A Digital Signal Processing Module for Time-Division Multiplexed Microcalorimeter Arrays

Abstract

We have developed a digital signal processing module for real time processing of time-division multiplexed data from SQUID-coupled transition-edge sensor microcalorimeter arrays. It is a 3U PXI card consisting of a standardized core processor board and a daughter board. Through fiber-optic links on its front panel, the daughter board receives time-division multiplexed data (comprising error and feedback signals) and clocks from the digital-feedback cards developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. After mixing the error signal with the feedback signal in a field-programmable gate array, the daughter board transmits demultiplexed data to the core processor. Real-time processing in the field-programmable gate array of the core processor board includes pulse detection, pileup inspection, pulse height computation, and histogramming into on-board spectrum memory. Data from up to 128 microcalorimeter pixels can be processed by a single module in real time. Energy spectra, waveform, and run statistics data can be read out in real time through the PCI bus by a host computer at a maximum rate of ~100 MB/s. The module's hardware architecture, mechanism for synchronizing with NIST's digital-feedback, and count rate capability are presented.

Review of superconducting transition-edge sensors for x-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy

“…For some applications, the increased throughput of the running sum filter may outweigh the degraded energy resolution. Also, the running sum filter lends itself to implementation in firmware and has been demonstrated in real-time pulse processing [98].…”