General-purpose readout electronics for white neutron source at China Spallation Neutron Source

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Particle Detectors
• Instrumentation

Background:

• The White Neutron Source (WNS) at the China Spallation Neutron Source is crucial for precise neutron-induced cross-section measurements.
• Diverse physical objectives of WNS spectrometers necessitate varied readout electronics, complicating development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a general, flexible, and expandable method for detector signal readout at WNS.
• To simplify the development of readout electronics for the WNS facility.

Main Methods:

• Implementing a general-purpose readout electronics system featuring dedicated signal conditioning modules for different detectors.
• Utilizing a high-speed, high-precision (1 GSPS, 12-bit) waveform digitizer for full waveform data acquisition.
• Employing a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for real-time data stream and trigger processing.
• Leveraging the PXI Express platform for data readout, clock distribution, and trigger information exchange.

Main Results:

• The developed general-purpose readout electronics demonstrate expansibility and flexibility, adapting to most WNS detectors.
• Waveform digitizers successfully capture full waveform data with high speed and precision.
• FPGA processing and PXI Express platform integration ensure efficient real-time data handling and system synchronization.

Conclusions:

• The WNS general-purpose readout electronics meet the stringent performance requirements of the WNS spectrometers.
• This unified approach simplifies electronics development while maintaining adaptability for diverse detector needs.
• The system is well-suited for accurate neutron cross-section measurements at the White Neutron Source.