Large aperture, high resolution, single photon imaging detectors are in high demand for future space explorations like the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which targets include the search of habitable exoplanets. Advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for such detector candidates toward completion (9-operational and flying in space), is a challenging endeavor. This paper reports on a decade of progress in the development of crossed strip (XS) readout systems employing microchannel plates (MCPs) for signal amplification, and provides an overview of recent ASIC architectures and related electronic components. To complement the content, some detector implementation details, and current results obtained operating the ASICs on the detector are provided.

Accurate reconstruction of the horizontal vertex (x,y) from the S2 electroluminescence pattern is essential for fiducialization and background rejection in dual-phase argon time projection chambers. In this work, we perform a Geant4-based simulation study using the G4DS framework to investigate how detector geometry, in particular the distance between the top photodetector plane and the gas pocket, impacts S2-based XY reconstruction. A compact dual-phase argon TPC instrumented with seven Hamamatsu R8520-506 PMTs is simulated with electron recoils at 41.5 keV (corresponding to the 83m Kr calibration energy), as well as 1.0 keV to probe the low-S2 regime. The PMT array height is scanned from 0 mm to 50 mm, and XY positions are reconstructed using a geometrical solid-angle (GSA) method with the S2 emission modeled by 1 mm-thick slices across the 7 mm gas pocket. The results show a clear non-monotonic dependence of reconstruction bias and resolution on PMT height, driven by the trade-off between S2 light sharing and photon statistics. These findings provide guidance for geometry optimization in future low-threshold dual-phase argon detectors and will be validated with upcoming prototype measurements.

The unfolding problem in particle physics is to make inferences about the true particle spectrum based on smeared observations from a detector. This is an ill-posed inverse problem, where small changes in the smeared distribution can lead to large fluctuations in the unfolded distribution. The forward operator is the response matrix which models the detector response. In practice, the forward operator is rarely known analytically and is instead estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. This raises the question of how to best estimate the response matrix and what impact this estimation has on the unfolded solutions. In most analyses at the LHC, response matrix estimation is done by binning the true and smeared events and counting the propagation of events between the bins. However, this approach can result in a noisy estimate of the response matrix, especially with a small Monte Carlo sample size. Unexpectedly, we also find that the noise in the estimated response matrix can inadvertently regularize the problem. As an alternative, we propose to estimate the response matrix through the use of conditional density estimation of the response kernel in the unbinned setting followed by binning this estimator. Using simulation studies, we investigate the performance of the two approaches.

In preparation for the High-Luminosity phase of the LHC, expected to begin in 2030 and delivering a factor of 5 to 7.5 larger the nominal instantaneous luminosity, a comprehensive upgrade of the Tile Calorimeter is underway. Scheduled for implementation during the Long Shutdown from 2026 to 2030, the upgrade involves a complete replacement of both on- and off-detector electronics, along with the replacement of the photomultiplier tubes reading the most exposed detector parts.This upgrade has encompassed extensive research and development efforts, including detailed test beam studies and the construction of a special module that has been taking data with ATLAS through Run 3. The ongoing progress in the development of both the on- and off-detector systems, the latest results obtained from test-beam campaigns conducted with the electronics prototypes, as well as the findings from the module operating within ATLAS will be discussed.

Precise measurement of multi-scale plasma turbulence is essential for understanding anomalous transport in magnetic confinement fusion, but their deployment on large devices such as HL-3 is challenged by the complexity of laser frequency control, electromagnetic interference, and system integration. This study reports the first fully integrated, photoelectric isolation control and acquisition system developed for the multi-scale turbulence coherent scattering diagnostic (MSTCS) on the HL-3 tokamak. Innovative implementations include (1) complete photoelectric isolation to ensure reliable operation in the strong electromagnetic environment of HL-3, (2) sub-micrometer precision laser cavity control for frequency stabilization and far-infrared power optimization, and (3) a multi-level hardware-software interlock system ensuring equipment and personnel safety. The system enables fully remote operation and real-time data acquisition during plasma discharges, substantially improving diagnostic reliability and efficiency.This work provides a new engineering solution and operational model for high-stability, remotely controlled laser diagnostics in fusion environments, supporting future automatic frequency control and integration with multi-diagnostic systems.

