Design of the Readout Electronics for the TRIDENT Pathfinder Experiment

The tRopIcal DEep-sea Neutrino Telescope (TRIDENT) is a future large-scale next-generation neutrino telescope. In September 2021, the TRIDENT pathfinder experiment [TRIDENT EXplorer (T-REX)] completed in situ measurements of deep-sea water properties in the South China Sea. The T-REX apparatus integrates two independent and complementary systems, a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a camera system, to measure the optical and radioactive properties of the deep-sea water. One light emitter module (LEM) and two light receiver modules (LRMs) were deployed, which were synchronized by using White Rabbit (WR) technology. The LEM generates nanosecond-width light-emitting diode (LED) pulses, while the LRM hosts three PMTs and a camera to detect photons. The submerged apparatus and the data acquisition system (DAQ) perform real-time command and data transmission. We report the design and performance of the readout electronics for T-REX, including hardware modules, firmware design for digital signal processing, and host-computer software.