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Journal of Low Temperature Physics

RFSoC Gen3-Based Software-Defined Radio Characterization for the Readout System of Low-Temperature Bolometers

Manuel Elías García Redondo, Timo Muscheid, R. Gartmann, J. M. Salum, Luciano Pablo Ferreyro, N. A. Müller, J. Bonilla-Neira, J.M. Geria, J. Bonaparte, Alejandro Almela, Luis Eduardo Ardila-Perez, Matías Rolf Hampel, Alan Fuster, M. Platino, Oliver Sander, M. Weber, A. Etchegoyen

Published Apr 12, 2024• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract This work reports the performance evaluation of an SDR readout system based on the latest generation (Gen3) of AMD’s Radio-Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) processing platform, which integrates a full-stack processing system and a powerful FPGA with up to 32 high-speed and high-resolution 14-bit Digital-to-Analog Converters and 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters. The proposed readout system uses a previously developed multi-band, double-conversion IQ RF-mixing board targeting a multiplexing factor of approximately 1000 bolometers in a bandwidth between 4 and 8 GHz, in line with state-of-the-art microwave SQUID multiplexers. The characterization of the system was performed in two stages, under the conditions typically imposed by the multiplexer and the cold readout circuit: first, in transmission, showing that noise and spurious levels of the generated tones are close to the values imposed by the cold readout, and second, in RF loopback, presenting noise values better than −100 dBc/Hz totally in agreement with the state-of-the-art readout systems. It was demonstrated that the RFSoC Gen3 device is a suitable enabling technology for the next generation of superconducting detector readout systems, reducing system complexity, increasing system integration, and achieving these goals without performance degradation.

