Digital Data Acquisition with High Resolution and Linearity

Digital signal processing electronics are needed to replace analog signal processing, following low noise amplification and anti-aliasing filtering, in nuclear physics applications. Grant applications are sought to develop high speed digital processing electronics that, relative to current state of the art, improve the effective number of bits to 16 at sampling rates of 200 megasamples per second or more, with minimal integral non-linearity. Emphasis should be on digital technologies with low power dissipation and cost. We are proposing to develop digitizers with the resolution improved towards sixteen bits while also improving the linearity beyond the current state of the art in nuclear physics digital electronics. The products will target the high precision experiments, where the improved performance and linearity will increase the discovery potential. The same technology will also improve the performance of ourdigitizers offered to the broad commercial market. We will develop two approaches to address the stated problem. We will correct the signal samples to improve the instrumental nonlinearities. We will use multiple ADC chips to improve the signal to noise ratio and to increase the number of significant bits. Future applications will include nuclear physics, high energy physics, nuclear astrophysics, homeland security, and education. Public will benefit from our electronics helping fundamental research conducted at the National Laboratories.