Frequency domain multiplexing with the Xilinx ZCU111 RFSoC board

• DOI: 10.1117/12.2561108
• Publication Date: 2020-12-13
• Authors: Eoin Baldwin; Mario de Lucia; Colm Bracken; Gerhard Ulbricht; T. P. Ray
• Keywords: Firmware; Frequency-division multiplexing

At DIAS, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, we are developing visible and near-infrared Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) for astronomical applications. By designing an array of MKIDs different resonant frequencies, thousands detectors can be readout inherent frequency domain multiplexing (FDM). The Xilinx ZCU111 Radio Frequency System on Chip (RFSoC) Evaluation Kit is a very promising option not only Detector (MKID) systems, but also any application relying multiplexing. board's on-chip data converters provide ample bandwidth reading out up to 8,000 MKID resonators, 2 MHz spacing, at 1 pixel sampling rate. Without additional resources, roughly estimate the ZCU111’s field programmable gate (FPGA) analyse ~ 4,000 pixels, cost about €4.75 per pixel. We present initial progress from firmware this system.