Cross-Talk Issues in Time Measurements

Lusardi, N.; Corna, N.; Garzetti, F.; Salgaro, S.; Geraci, A.

doi:10.1109/access.2021.3113033

Cited by 14 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…To determine the DNL and INL of the generic ith channel, a code-density-test (CDT), i.e., the histogram of the occurrence, over the fine part of timestamps is performed [49]. In this manner, an estimation of the propagation delay of the N P H phases is performed normalizing the histogram by the dynamic-range of 2.5 ns offered by the fine part (i.e., T CLK ).…”

Section: A Measurement Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Multiphase to Novel Single-Phase Multichannel Shift-Clock Fast Counter Time-to-Digital Converter

Lusardi,

Garzetti,

Costa

et al. 2024

IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron.

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With countless applications, time measurements are among industrial electronics' current most important challenges. This is not a matter of precision, which by now standard architectures have brought in the order of picoseconds and therefore at the physical limits of most common detection systems, but to the number of channels in continuous enormous growth. Just think about time-offlight (TOF)-based applications like 3-D-imaging, time-ofarrival real-time locating systems, TOF positron emission tomography, and so on. This addresses the research on the design of new time-to-digital converters characterized by a huge number of channels and precision compliant with detectors' time resolution. In this context, field programmable gate array architectures provide fully digital and completely programmable solutions meeting the demands for flexible setups and speedy prototyping. The innovative contribution provided by the new counter architecture proposed consists of the reduction of the area required for implementation (only 110 SLICEs), with a consequent increase in the number of channels (up to hundreds in a tiny Aritx-7), much higher than the state-of-the-art multiphase solutions available today and of the new complete generation of the time estimates in real time, all while maintaining a state-ofthe-art low power consumption and high resolution (up to 150 ps) and precision (up to 68.4 ps r.m.s.). Index Terms-Field-programmable gate array (FPGA), Nutt-interpolation, shift-clock fast-counter (SCFC), tapped delay-line (TDL), time-to-digital converter (TDC). I. INTRODUCTIONT HANKS to recent developments in electronics, time interval measurements have advanced quickly, finding use in a wide range of time-of-flight (TOF)-based applications where time and space are connected by the constant speed of light. Just consider, to cite the most disruptive ones, 3-D-imaging in

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Section: A Measurement Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Multiphase to Novel Single-Phase Multichannel Shift-Clock Fast Counter Time-to-Digital Converter

Lusardi,

Garzetti,

Costa

et al. 2024

IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron.

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“…The Felix Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) [24], by Tediel S.r.l., is a low cross-talk [25] instrument for precision engineering applications. It offers two channels (CH1 and CH2) and a SYNC input for event detection and synchronization in scientific experiments.…”

Section: E Felix Tdcmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of Data Acquisition Setups for Fast Timing in ToF-PET Applications

Latella,

Gonzalez,

Benlloch

et al. 2024

IEEE Trans. Radiat. Plasma Med. Sci.

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The signal-to-noise ratio in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) improves with precise timing resolution. PET systems enabling the capability of Time-of-Flight (ToF) are nowadays available. This study assesses various data configurations, comparing the obtained timing performances applicable to ToF-PET systems. Different readout configurations were evaluated together with Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) photosensors from the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), with and without the so-called metal trench (MT) technology. The tests were carried out with scintillation crystals of 3×3×5 mm 3 (LYSO:Ce,Ca) from SIPAT. Two onboard FPGA-based systems, namely the Felix Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) from Tediel S.r.l. and the ASIC-based FastIC from the University of Barcelona, along with custom-made high-frequency electronics (CM-HF), were compared. Considering only photopeak events, the best coincidence timing resolution (CTR) results obtained were 71 ps with the MT SiPMs. This result worsened to 88 ps with the old version of the same device that does not include the MT technology (called HD). The results demonstrate substantial CTR improvements when MT SiPMs were used across the different scenarios, resulting in a timing improvement in the 10 to 45 ps range compared to HD SiPMs. Notably, the Felix TDC achieved sub-100 ps timing results, emphasizing the potential of FPGA technology in ToF-PET applications. Moreover, the fully passive version of the CM-HF connected to the MT SiPMs shows only a degradation of 8 ps difference compared to the version using amplifiers. The novel MT-type SiPMs promise superior timing performance, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in PET imaging systems.

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“…In this Section, we describe the real-time characterizations of LASER vs SNSPD and SNSPD vs SNSPD performed using a TDC introduced in [33] and applied in numerous scientific investigations [63], [64]. We used the same configurations stated in Section IV, replacing the DO with the TDC in these tests.…”

Section: Snspd Timestamping With Tdc But No Baseline Compensationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the Bundle SNSPD Plus FPGA-Based TDC for High-Performance Time Measurements

et al. 2022

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Counting single photons and measuring their arrival time is of crucial importance for imaging and quantum applications that use single photons to outperform classical techniques. The investigation of the coincidence, i.e. correlation, between photons can be used to enhance the resolution of optical imaging techniques or to transmit information using quantum cryptography. Time measurements at the state-of-the-art are performed using Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors (SNSPDs), the lowest timing jitter single-photon detectors, connected to digital oscilloscopes or digitizers. This method is not well adapted to the ever-increasing and pressing requirement to perform measurements on a high number of channels at the same time. We focus the high-performance measure of the arrival time of photons and their correlation by means of SNSPDs and a 16-channel Time-to-Digital Converter fully implemented in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). In this approach, the photons' coincidence is analyzed in real-time directly in the FPGA, resulting in a Coincidence Time Resolution (CTR) of 22.8 ps r.m.s.. For the practical benefit of the scientific community, an extended and comprehensive panorama also of comparison with the actual available strategies in this field of applications is offered through a huge number of references.INDEX TERMS Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC), Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector (SNSPD), Jitter, Coincidence Time Resolution (CTR), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

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Cross-Talk Issues in Time Measurements

Cited by 14 publications

References 31 publications

From Multiphase to Novel Single-Phase Multichannel Shift-Clock Fast Counter Time-to-Digital Converter

From Multiphase to Novel Single-Phase Multichannel Shift-Clock Fast Counter Time-to-Digital Converter

Comparative Analysis of Data Acquisition Setups for Fast Timing in ToF-PET Applications

Assessment of the Bundle SNSPD Plus FPGA-Based TDC for High-Performance Time Measurements

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