[Halld-tracking-hw] FDC meeting minutes posted

[Lubomir Pentchev]

Fernando and Gerard,

I think everybody will benefit from having one type of fADC. I agree with 
the number of 380mV for the fADC full scale which is only + or - 15% of 
the CDC or FDC preamp range. As for the linearity, I think it is not so 
important for the high amplitude signals. In case if the CDC the particle 
ID is easier for lower energies that correspond to higher amplitudes. In 
case of the FDC the highest amplitudes will be in the middle strip and the 
non-linearity there will not affect the position resolution.

Lubomir

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010, Fernando J. Barbosa wrote:

> Hi Gerard and Lubomir,
>
> The peaking time with the preamp and 18 m of cable is 14 ns and so it is the 
> minimum one can achieve. I agree that 25 ns would be the minimum in trying to 
> get three samples on the leading edge for timing interpolation. On the other 
> hand, a 35 ns peaking time is very reasonable so we are perhaps considering 
> optimizing this between 25 ns and 35 ns and based on the benefits of noise 
> shaping. I don't think Lubomir included the time walk correction but this can 
> be found on GlueX-doc-1364 for the ASIC (GAS-II).
>
> Regarding the assembly variants, I agree with Eugene that we should try to 
> get one fADC125 but we need to consider this carefully. We have considered 
> two fADC125 assembly versions, one for the CDC (low gain preamp) and the 
> other for the FDC strips (high gain preamp) primarily based on fully using 
> the ADC dynamic range. The preamp output ranges (@ saturation) are not the 
> same in the configurations we are using: 430 mV for high gain and 330 mV for 
> low gain. If we set the ADC full scale (FS) at 430 mV (4095 on 12-bit), then 
> 330 mV will be at 76% FS (3100 on 12-bit). Are we willing to sacrifice 25% of 
> the ADC range on the CDC in exchange for one fADC125 version (based on 
> saturation conditions)?
>
> However, there is another issue to consider if we are to have a single ADC. 
> The output saturation at 430 mV is way out of the linear range and the output 
> is 285 mV @ 5% linearity. For the CDC and the FDC:
>
> CDC - 330 mV @ Saturation, 207 mV @ 5% linearity
> FDC Strips - 430 mV @ Saturation, 285 mV @ 5% linearity
>
> For a single ADC solution, I propose we set the ADC FS at 380 mV. We can set 
> this even lower for a tighter linear range of interest.
>
> Best regards,
> Fernando
>
>
>
>
>
> Gerard Visser wrote:
>> Hi Lubomir,
>> 	We should perhaps discuss the shaping option ideas more fully in the 
>> next meeting, I can call in. I didn't realize this was on the agenda today.
>> 	In my opinion it is *feasible* to support two different versions of 
>> the module with different shaping time. This amounts only to different 
>> values for some capacitors, inductors, and resistors to be used in 
>> assembly. The quantities are large enough that there should be no 
>> significant cost impact, except for probably a larger overall quantity of 
>> spares to be built. Of course, I agree it is simpler to have only one 
>> version.
>> 	Presently the peaking time of the preamp-cable-ADC125 is about 35 ns 
>> I believe. (Maybe a bit more in the case of the cathodes if the detector 
>> capacitance affects it; it would make sense but I don't know really.) We 
>> might try to reduce it but 14 ns seems to me too small - there will be too 
>> much amplitude above the Nyquist zone, this has to degrade timing at some 
>> point. Maybe some compromise value like 25 ns would be better to try.
>> 	Anyway the starting point for this should probably be to remove all 
>> explicit shaping from a channel, hook it up w/ preamp and cable and a test 
>> pulser and input loading capacitor, and see the pulse shape. This will 
>> exhibit the minimum achievable peaking time; and we can also then we can 
>> calculate the shaping time for the ADC board to get to the desired overall 
>> peaking time.
>> 	Can you describe the algorithm applied to ADC data to get the timing 
>> measurement for page 514 work? Is there a fit here, or just level-crossing 
>> using the same threshold e.g. 30mV? Certainly an optimal timing algorithm 
>> will use more than 2 datapoints from the ADC, i.e., is not simply just a 
>> level crossing and linear interpolation between two points.
>> 	Is the discriminator simulation 'perfect' or does it include 
>> real-world distortions such as time walk (dispersion)?
>> 	Sincerely,
>>
>> 		Gerard
>> 
>> 
>> Lubomir Pentchev wrote:
>> 
>>> The minutes of the last FDC meeting were posted at:
>>> 
>>> http://www.jlab.org/Hall-D/software/wiki/index.php/Minutes-9-16-2010
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>>      Lubomir
>>> 
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