TIPP 2011 - 2nd International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics

Development of Wireless Data and Power Transfer Techniques for Large Instrumentation Systems

Not scheduled

1m

Sheraton Hotel (Chicago)

Poster Presentation Trigger and Data Acquisition Systems

Speakers

Dr Michelangelo D'Agostino (Argonne National Laboratory)Dr Zelimir Djurcic (Argonne National Laboratory)

Description

In several areas of scientific research the size and complexity of the detectors have become exceedingly large. For example, detectors in Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics have dimensions of order 10-100 meters and contain thousands to millions of readout channels. One of the most significant challenges in building large detector systems is the cabling infrastructure for data communication and electrical power. In some cases, the electronics are in a remote location or an environment that makes it difficult or impossible to use copper-based infrastructure. Wireless techniques have the potential to alleviate these problems. With the development of low-power mobile devices with integrated wireless technologies and new energy storage and conversion technologies, the wireless state-of-the-art is now viable for large instrumentation systems. The data throughput necessary for individual or small numbers of channels is already readily achievable with commercial hardware. The challenge for large instrumentation systems is transferring data from thousands or millions of readout channels over a limited frequency spectrum. The goal of this project is to develop a photomultiplier tube (PMT) based detector that transfers data wirelessly and ultimately is powered wirelessly, including the high voltage necessary for the PMT. Phase one of this project is the development of a low power dead-timeless front-end data acquisition system using standard 802.11n wireless and Ethernet technology for data transfer. Phase 2 of the project, presumably the greatest challenge, is the development of wireless power transfer sufficient to power the front-end electronics and Cockroft-Walton high voltage power supply. The beneficiaries and customers of this project are scientific communities, including high energy physics, homeland security, and others who use detection devices in remote areas without Lab infrastructure. Details on project goals, progress, and performance of the prototype system under development will be shown.