Radiation hardness: design approach and measurements of the ASDBLR ASIC for the ATLAS TRT

Detector mounted electronics for the ATLAS inner detector at the LHC will be exposed to high levels of radiation. Calculations for the TRT straw tracker predict a total dose of 4 Mrad of ionizing radiation and 10/sup 14/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ after ten years of LHC operation. The ASDBLR has been designed to provide the complete analog signal processing chain for the TRT straw tubes and remain operational well beyond the calculated ten year dose levels. Fabricated devices have been exposed to gamma, neutron and proton irradiation. Post-rad measurements indicate that the ASDBLR will be able to operate well above the calculated radiation levels.