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Description of an economical buffer unit which will extend the time resolution of a multichannel scaler to better than 100 nsec. The buffered multiscaler produces a system which has negligible dead time between the bins even at the highest resolutions. It is suitable for use in any digital signaling averaging application which meets certain conditions.
During the final free flight (FF-5) of the shuttle's approach and landing tests, the vehicle experienced pilot-induced oscillations near touchdown. The light test data showed that pilot inputs to the hand controller reached peak-to-peak amplitudes of 20 deg at a frequency between 3 and 3.5 radians per second. The controller inputs were sufficient to exceed the priority rate limit set in the pitch axis. A nonlinear analytical study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of pilot input, rate limiting, and time delays. The frequency response of the total system is presented parametrically as a function of the three variables. In general, with no dead time, for controller inputs of 5 deg or less, the total system behaves in a linear fashion. For 10 deg of controller input, independent of the delay time, the elevon loop will be rate saturated above a frequency of 4 radians per second.
Ionizing radiation has emerged as a potential limiting factor for superconducting quantum processors, inducing quasiparticle bursts and correlated errors that challenge fault-tolerant operation. Atmospheric muons are particularly problematic due to their high energy and penetration power, making passive shielding ineffective. Therefore, monitoring the real-time muon flux is crucial to guide the development of alternative error-correction or mitigation strategies. We present the design, simulation, and first operation of a cryogenic muon-tagging system based on kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs), developed as a stand-alone cryogenic particle-tagging module for superconducting quantum processors. The system consists of two KIDs arranged in a vertical stack and operated at ∼20 mK. Monte Carlo simulations based on Geant4 guided the prototype design and provided reference expectations for muon-tagging efficiency and accidental coincidences due to ambient γ-rays. We observed a muon-induced coincidence rate among the top and bottom detectors of (192 ± 9) $\times\,10^{-3}$ events s$^{−1}$, in excellent agreement with the Monte Carlo prediction. The prototype achieves a muon-tagging efficiency of about 90% with negligible dead time. These results demonstrate the feasibility of operating a muon-tagging system at millikelvin temperatures and represent a key step toward the integration of cryogenic veto systems with multi-qubit chips to mitigate muon-induced errors.
An apparatus for measuring the relative stability of two signals is disclosed comprising a means for mixing the two signals down to a beat note sine wave and for producing a beat note square wave whose upcrossings are the same as the sine wave. A source of reference frequency is supplied to a clock divider and interval counter to synchronize them and to generate a picket fence for providing a time reference grid of period shorter than the beat period. An interval counter is employed to make a preliminary measurement between successive upcrossings of the beat note square wave for providing an approximate time interval therebetween as a reference. The beat note square wave and the picket fence are then provided to the interval counter to provide an output consisting of the time difference between the upcrossing of each beat note square wave cycle and the next picket fence pulse such that the counter is ready for each upcrossing and dead time is avoided. A computer containing an algorithm for calculating the exact times of the beat note upcrossings then computes the upcrossing times.
We present a complete analysis of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data of GRB 221009A, the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected. The burst emission above 30 MeV detected by the LAT preceded, by 1 s, the low-energy (<10 MeV) pulse that triggered the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM), as has been observed in other GRBs. The prompt phase of GRB 221009A lasted a few hundred seconds. It was so bright that we identify a bad time interval of 64 s caused by the extremely high flux of hard X-rays and soft gamma rays, during which the event reconstruction efficiency was poor and the dead time fraction quite high. The late-time emission decayed as a power law, but the extrapolation of the late-time emission during the first 450 s suggests that the afterglow started during the prompt emission. We also found that high-energy events observed by the LAT are incompatible with synchrotron origin, and, during the prompt emission, are more likely related to an extra component identified as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC). A remarkable 400 GeV photon, detected by the LAT 33 ks after the GBM trigger and directionally consistent with the location of GRB 221009A, is hard to explain as a product of SSC or TeV electromagnetic cascades, and the process responsible for its origin is uncertain. Because of its proximity and energetic nature, GRB 221009A is an extremely rare event.
Interfacing low voltage dc to medium voltage three-phase ac grid is often based on series-stackable modular converter architectures. To minimize energy storage requirements, it is advantageous to employ a quadruple active bridge (QAB) stage operating as a "dc transformer" in each stackable module. The QAB stage offers three isolated dc link voltages, which then allow for flexible stacking of three single-phase dc-to-ac inverter stages. Each of the module phases processes a pulsating power having a component at twice the line frequency. This presents a challenge in maintaining zero voltage switching (ZVS) on the secondary sides of the QAB during low-power portions of the line cycle. This article is focused on the design of the QAB stage. A detailed analysis of ZVS switching waveforms is presented, including effects of nonlinear device capacitances. It is shown how ZVS can be achieved at all times using a relatively small circulating current provided by the magnetizing inductance of the high-frequency transformer. Analytical expressions are given for the optimal values of the magnetizing inductance and the dead times of the QAB primary and secondary bridges. This approach is verified by experimental results on a 1 kV, 10-kW SiC-based prototype, demonstrating a relatively flat efficiency curve with a peak efficiency of 97.1% at 75% load.
