Study of Dynamic Time Over Threshold (DTOT) Method for Application in Spectroscopy Signal Analysis Toward a Low-Complexity Front-End Electronics With High Spectroscopy Resolution and Wide Energy Range

The traditional approach of spectroscopy signals acquisition and analysis comprises digitization performed ideally by a high bit resolution and short sampling period flash analog-to-digital converter, followed by subsequent digital processing requiring high-computational performance. However, some particular applications cannot implement that traditional approach while demanding comparable high spectroscopic performance due to hardware limitations mainly given by operational conditions, availability of qualified electronic components, power consumption limit, and so on. The dynamic time over threshold (DTOT) conversion method-based processing of spectroscopy signals represents an undemanding alternative contrary to that traditional approach. The detailed study of DTOT method-based processing was performed with the aim to maximize achievable performance via extension of the dynamic range, allowing to process a wide span of input spectroscopy signals. The contribution also presents practical implementation of front-end electronics integrating an enhanced DTOT converter structure dedicated to a gamma detector (based on SiPM-type sensors), while test measurements with common reference radiation sources were performed to provide comparative results.