PPPL-3480 is available in <a href="PPPL-3480.pdf">pdf</a> or 
<a href="PPPL-3480.ps">postscript</a> formats.

<p>
<b>APD Detector Electronics for the NSTX Thomson Scattering System</b>
</p>

<p>
Authors: D.W. Johnson, B.P. LeBlanc, D.L. Long, and G. Renda
</p>

<p>
<b>Date of PPPL Report:</b> August 2000
</p>

<p><b>Submitted to:</b> Review of Scientific Instruments</p>

<p>
An electronics system has been installed and tested for the readout of APD detectors for the
NSTX Thomson scattering system. Similar to previous designs, it features preamps with a fast and a slow output. The fast output uses pulse shaping to optimize sensitivity for the 8 nsec scattered light pulse while rejecting noise in the intrinsic plasma background. A low readout noise of ~25 photoelectrons is achieved at an APD gain of 75. The design incorporates a number of features to provide flexibility for various modes of calibration.

</p>