Reconfigurable detectors with dynamically selectable sensing and readout modes are highly desirable for implementing edge computing as well as enabling advanced imaging techniques such as foveation. The concept of a camera system capable of simultaneous passive imaging and dynamic ranging in different regions of the detector is presented. Such an adaptive-autonomous detector with both spatial and temporal control requires programmable window of exposure (time frames), ability to switch between readout modes such as full-frame imaging and zero-suppressed data, modification of the number of pixel data bits and independent programmability for distinct detector regions. In this work, a method is presented for seamlessly changing time frames and readout modes without data corruption while still ensuring that the data acquisition system (DAQ) does not need to stop and resynchronize at each change of setting, thus avoiding significant dead time. Data throughput is maximized by using a minimum unique data format, rather than lengthy frame headers, to differentiate between consecutive frames. A data control and transmitter (DCT) synchronizes data transfer from the pixel to the periphery, reconfigures the data to transmit it serially off-chip, while providing optimized decision support based on a DAQ definable mode. Measurements on a test structure demonstrate that the DCT can operate at 1 GHz in a 65 nm LP CMOS process.
It is shown how a commercial time interval counter can be used to measure the relative stability of two signals that are offset in frequency and mixed down to a beat note of about 1 Hz. To avoid the dead-time problem, the counter is set up to read the time interval between each beat note upcrossing and the next pulse of a 10 Hz reference pulse train. The actual upcrossing times are recovered by a simple algorithm whose outputs can be used for computing residuals and Allan variance. A noise floor-test yielded a delta f/f Allan deviation of 1.3 times 10 to the minus 9th power/tau relative to the beat frequency.
It is shown how a commercial time interval counter can be used to measure the relative stability of two signals that are offset in frequency and mixed down to a beat note of about 1 Hz. To avoid the dead-time problem, the counter is set up to read the time interval between each beat note upcrossing and the next pulse of a 10 Hz reference pulse train. The actual upcrossing times are recovered by a simple algorithm whose outputs can be used for computing residuals and Allan variance. A noise floor-test yielded a delta f-f Allan deviation of 1.3 times 10 to the minus 9th power/tau relative to the beat frequency.
The activation of materials due to exposure to cosmic rays may become an important background source for experiments investigating rare event phenomena. DarkSide-20k, currently under construction at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, is a direct detection experiment for galactic dark matter particles, using a two-phase liquid-argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) filled with 49.7 tonnes (active mass) of Underground Argon (UAr) depleted in 39 Ar. Despite the outstanding capability of discriminating γ / β background in argon TPCs, this background must be considered because of induced dead time or accidental coincidences mimicking dark-matter signals and it is relevant for low-threshold electron-counting measurements. Here, the cosmogenic activity of relevant long-lived radioisotopes induced in the experiment has been estimated to set requirements and procedures during preparation of the experiment and to check that it is not dominant over primordial radioactivity; particular attention has been paid to the activation of the 120 t of UAr used in DarkSide-20k. Expected exposures above ground and production rates, either measured or calculated, have been considered in detail. From the simulated counting rates in the detector due to cosmogenic isotopes, it is concluded that activation in copper and stainless steel is not problematic. The activity of 39 Ar induced during extraction, purification and transport on surface is evaluated to be 2.8% of the activity measured in UAr by DarkSide-50 experiment, which used the same underground source, and thus considered acceptable. Other isotopes in the UAr such as 37 Ar and 3 H are shown not to be relevant due to short half-life and assumed purification methods.
Activation detectors developed at LLNL for measuring real-time neutron fluence from fusion sources are used in the broader fusion community. The recommended fluence operating range of this diagnostic is 5x10 2 – 1x10 6 n/cm2. The upper limit on this fluence range is set by the dead time caused by data transfer between the detector and data acquisition computer. Delaying the start of counting is a possible strategy to operate these detectors in higher fluences.
The SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter search experiment aims to be sensitive to energy depositions down to Script O(1 eV). This imposes requirements on the resolution, signal efficiency, and noise rejection of the trigger system. To accomplish this, the SuperCDMS level-1 trigger system is implemented in an FPGA on a custom PCB. A time-domain optimal filter algorithm realized as a finite impulse response filter provides a baseline resolution of 0.38 times the standard deviation of the noise, σn, and a 99.9% trigger efficiency for signal amplitudes of 1.1 σ n in typical noise conditions. Embedded in a modular architecture, flexible trigger logic enables reliable triggering and vetoing in a dead-time-free manner for a variety of purposes and run conditions. The trigger architecture and performance are detailed in this article.
