Real-time Optical Network for Accelerator Control

Abstract

The timing requirements of a modern accelerator complex call for several features. The first is a system for high precision relative timing among accelerator components. Stabilized fiber links have already been demonstrated to achieve sub-10 femtoseconds relative timing precision. The second is a system for timing distribution of absolute time with sufficient precision to identify a specific RF bucket. The White Rabbit technology is a promising candidate to deliver the absolute time that is linked to the GPS clock. In this study we demonstrated that these two technologies can be combined in a way that the absolute time information can be delivered to the stabilized fiber link system. This was accomplished by researching the design of the stabilized fiber and White Rabbit systems and devising adaptation modules that facilitate co-existence of both systems in the same FPGA environment. We built a prototype system using off-the-shelf products and implemented a proof-of-concept version of the FPGA firmware. The test verified that the White Rabbit features operate correctly under the stabilized fiber system environment. This work demonstrates that turn-key femtosecond timing systems with absolute time information can be built cost effectively and deployed in various accelerator environments. This will lead to many new applications in chemistry, biology and surface dynamics, to name a few.