High Channel Density Digital Data Acquisition System

The DOE Office of Nuclear Physics (NP) seeks new developments in detector electronics with significantly improved energy, position, timing resolution, sensitivity, rate capability, stability, dynamic range, and background suppression. Applications are sought to develop high channel density (>=256 channels per system) digital data acquisition system with >= 100 MSPS, >=12 bit ADC information per channel. Emphasis should be on low power dissipation and low cost per channel. We are proposing development of High Channel Density systems with 256 or more digital channels, augmented with Clock, Trigger, and Time distribution enabling integration with lab-wide experiment infrastructure. The proposed system will provide low cost per channel thanks to high level of integration. Power efficiency will be provided with modern, efficient ADC chips. We will develop the hardware units to address the stated problem. We will develop the firmware and software, as well as the system setup, readout, and clock distribution and synchronization of the boards. Future applications will include nuclear physics, high energy physics, nuclear astrophysics, cosmic ray astronomy, and education. Public will benefit from our electronics helping fundamental research conducted at the National Laboratories.