The Beam Position Monitor Analog Frontend (BPM-AFE)
is an electronics module for fast analog processing
of beam pickup signals. It delivers an output signal
which can be directly entered into fast 14-bit ADCs.
It is specially developed for transfer lines and
linacs. It can be customized to any RF frequency up
to 1 GHz.
This BPM was developed in a collaboration with Los
Alamos for the specific purpose of the Spallation
Neutron Source.
It is used throughout the beam path from the LEBT to
the Target.
■ Non-interceptive
beam position measurement
■ Four
parallel processing path
■ Mezzanine
board to PCI specifications
■ Four
input signals processed in parallel, allows
single-pass position measurement
■ Input
signals are down-converted by independent
superheterodyne receivers to an intermediate
frequency (IF)
■ IF
output signals are differential and galvanically
isolated, for direct input into fast ADC (e.g.
AD6644)
■ Output
signals are adjustable up to 4Vpp to take advantage
of full ADC input aperture
■ High
phase accuracy and low harmonic distortion by current
feedback amplifiers
■ IF
bandwidth adjustable by separate independent
high-pass and low-pass filters provide flexibility
■ Low
power dissipation and temperature drift are achieved
with passive mixers
■ Excellent
in-band transient response
Signal processing
Input
signals into each superheterodyne channel can either
be the Calibration signal or the signal from the
lobe, controlled by the Lobe, Input and Calibration
switches. Each channel switches are controlled
individually.
Calibration signals are balanced to identical level
for each receiver, and can be sent to any lobe for
detection by another channel, under the control of
the switches. Calibration signal frequency is
independent of the superheterodyne receiver
frequency.
Switch-selected input signals are summed to produce a
phase reference signal. Each channel is otherwise
processed independently. Two successive trap filters
reject unwanted harmonics.
A passive double-balanced mixer processes the signal
with a common Local Oscillator (LO) signal. The
common LO signal is distributed to each mixer after
buffering. The resulting Intermediate Frequency (IF)
is filtered by two cascaded high-pass and low-pass
filters to reject the unwanted mixing products.
The IF filtered signal is amplified by two stages of
high gain x bandwidth current-feedback amplifiers.
The first stage can be switched between two gain
levels, while the second stage gain is adjustable by
potentiometer in a range 1:4.
A balun at the output produces a balanced signal with
floating ground reference from each single-ended IF
signal.