Method based on statistical properties of weak pulse-positionmodulated (PPM) signal enables synchronization of receiver clock with received-signal time base. Method applies to weak optical M-ary PPM signals, for which there is only one pulse of length Tp transmitted during one of timeslots of length T in each successive interval of M timeslots. Method requires small dead time, Td, at beginning and end of each timeslot, during which pulse amplitude is zero.
A large-scale database of two-dimensional UEDGE simulations has been developed to study detachment physics in KSTAR and to support surrogate models for control applications. Nearly 70 000 steady-state solutions were generated, systematically scanning upstream density, input power, plasma current, impurity fraction, and anomalous transport coefficients, with magnetic and electric drifts across the magnetic field included. The database identifies robust detachment indicators, with strike-point electron temperature at detachment onset consistently T e,target ~ 3-4 eV, largely insensitive to upstream conditions. Scaling relations reveal weaker impurity sensitivity than one-dimensional models and show that heat flux widths follow Eich’s scaling only for uniform, low D and χ. Distinctive in–out divertor asymmetries are observed in KSTAR, differing qualitatively from DIII-D. Complementary time-dependent simulations quantify plasma response to gas puffing, with delays of 5 - 15 ms at the outer strike point and ∼ 40 ms for the low-magnetic-field-side radiation front. These dynamics are well captured by first-order-plus-dead-time models and are consistent with experimentally observed detachment-control behavior in KSTAR (Gupta et al 2025 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion (submitted)).
The large number of data generating sources (data channels) on a single chip requires appropriate techniques to manage a readout from these channels. One of the main methods is sharing a medium of transmission, which requires arbitration to avoid collisions or deadlocks. Existing solutions face several problems such as a dead time, unintended prioritization or metastability. That is why we decided to create a new readout architecture named EDWARD i.e., Event Driven with Access and Reset Decoder. The EDWARD architecture gets rid of the earlier mentioned problems and mitigates the other ones. However, due to the use of logic circuits outside a standard cell library, which are hard to characterize, we were challenged to perform an additional transient analysis to validate the architecture. Here we show a methodology and the results of the simulations. Based on the results obtained we can confirm the functional correctness of the system and plan the optimization of operating conditions in order to achieve better performance. Our goal is to use the EDWARD architecture in the future radiation detectors to be built at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
An initial number of fissions on a fissile/fissionable material, defined by ENDF library availability, is used to produce an initial inventory of fission products (FPs). The FPs are decayed using full, analytical solutions to the Bateman equations to calculate the FP inventory at a user-specified time. The radiation detector, a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, has been modeled using every gamma-ray in the ENDF/TENDL libraries individually, and the modeled response can be multiplied by the activity of each fission product to determine a full, energy dependent detector response, including dead time. The detector response can be output as a PeakEasy (.spe) file, or as a text file. Since each radioisotope's inventory is known, the proportion to the total may be shown for each isotope, as well as many radionuclides in a user-specified energy window. Full execution and display of results takes 1-3 seconds, depending on the complexity of the input parameters.
Having developed a transition-edge-sensor (TES) calorimeter design that enables high spectral resolution in high fill-factor arrays, we now present array-scale results from 32-pixel arrays of identical closely packed TES pixels. Each pixel in such an array contains a Mo/Au bilayer with a transition temperature of 0.1 K and an electroplated Au or Au/Bi xray absorber. The pixels in an array have highly uniform physical characteristics and performance. The arrays are easy to operate due to the range of bias voltages and heatsink temperatures over which solution better than 3 eV at 6 keV can be obtained. Resolution better than 3 eV has also been obtained with 2x8 time-division SQUID multiplexing. We will present the detector characteristics and show spectra acquired through the read-out chain from the multiplexer electronics through the demultiplexer software to real-time signal processing. We are working towards demonstrating this performance over the range of count rates expected in the observing program of the Constellation-X observatory. We mill discuss the impact of increased counting rate on spectral resolution, including the effects of crosstalk and optimal-filtering dead time.
We present characterization measurements of a fast-framing, wide-dynamic-range x-ray area detector intended for high-energy applications (≥20 keV photons). The MM-PAD-2.1 combines an integrating pixel front-end with a charge-removal mechanism to extend the maximum measurable signal to > 107 20-keV ph/pixel/frame. The charge-removal mechanism is dead-time-less (i.e., incoming signal continues to be integrated by the front-end while charge removal is taking place) up to an incoming photon rate of > 109 20-keV ph/pix/s. A 16×16 pixel prototype was fabricated and characterized using both laboratory and synchrotron x-ray sources, allowing for measurements from single-photon to high-flux conditions. High-flux measurements show linear performance up to ~1010 ph/s in a spot spanning approximately 2×1.5 pixels (FWHM). The onset of temporary radiation damage in the detector was observed during these measurements, manifesting as failure of the digital readout from the detector. These effects were seen to reverse after annealing at 30° C for several hours.