A6603

The A6603 is a multi-output power supply board developed for the Inner Tracker sub-detector of the CMS experiment at CERN. Part of the CAEN EASY (Embedded Assembly SYstem) ecosystem, it is designed to operate reliably in hostile environments, including strong magnetic fields and radiation areas.

Fed with a 400 VDC input, a single A6603 board provides all the supplies needed by a detector module: a serial-powering current source, two low-voltage rails and a high-voltage bias.

Outputs

SP (Serial Power): adjustable constant-current generator, 0–15 A, up to 350 W

LV: low-voltage generator, 8–13 V / 1.5 A, up to 15 W

AUX: auxiliary low-voltage generator, 8–20 V / 2 A, up to 30 W

HV: high-voltage generator, 0 to –800 V, up to 20 mA

Modular crate architecture

The A6603 is a plug-in board for a 19″/6U crate, from which it draws input power and communication/status signals via the backplane. Each board is a Power Supply Unit (PSU), and two boards form a Power Supply Module (PSM). Each PSM pair connects to a small dedicated backplane that routes the outputs to a single 42-pin AMP-M connector on the rear panel, preserving the existing detector cabling.

A fully populated crate hosts 10 A6603 boards (5 PSMs), plus an Interlock board in the first slot that provides the communication, service and control connectors for the whole crate. Power is fed from the rear, and the crate is intended for installation in a rack with forced ventilation.

Control and integration

All EASY channels are managed as channels of the R6060C branch controller, which is configured for the EASY crate layout using the CAEN software tools. This gives the A6603 seamless integration into the existing CAEN control infrastructure.