The ALICE Silicon Pixel Detector control system and on-line calibration tools

The ALICE Silicon Pixel Detector (SPD) contains nearly 10 7 hybrid pixel cells. The operation of the SPD requires on-line control and monitoring of some 2000 parameters and ∼ 50000 DACs. Information for each channel is stored in a configuration database. Timing and data management ( ∼ 6 GB of raw data for each calibration) are critical issues. An overview of the SPD electronics read out chain and of the detector control system is given with a detailed description of the front-end controls and the calibration strategy. The status of commissioning and a preliminary evaluation of the detector performance are presented.