RFSoC-based front-end electronics for pulse detection

Abstract

Radiation measurement relies on pulse detection, which can be performed using various configurations of high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). For optimal power consumption, design simplicity, system flexibility, and the availability of DSP slices, we consider the Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) to be a more suitable option than traditional setups. To this end, we have developed custom RFSoC-based electronics and verified its feasibility. The ADCs on RFSoC exhibit a flat frequency response of 1–125 MHz. The root-mean-square (RMS) noise level is 2.1 ADC without any digital signal processing. The digital signal processing improves the RMS noise level to 0.8 ADC (input equivalent 40 μVrms). Baseline correction via digital signal processing can effectively prevent photomultiplier overshoot after a large pulse. Crosstalk between all channels is less than -55 dB. The measured data transfer speed can support up to 32 kHz trigger rates (corresponding to 750 Mbps). Overall, our RFSoC-based electronics are highly suitable for pulse detection, and after some modifications, they will be employed in the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Anti-Neutrino Detector (KamLAND).