuclear Research