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VX2730

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32 Channel 14 bit 500 MS/s Digitizer with programmable Input Gain

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Features

  • 14 bit @ 500 MS/s ADC
  • 32 single-ended analog inputs on MCX connectors
  • 4Vpp input range with software selectable analog gain
  • DT2730 desktop form factor also available
  • Open FPGA programming through the graphical tool SCI-Compiler
  • Wide range of applications (from Nuclear and Particle Physics to High Timing Resolution, Fast Neutron Spectroscopy, and Homeland Security)
  • Suited for signals from liquid or inorganic scintillators coupled to PMTs or SiPMs.
  • On-board live selection between scope mode (common trigger) and DPP mode (independent channel self-trigger)
  • On-board firmware selection for different acquisition modes:
    • Scope mode (simultaneous raw waveform acquisition on common trigger)
    • DPP-PSD mode (pulse shape discrimination and time acquisition on independent channel self-triggers)
    • DPP-PHAComing Soon mode (pulse height and time acquisition on independent channel self-triggers)
  • Multiboard Synchronization and system-building capabilities
  • Front panel fully programmable I/Os (4 LEMO TTL/NIM and 16 LVDS)
  • Special 125MS/s 14-bit DAC output (LEMO) for signal inspection or trigger sum
  • On-board Zynq® UltraScale+™ FPGA with embedded Linux-based ARM® processor
  • 5GB of total acquisition memory (DDR4)
  • USB-3.0 type-C and 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet
  • Fully supported by CoMPASS and WaveDump2 readout software
  • SDK for embedded Linux processor and host PC
More info
3 Years Warranty
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3 Years Warranty
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Overview

The VX2730 Digitizer is a 32-channel digital signal processor for radiation detectors in the VME64X form factor. It offers not only waveform digitization and recording but also Multi-Channel Analysis for a complete range of applications like nuclear and particle physics, high-timing resolution, Fast Neutron Spectroscopy, and Homeland Security.
It is compliant with mid-fast signals typically coming from liquid or inorganic scintillators coupled to PMTs or SiPMs.

The VX2730 can perform pulse shape discrimination (PSD) and pulse height measurements (PHA Coming Soon), and other algorithms that will be gradually developed. Algorithm settings can be set independently channel by channel.

Each channel of the module digitizes the analog input, which can be the signal coming from a physics detector, with a 14-bit, 500MS/s ADC. The sampled data are used to initiate the digital pulse processing sequence, managed in the FPGA at the firmware level. Different firmware types can be stored at once on-board and then selected via software, according to the specific setup and acquisition mode.

  • Common trigger: All channels acquire simultaneously with a common trigger. The trigger can be fed externally or generated by a combination of individual channel discriminators. This mode is mainly intended for the acquisition of waveforms, like a digital oscilloscope. Options for zero suppression are available to remove not significant data.
  • Independent trigger: Suited mode for trigger-less applications, where no global trigger is needed but each channel acquires waveforms upon its self-trigger which fires through a digital discriminator, independently of the others.
  • DPP: Real-time processing in the FPGA allows for the extraction of physical parameters from the waveform (e.g. pulse height, charge, timestamp, PSD), well suited for high counting rate applications. It is yet possible to save both raw waves and parameters.

CAEN provides closed firmware solutions for scope (waveforms) and DPP modes, as well as a firmware generation and compiling tool for customers who want to personalize the acquisition to implement custom algorithms for pulse processing in the open FPGA. The user can have control of the data output information and customize the trigger logic to get several combinations of self-triggers and I/O signals to validate or discard the events. The Linux-based Arm processor embedded in the onboard CPU makes it possible to run automated user routines. Multi-board synchronization can be implemented via backplane or front panel easy-cabling options. Multiple communication interfaces offer flexible readout options: USB 3.0 type-C and 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet.

For detailed information on available firmware for the 2730 family and the structure of programming files (.CUP), please refer to the following page.