DOI
10.1007/s10909-024-03079-0

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arXiv:1809.03689•Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI•Jul 18, 2018•52 citations
Abstract This work reports the performance evaluation of an SDR readout system based on the latest generation (Gen3) of AMD’s Radio-Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) processing platform, which integrates a full-stack processing system and a powerful FPGA with up to 32 high-speed and high-resolution 14-bit Digital-to-Analog Converters and 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters. The proposed readout system uses a previously developed multi-band, double-conversion IQ RF-mixing board targeting a multiplexing factor of approximately 1000 bolometers in a bandwidth between 4 and 8 GHz, in line with state-of-the-art microwave SQUID multiplexers. The characterization of the system was performed in two stages, under the conditions typically imposed by the multiplexer and the cold readout circuit: first, in transmission, showing that noise and spurious levels of the generated tones are close to the values imposed by the cold readout, and second, in RF loopback, presenting noise values better than −100 dBc/Hz totally in agreement with the state-of-the-art readout systems. It was demonstrated that the RFSoC Gen3 device is a suitable enabling technology for the next generation of superconducting detector readout systems, reducing system complexity, increasing system integration, and achieving these goals without performance degradation.
This work reports the performance evaluation of an SDR readout system based on the latest generation (Gen3) of the AMD's Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) processing platform, which integrates a full-stack processing system and a powerful FPGA with up to 32 high-speed and high-resolution 14-bit Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) and Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs). The proposed readout system uses a previously developed multi-band, double-conversion IQ RF-mixing board targeting a multiplexing factor of approximately 1,000 bolometers in a bandwidth between 4 and 8 GHz, in line with state-of-the-art microwave SQUID multiplexers (μμμMUX). The characterization of the system was performed in two stages, under the conditions typically imposed by the multiplexer and the cold readout circuit. First, in transmission, showing that noise and spurious levels of the generated tones are close to the values imposed by the cold readout. Second, in RF loopback, presenting noise values better than -100 dBc/Hz totally in agreement with the state-of-the-art readout systems. It was demonstrated that the RFSoC Gen3 device is a suitable enabling technology for the next generation of superconducting detector readout systems, reducing system complexity, increasing system integration, and achieving these goals without performance degradation.
In this work, we report the experimental readout results of aµµµMUX device using a Direct-RF Software-Defined Radio (SDR) prototype based on the ZCU216 Radio-Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) evaluation board. First, the Direct-RF SDR architecture is described. Then, the analog performance of the SDR system was characterized both in loopback and when coupled to the cryogenic multiplexing system to evaluate the noise contributions of the SDR readout system. Later, the SDR system performance was optimized forµµµMUX readout, focusing on bolometric applications. Finally, the minimum demodulated flux noise was obtained through the optimally conditioned readout of aµµµMUX channel. The results obtained showed a minimum demodulated white flux noise of≈4μΦ0/Hz\approx 4 \mu \Phi _{0}/\sqrt{Hz}≈4μΦ0​/Hz​in both demodulation domains (i.e. amplitudeγ\gammaγand resonator phaseθ\thetaθ) and dominated by the cryogenic microwave chain noise temperature ofTncryo=4.6T_{n}^{cryo}=4.6Tncryo​=4.6K. These results are comparable to those obtained with traditional SDR architectures and demonstrate that the Direct-RF SDR prototype is suitable for the readout ofµµµMUX devices.
In the realm of quantum computing and low-temperature detectors, precise signal conditioning is crucial for the effective readout and control of superconducting qubits and sensors. As these technologies evolve, the need for increasingly sophisticated and integrated systems becomes more apparent. This contribution presents the design of a mixer-less analog front-end board optimized for superconducting circuit interfacing. It leverages the capabilities of the Radio-Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) from AMD Xilinx and utilizes software-selectable channel filtering stages, ultimately achieving wide-band signals without analog local oscillator leakage.
We present a novel readout electronics system for large arrays of superconducting electromagnetic resonators, such as kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs), based on a Radio Frequency System on Chip (RFSoC) architecture. Each channel in the readout system is designed for frequency division multiplexing of up to 1024 high quality factor resonances placed on a single microwave transmission line at unique frequencies within a 512 MHz bandwidth. We describe the design of the digital and analog signal processing chains for the implementation of a two-channel 2048-resonator system on the Xilinx ZCU111 RFSoC evaluation board in combination with a custom intermediate frequency (IF) system to convert the RFSoC band to higher frequencies up to 4 GHz. We also detail an associated software interface that provides a range of tools commonly utilized for characterizing KID resonators and for operating them as part of a photometric millimeter-wave imager. We additionally provide noise characterizations of the individual readout components, along with the complete readout system in isolation and in operation to readout KID resonators.
Microwave SQUID multiplexing (μμμMUX) is a widely used readout technique for large-scale transition-edge sensor (TES) arrays. It uses radio-frequency (RF) probe tones to interrogate cryogenic resonators, requiring frequency conversion between the baseband electronics and the cryogenic RF signal chain. This work describes the RF Board, a room-temperature frequency-conversion board deployed in the AliCPT μμμMUX readout system. The board up-converts 0-4 GHz baseband I/Q signals to the 4-8 GHz RF band for injection into the cryogenic chain and down-converts returned RF signals to baseband I/Q for ADC digitization. For the current 1000-tone operation, with a DAC output tone power of -30 dBm/tone, the required power windows are -35 to -25 dBm/tone for the RF tones transmitted to the cryostat and -45 to -35 dBm/tone at the ADC input for the returned tones. The RF Board is characterized using swept single-tone measurements covering up-conversion, down-conversion, and RF loopback. Based on these measurements, the RF output power is calculated to be -31.06 to -25.53 dBm, satisfying the RF output window. Assuming a representative cryogenic-chain transmission of -40 dB, the loopback result gives an estimated returned power of -45 to -35 dBm, within the target range. These results show that the RF Board meets the wideband frequency-conversion and tone-power requirements for the μμμMUX readout system.
The next generation of cryogenic CMB and submillimeter cameras under development require densely instrumented sensor arrays to meet their science goals. The readout of large numbers (~10,000-100,000 per camera) of sub-Kelvin sensors, for instance as proposed for the CMB-S4 experiment, will require substantial improvements in cold and warm readout techniques. To reduce the readout cost per sensor and integration complexity, efforts are presently focused on achieving higher multiplexing density while maintaining readout noise subdominant to intrinsic detector noise and presenting manageable thermal loads. Highly-multiplexed cold readout technologies in active development include Microwave Kinetic Inductance Sensors (MKIDs) and microwave rf-SQUIDs. Both exploit the high quality factors of superconducting microwave resonators to densely channelize sub-Kelvin sensors into the bandwidth of a microwave transmission line. In the case of microwave SQUID multiplexing, arrays of transition-edge sensors (TES) are multiplexed by coupling each TES to its own superconducting microwave resonator through an rf-SQUID. We present advancements in the development of a new warm readout system for microwave SQUID multiplexing, the SLAC Superconducting Microresonator RF electronics, or SMuRF, by adapting SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory's Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) FPGA Common Platform. SMuRF aims to read out 4000 microwave SQUID channels between 4 and 8 GHz per RF line. Each compact SMuRF system is built onto a single ATCA carrier blade. Daughter boards on the blade implement RF frequency-division multiplexing using FPGAs, fast DACs and ADCs, and an analog up- and down-conversion chain. The system reads out changes in flux in each resonator-coupled rf-SQUID by monitoring the change in the transmitted amplitude and frequency of RF tones produced at each resonator's fundamental frequency. The SMuRF system is unique in its ability to track each tone, minimizing the total RF power required to readout each resonator, thereby significantly reducing the linearity requirements on the cold and warm readout. Here, we present measurements of the readout noise and linearity of the first full SMuRF system, including a demonstration of closed-loop tone tracking on a 528 channel cryogenic microwave SQUID multiplexer. SMuRF is being explored as a potential readout solution for a number of future CMB projects including Simons Observatory, BICEP Array, CCAT-prime, Ali-CPT, and CMB-S4. In addition, parallel development of the platform is underway to adapt SMuRF to read out both MKID and fast X-ray TES calorimeter arrays.