A control hardware based on a field programmable gate array for experiments in atomic physics

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics
• Experimental Physics Instrumentation

Background:

• AMO physics experiments demand high-precision control of diverse electronic signals.
• Existing control systems may lack flexibility or scalability for complex setups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, scalable hardware system for precise digital, analog, and radio frequency (RF) signal control.
• To enable synchronized and dead-time-free experimental sequences in AMO physics.

Main Methods:

• Development of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) core-based control hardware.
• Utilizing a simple interface bus to drive various modules.
• Implementing features for stacking sequences and external event synchronization.

Main Results:

• The system operates at 10 MHz with a scalable 8 M (2^23) instruction memory depth.
• Demonstrated capability for dead-time-free stacking of experimental sequences.
• Showcased modularity through cascading and synchronization of multiple units.

Conclusions:

• The presented hardware offers a flexible, scalable, and synchronized solution for AMO physics experimental control.
• The modular design facilitates the operation of large, complex experimental apparatus.
• This system enhances the precision and efficiency of advanced physics experiments.