3
HARDWARE CONCEPT
2
Technical Information
The quTAU is an 8-channel time-to-digital converter with a time bin of 81 ps. The ar-
rival time of incoming signals is recorded, pre-processed (count rates are computed) and
transferred to a PC via USB2.0 for further analysis. The user can read out raw time tags
as well as calculated start-stop histograms.
The basic quTAU model can optionally be upgraded with 3 distinct extensions: The
input
hardware
extension, enabling to specify input parameters for each channel individually,
and
two software extensions
for a straightforward analysis of Lifetime and Hanbury-
Brown and Twiss measurements, respectively. Please note that all three upgrades are
already integrated in the quTAU (H+) model.
The key features of the quTAU device are:
•
8 channels
•
High timing resolution (bin size 81 ps)
•
High event rates
•
Coincidence counting integrated
•
USB2.0 interface
•
Easy-to-use
The device can be used for a variety of Applications:
•
Time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC)
•
Fluorescence lifetime imaging
•
Quantum information experiments
•
LIDAR
•
High energy/accelerator physics
•
High precision time measurements
3
Hardware Concept
The hardware of the quTAU mainly consists of an ASIC (converting the incoming signals
in all 8 channels into time tags) and an FPGA (sorting the time tags, detecting coinci-
dences in the first 4 channels and compressing the data for transfer via USB2.0). The
output is limited only by the speed of the USB2.0 connection: Up to 5 million events per
seconds can be transferred.
quTAU/quPSI Manual V4.0 Page 6
