High-Speed, Multi-Channel Detector Readout Electronics for Fast Radiation Detectors

Studies of exotic nuclei, performed at accelerator facilities operated by (or for) the DOE, use a variety of radiation detectors to measure nuclei properties. As accelerators are upgraded to reach higher energies and provide better yields of highly unstable nuclei with shorter lifetimes ¿ and as detectors are improved to generate faster signals that can provide higher count rates and better position, time, and/or energy resolution ¿ there will be a need for high speed digital detector readout electronics to match these improvements. In this project, digital readout electronics that were developed previously for radiation detectors will be redesigned to achieve digitization of a detector signal up to 500 MHz and 12 bit precision, while still providing full spectrometer functions. In addition, data flow in the electronics will be streamlined, and host interfaces will be upgraded to higher data rates to minimize acquisition dead times. Phase I will (1) verify claims of FPGA manufacturers that their high-performance devices are compatible with high-speed ADCs, (2) develop waveform capture firmware for a 12-bit 500 MHz digitizing solution, and (3) demonstrate proof-of-principle capture at 500 MHz. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to enhancing the study of exotic nuclei, the electronics could improve performance of fast detectors in a variety of applications, for example, gamma/neutron pulse shape discrimination in the signals of a fast liquid.