Digital Acquisition in High Count Rate Gamma-Ray Spectrometry

Basic concepts and the development of a high counting rate digital spectrometry system based on efficient ADCs and latest available FPGA are presented with the aim of using such a system, coupled to fast scintillators, in plasma experiments. The prototype system is a 1 channel 12-bit 1 GSPS digitizer with 2 Vpp input voltage. Preliminary results tested with different radioactive sources are shown for low (0.03 Mcps) and high (2.2 Mcps) counting rates. A comparison of energy spectra and energy resolution with what obtained by a commercial device is also shown.