Analog data acquisition and processing FPGA-based solutions integrated in areaDetector using FlexRIO technology

Analog data acquisition used in diagnostics and control of large physics experiments require high sampling rates and real-time functionalities. Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices allow efficient implementation of such solutions. Currently, large scientific facilities are using middleware platforms to simplify systems integration. EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) is one of the most extended middleware for this purpose. Heterogeneous hardware integration in these middleware is a complex task, and different approaches attempt to standardize. One of these approaches is areaDetector. An open source module for EPICS that is mainly used for image acquisition. areaDetector simplifies integration of heterogeneous image systems, has also been used with some analog signals like quadEM. This paper presents the integration of an acquisition and processing solution in a PXIe platform using FlexRIO technology via a hardware model that solves acquisition and processing in a FPGA and a software model implemented in C++ with the IRIO library (open source solution for RIO devices in the Linux environment) to get to EPICS through areaDetector with analog data.