Validation of the SiPM-on-Tile readout chain for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter

For the upcoming High-Luminosity LHC, the endcap calorimeters of the CMS detector will be replaced by the High-Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL), a sampling calorimeter using silicon sensors in the front and plastic scintillators read out by SiPMs in the back. We have built and tested a slice of scintillator tile modules and readout electronics under realistic installation, grounding and powering conditions. Using this system, we validated the powering scheme, assessed the system stability and demonstrated data readout with the Serenity back-end hardware. The successful validation of the SiPM-on-Tile front-end as a complete system is an important milestone towards the construction and operation of HGCAL.