The VX2730 fits in the single-slot CAEN VME64X u-crate, which allows you to convert the VME digitizer into a desktop board for lab tests. Moreover, you can check this FAQ to see which CAEN VME crates are suitable for this product.

Supported by the following third-party software*:

 

Technical Specifications

GENERAL

Weight: 700 g
Form Factor: 1-unit wide, 6U VMEX64
Dimension: 6U x 160 mm

ANALOG INPUT

Channels: 32 channels, single-ended
Bandwidth (-3dB): 250 MHz guaranteed for Gain ≥ 2
Impedance: 50 Ω
Gain: x1 ÷ x20, software programmable in steps of 1dB independently on each channel
Connector Type: MCX
Full Scale Range: 4 Vpp ÷ 0.2 Vpp
DC Offset: Adjustable in the ± 2.5V range independently on each channel

DIGITAL CONVERSION

Resolution: 14 bits
Sampling Rate: 500 MS/s (simultaneously on each channel)

SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

ENOB (Typ.): 10.5 (@50MHz, -3dB, Gain x2)
RMS (Typ.): 2.4 LSB RMS (@Gain x2)

DIGITAL I/O
CLK-IN (CLK-OUT)

  • Two differential pairs:
    • CLK, reference clock signal
    • SYNC, synchronization signal (start/stop, T0, etc.)
  • 2.54mm 4-pin AMPMODU Mod II male connector
  • CLK-IN: AC-coupled LVDS, ECL, PECL, LVPECL, CML (Zdiff = 100 Ω)
  • CLK-OUT: LVDS
  • Daisy chainable for multiboard synchronization with sw programmable CLK-OUT delay shift
 LVDS I/O

  • 16 differential pairs
  • Sw programmable I/O function (individual self-trigger outputs, trigger validations, Veto, Busy, Start, Stop, Pattern Input, etc.)
  • LVDS
  • Zdiff = 100 Ω (when set as inputs)
  • 2.54mm 34-pin AMPMODU Mod II male connector
 TRG-IN/TRG-OUT/GPIO/S-IN

  • General-purpose digital I/Os
  • Sigle-ended TTL/NIM
  • LEMO 00 male connector
  • Sw programmable function (trigger, veto, busy, etc.)
  • TRG-IN/S-IN: internally terminated with 50 Ω (Zin = 50 Ω)
  • TRG-OUT requires Rt = 50 Ω
  • GPIO as Input must be terminated with 50 Ω
  • GPIO as TTL Output requires Rt = 50 Ω
  • GPIO as NIM Output requires Rt = 50 Ω or 25 Ω
ANALOG OUTPUT
  • Sw programmable DAC output for signal inspection, pulse generation, majority level
  • 14-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC)
  • 125 MS/s Update Rate
  • LEMO 00 connector
  • ±1 V @ 50Ω load
  • ±2 V @ hi-Z load Output Range
ACQUISITION MEMORY
  • 5 GB total DDR4 memory size (83.886 MS/ch) divisible in multiple buffers
  • Maximum record length: 84 ms @ 500 MS/s (total memory size divided by 2)1

(1) Value referred to the Scope firmware (minimum of two buffers admitted)

COMMUNICATION INTERFACES
1 GbE

  • Copper RJ45 or optical LC connector on SFP+ transceiver
  • Protocol: TCP
  • Transfer rate: 110 MB/s

10 GbE (*)

  • Copper RJ45 or LC optical connector on SFP+ transceiver
  • Transfer rate: 850 MB/s

* Contact CAEN Support

  

USB 3.0

  • USB-C type connector
  • Protocol: USB 3.1 GEN1
  • Transfer rate: 280 MB/s
TRIGGER
Trigger Modes

  • Common: all channels acquire simultaneously with the trigger (software, external or logic combination of self-triggers)
  • Individual: each channel acquires independently with its self-trigger
  • Correlated: the individual self-trigger of each channel is validated by the coincidence/anticoincidence logic between other self-triggers and/or external I/Os
 Trigger Timestamp – Scope firmware