As part of an ongoing R&D effort to introduce software programmability and general computing functionalities to ASICs for future particle physics experiments, the microelectronics section at CERN is developing fault-tolerant System-on-Chips (SoC) for applications in harsh environments such as LHC detectors. This work presents the TriglaV ASIC, a RISC-V-based fault-tolerant 32-bit SoC built using our SOCRATES framework for rapid and customizable SoC generation. Our aim with TriglaV is to validate the SOCRATES flow with a silicon prototype and to demonstrate this prototype for resilient operation of micro-controller workloads applicable to particle physics accelerators and detectors. The chip was fabricated in a commercial 28 nm CMOS technology targeting a clock frequency of 250 MHz. Its design integrates extensive protection against single-event effects combining triplication, error-correcting codes and special layout techniques. We have experimentally qualified TriglaV for TID robustness up to 1 Grad through high-dose rate x-ray irradiation. Single-event upset cross-section for corrected and uncorrected errors were measured up to an energy of 62 MeV cm2/ mg. This effort has paved the way for future designs generated with SOCRATES and upcoming ASICs incorporating SoCs for operation in particle physics environments.

Photomultiplier tubes are critical for dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches in the PandaX experiment. To improve background budgets and position reconstruction resolution of the next-generation multi-ten-ton detector, PandaX-xT, a novel 2-inch low-background PMT (R12699) was developed in collaboration with Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Its electrical performance and gain are comparable to the R11410 PMTs used in PandaX-4T, while exhibiting superior afterpulse probability and dark count rate. A total of 352 R12699 PMTs were installed in a ton-scale prototype detector, demonstrating stable operation over 10 months in a xenon environment. These results validate the R12699 as a high-performance, low-background PMT suitable for the PandaX-xT experiment.

Low-energy electrons emitted from self-powered neutron detectors(SPNDs) typically induce the space charge effect, attributed to the intrinsically high resistivity of insulator materials. As a pivotal phenomenon in SPND theoretical simulations, this effect directly impacts both the prediction accuracy of the response current and the overall reliability of the detector design. In this work, a calculation model dedicated to the SPND space charge effect based on the charge conservation principle is proposed. The nonlinear correlation between the potential distribution and the charge deposition rate of the insulator is established by analyzing the electron deposition-discharge equilibrium process under the internal electric field. Furthermore, the coupling between conductivity and the electric field is achieved, and the equilibrium time of the space charge effect is theoretically analyzed. The numerical method is validated through a series of experiments. The influence of the space charge effect on detector response current under various radiation fields is quantitatively evaluated by simulating the charge deposition process. In the central vertical hole experiment with multiple measurement points, this model reduces the maximum relative deviation of theoretical calculations to 5.82%. Moreover, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified under both research reactor experimental conditions and rapid power variation processes. Compared with the measured values from the JSI TRIGA Mark II reactor, the relative deviation of the response current amounts to 6.97%, while the deviation of the current components is limited to within 0.7%.

Modern heterogeneous System-on-Chip (SoC) devices combine CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and AI accelerators into compact and energy-efficient platforms. However, the construction of bootable images for these systems remains complex because of fragmented tools, opaque dependencies, and inflexible workflows. SoCks (System-on-Chip blocks) introduces a lightweight and modular build framework that partitions an SoC image into encapsulated blocks, each built independently with standardized interfaces. This modularization simplifies development, encourages component reuse, enables distributed collaboration, and integrates seamlessly with modern Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. Within back-end development for the Phase-2 upgrade of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment, SoCks has been used to build the bootable image for the Kria K26 System-on-Module (SoM) on the Serenity-S data processing board. The image utilizes an AlmaLinux-based operating system that employs a layered root file system, combining a read-only network-mounted lower layer with a writable local upper layer, to ensure consistency across boards. Furthermore, the Serenity-S image is optimized for a fully network-based boot process, allowing synchronized deployment across multiple Serenity-S boards and remote updates.

High-flux cadmium zinc telluride (HF-CZT) is a promising material for next-generation X-ray imaging due to its high stopping power, wide bandgap, and improved resistance to radiation-induced polarization [1]. We bonded 2 mm thick HF-CZT sensors with Cornell's Mixed-Mode Pixel Array ASICs, which combine analog charge integration and in-pixel digital counting to achieve single X-ray sensitivity, large full well capacity, and frame rates up to 10 kHz [2,3]. Detector characterization showed stable electron collection above 150 V bias, while hole collection remained limited by trapping even at 700 V. Temporal studies revealed non-negligible afterglow, with an unexpected increase in afterglow at higher biases, which was reduced by infrared illumination, suggesting that injected carriers reduce trapping near contact interfaces. Polarization measurements confirmed improved stability compared to conventional CZT, though polarization effects persisted, particularly with hole collection, with up to 5% signal loss and spatial distortion at high doses.