High-linearity multichannel time-to-digital converter (TDC) based on tap delay line

Abstract

The invention discloses a design scheme for a high-precision multichannel TDC based on a tap delay line. According to the invention, a secondary delay averaging structure, a tap timing sequence testing method, a compensation counting framework and a hybrid nonlinear calibration technology are provided for improving the linearity of the TDC and overcoming the phenomena of bubbles and missing-codesfor the first time, and the linearity of the TDC is remarkably improved by correcting accumulated nonlinearity and bin-width errors. Multi-channel design is achieved on platforms such as an FPGA and an ASIC while low logic resource consumption is kept. On an FPGA chip with the wavelength of 20 nm, time resolution can reach 5 picoseconds, and the linearity is remarkably improved compared with a traditional design. A 96-channel TDC array is realized on a single chip. According to the method, the nonlinear problem of limiting TDC measurement performance is solved, multi-channel design is realizedthrough multiple innovative methods, and the application value of the TDC is greatly improved.

Description

Technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of high-precision time measurement, in particular to a multi-channel time-to-digital converter based on a tapped delay line and a nonlinear suppression and correction method. [0002] technical background [0003] Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) is widely used in a series of fields such as space research, high-energy physics, biomedicine, chemical analysis, quantum communication, engineering measurement, etc. because of its ultra-high time resolution. , Has extremely important application value. TDC is a stopwatch with picosecond time resolution, which can measure time intervals with high precision and convert them to digital output. For example, the TCSPC instrument (see BECKER, W.2015. Advanced time-correlated single photon counting applications, Berlin, Springer.) with TDC as the core device is widely used in laser ranging, PET, FLIM and other applications. [0004] TDC can be implemented in a mixed manner of analog, digi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Traditional commercial TDC devices are usually difficult to achieve TDC miniaturization and multi-channel design at the same time, so commercial or some ASIC-TDC channels will be limited to about 10 channels (see TAMBORINI, D., PORTALUPPI, D., VILLA, F .&ZAPPA, F.2016.Eight-Channel 21 ps Precision Range Time-to-Digital Converter Module.IEEETrans.Instrum.Meas., 65, 423-430.)

Images