  • Resolution: 8 ns coarse timestamp
  • Counter range: 48 bits
  • Full-scale range: ~625 h
 Trigger Timestamp – DPP firmware

  • Resolution: 2 ns coarse timestamp, 2 ps fine timestamp
  • Counter range: 48 bits
  • Full-scale range: ~156 h
SYNCHRONIZATION
Clock Propagation

Typical 62.5MHz frequency optionally distributed:
• By fan-out to CLK-IN
• By CLK-IN/CLK-OUT daisy chain with sw programmable CLK-OUT delay shift
Custom frequencies can be supported on request

Acquisition Start/Stop

Daisy chain or fan-out propagation through CLK-IN/CLK-OUT or NIM/TTL, LVDS I/Os

 Data Sync

Busy/Veto logic on LVDS I/Os or NIM/TTL I/Os for event building synchronization

Trigger Distribution

TRG-IN/TRG-OUT NIM/TTL LEMO I/Os (common trigger) or LVDS I/Os (common or individual trigger)

 Trigger Time Stamp Reset

Software from START run command or Hardware from S-IN/GPIO input (Scope Firmware only)
FPGA
  • Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ Multiprocessor System-on-Chip mod. XCZU19EG
  • Processing System based on Quad-core Arm with 2GB DDR4 memory @2400 MT/s (Linux OS onboard)
  • Programmable logic with more than 1100K system logic cells and 80 Mbit memory
CAEN FIRMWARE

Developed by CAEN, stored in the on-board FLASH memory, and live rebootable by Web Interface

DPP Firmware

Firmware implementing Digital Pulse Processing algorithms:

  • DPP-PSD: Pulse Shape Discrimination
  • DPP-PHA: Pulse Height Analysis (Coming Soon) 
 Scope Firmware

Firmware for the waveform recording

 Upgrades

CAEN firmware can be uploaded via Web Interface (scope and DPP firmware, and their updates)
USER FIRMWARE (OPEN FPGA)

Sci-Compiler
User Firmware Generator and Compiler Graphical Tool for CAEN Programmable Boards.

Scope Personalization

Customizable features of the Scope firmware:

  • Common trigger
  • Simultaneous waveform recording on 32 channels management
  • Trigger logic
  • Wave processing
 DPP Personalization

Customizable features of the DPP firmware:

  • Individual trigger and channel acquisition management
  • DPP algorithm
  • Trigger logic
  • Event data information
SOFTWARE

Readout SW: CoMPASS spectroscopy software (for DPP firmware only), WaveDump2 (for Scope firmware only)

SDK and Tools: General purpose C libraries with demo samples for host Windows® and Linux® PC, and embedded Arm processor

SCI-Compiler (Open FPGA): Automatic generation of drivers (USB, ethernet), libraries, and demo software for Windows®, Linux®

Web Interface: Firmware management (e,g. upgrades and on-the-fly selection of the firmware to run), board information, PLL and Ethernet configuration, board status monitoring

ENVIRONMENTAL

Environment: Indoor use
Operating Temperature: 0°C to +40°C
Storage Temperature: -10°C to +60 °C
Operating Humidity: 10% to 90% RH non condensing
Storage Humidity 5% to 90% RH non condensing
Pollution Degree: 2
Overvoltage Category: II
EMC Environment: Commercial and light industrial

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

EMC: CE 2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility
Directive Safety: CE 2014/35/EU Low Voltage Directive

POWER REQUIREMENTS

+12V: 0.5 A (Typ.)
+5V: 4.8 A (Typ.)
+3.3V: 8.9 A (Typ.)

These are preliminary values, refered to a 1-GbE Scope firmware, that could vary depending on the firmware type.

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A953
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A954
Cable assembly 2.54mm 34 pin female to two 2.54mm 16 pin female - 50 cm

Ordering Options

Code Description
WVX2730XAAAA VX2730 - 32 Ch. 14 bit 500MS/s Digitizer with Programmable Input Gain    RoHS

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