Sci-Compiler SMART

Sci-Compiler SMART (SCISMART) is a hardware + software kit for non-expert users who are approaching the open FPGA programming.
We introduce them to an innovative method to simplify the firmware development using Sci-Compiler software, a block-diagram-based programming interface consisting of a prebuilt set of functions (for example oscilloscope, TDC, MCA, charge integration, etc.) specifically developed for physics/engineering applications. Placing and interconnecting the available blocks on a diagram, SCI-Compiler is able to automatically generate a VHDL piece of code that implements the required function and deploy it to the FPGA. In this way, even a non-expert user can write his own firmware code without having any knowledge of the VHDL/Verilog programming language.
SCI-Compiler SMART is composed of a SCI-Compiler license and a basic hardware (DT1260 unit), designed for the exact purpose of evaluating the software and learning how to design custom firmware using the block diagram method. It includes:

• 1x DT1260, 2 Channel, 65 MS/s, 12 bit ADC unit with Open FPGA

• 1x SCI-Compiler Lite license working with the DT1260 unit only

The kit allows to develop both FPGA firmware for custom digital pulse processing and software application for data readout, using the generated libraries. It is therefore possible to access registers of the DT1260 and transfer data to the PC in list, waveform or user-customizable format.
A basic, ready-to-use default firmware and readout software is provided for free and open source. The default firmware manages the basic waveform digitization and Pulse Height Analysis. The user can take advantages of examples firmware diagram available in SCI-Compiler, in order to start learning how to program the FPGA and take confidence with the software.

A complete set of tools!
SCI-Compiler comes with 100+ virtual blocks that works exactly as real laboratory instrumentation.

• I/O INTERFACE: Control Digital and Analog Input/Output of the hardware devices.

• LOGIC GATE: A rich library that contains coincidence logic, boolean functions, Gate and Delay, counters, timers, scaler, frequency meters, array of bit manipulation.

• OSCILLOSCOPE: Probe signals of each acquiring channel, even in the middle of the processing chain.

• IMAGING: Online image processing capabilities for medical applications, astronomy and high energy physics.

• TRAPEZOIDAL FILTER: Trapezoidal filter allows to achieve the optimum resolution on HpGE and PMT detectors.

• ONLINE SPECTRUM: Energy/Time Spectrum can be calculated onboard. Online spectrum allows readout thousands of channels per second.

• TDC AND TIMESTAMPING: Timestamp events with 2 ns resolution and calculate TOT. Digital CFD increase 10x the timing resolution on analog signals.

• PSD: Pulse Shape Discrimination algorithm to allows for particle identification.

• ANALOG SHAPER: High pass and Low pass real-time filter can be combined to emulate a traditional analog shaping chain.