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The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer IXPE mission will perform polarization measures of 2–8 keV X-rays. Imaging, spectroscopy, and timing will complement this measurement for a comprehensive study of soft X-rays. The launch of the IXPE NASA small explorer mission to a low earth orbit is due late 2021. We designed a subsystem of the scientific payload, which has three identical telescopes based on the detector unit. The Gas Pixel Detector and its back-end electronics are the core of these units, performing data acquisition and processing, event sequencing, and on-line data compression. The back-end electronics processes the auto-triggered output of the detector of 300 photons per second with 30% of dead-time. A radiation-tolerant FPGA implements the electronics custom algorithms, including two digital serial interfaces with a central on-board computer. One interface is used for command and control of the unit, while the other for scientific data transmission. We also designed comprehensive test equipment to emulate the on-board computer and to operate the electronics. This equipment uses an FPGA on a VMEbus board as the electrical interface for the electronics, transferring data to a personal computer with dedicated software infrastructure. In this paper, we shall discuss the design process of the back-end electronics and the results of laboratory tests and measurements with X-ray sources.

The FF-LYNX project aims at the definition of a flexible protocol for the distribution of Timing, Trigger and Control (TTC) signals and for the readout in future High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments and its implementation in radiation tolerant and low power interfaces designed and developed in standard CMOS technologies (130nm-90nm) and available as IP cores to designers of integrated circuits. The results of the first year of activity and future plans are here presented.