Application of digital sampling techniques to a "single chip telescope" for isotopic particle identification

Some applications of digital sampling techniques are presented which can simplify experiments involving sub-nanosecond timing determinations and energy measurements with nuclear detectors used for Pulse Shape Analysis and Time of Flight measurements in heavy ion experiments. The basic principles of the method are discussed as well as the main parameters that influence the accuracy of the measurements. The method allows to obtain both high resolution time and amplitude information with an electronic chain simply consisting of a charge preamplifier and a fast high resolution ADC (in the present application: 100 MSample/s, 12 bit) coupled to an efficient on-line software: for example the timing resolution can be as good as 100 ps FWHM. Examples of this technique applied to various detectors in heavy-ion experiments involving particle identification via Pulse Shape Analysis (PSA) are presented. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of the performance of a "Single Chip Telescope" detector coupled to such a sampling system.