Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “SHIFT REGISTER”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records

Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register

The Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR) is a specialized pulse counter used primarily to count neutron events originating in neutron detection instruments. While the counter can be used to count any TTL input pulses, its unique ability to record time correlated events and the multiplicity distributions of these events makes it an ideal instrument for counting neutron events in the nuclear fields of material safeguards, waste assay and process monitoring and control. The UMSR combines the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) simple and robust shift register design with a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) processor and Ethernet communications. The UMSR is fully compatible with existing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) neutron data acquisition instruments such as the Advance Multiplicity Shift Register (AMSR) and JSR-15. The UMSR has three input channels: a multiplicity shift register input and two auxiliary inputs. The UMSR provides 0V to 2kV of programmable High Voltage (HV) bias and both a 12V and a 5V detector power supply output. A serial over USB communication line to the UMSR allows the use of existing versions of INCC or MIC software while the Ethernet port is compatible with the new IAEA RAINSTORM communication protocol.

Newell, Matt↗

Superconducting Shuttle-Flux Shift Register for Race Logic and Its Applications

Here this paper presents a superconducting, magnetically-coupled, shuttle-flux shift register (SF-SR) that stores single flux quantum (SFQ) pulses. This shift register has a DC bias operating margin of ±34% at 10 GHz, with a power dissipation of 3.6 μW and 38% fewer Josephson junctions (JJs) when scaled up to multiple stages compared to a data flip-flop (DFF) based shift register. The clock input is inductively coupled and is independent from the data input. We then present three applications for our SF-SR. In the first application, we add two non-destructive readout (NDRO) cells to construct a buffer that temporarily stores the temporal information of a series of race logic (RL) pulses. The second application is a pseudo-random number generator based on a linear function shift register (LFSR). The third application is N parallel SF-SRs that can act similar to a deserializer or instead can emulate a single SF-SR of N times higher clock frequency. These three applications motivate deep shift registers with many shifting intervals, which our SF-SR can implement with fewer JJs and lower power consumption compared to DFF-based shift registers.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A superconducting nanowire binary shift register

We present a design for a superconducting nanowire binary shift register, which stores digital states in the form of circulating supercurrents in high-kinetic-inductance loops. Adjacent superconducting loops are connected with nanocryotrons, three-terminal electrothermal switches, and fed with an alternating two-phase clock to synchronously transfer the digital state between the loops. A two-loop serial-input shift register was fabricated with thin-film NbN and a bit error rate of less than 10 –4 was achieved, when operated at a maximum clock frequency of 83 MHz and in an out-of-plane magnetic field of up to 6 mT. A shift register based on this technology offers an integrated solution for low-power readout of superconducting nanowire single photon detector arrays and is capable of interfacing directly with room-temperature electronics and operating unshielded in high magnetic field environments.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR)

The Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR) is the next generation high speed attended and unattended neutron coincidence analysis data acquisition instrument. The UMSR is a specialized pulse counter used primarily to count neutron events originating in neutron detection instruments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Shift Register Clock Rate Effects on Coincidence Collection 50MHz versus 4MHz Comparison Tests

The following report identifies and quantifies the timing differences between the older slower Shift Register Coincidence/Multiplicity modules and today’s modern higher speed devices. Modern high speed Shift Register Coincidence/Multiplicity instruments employ high speed internal clocks that run at frequencies more than ten times the older units, typically 50MHz. These higher speed clocks allow for a finer time resolution when recording input pulses.

Nuclear Disarmament, Safeguards, & Physical Protec↗

Methods for diagnosing and quantifying double pulsing in a Uranium Neutron Collar system using shift register logic

Double pulsing in neutron coincidence counters is the result of a pulse processing chain-3He proportional counter timing incompatibility known to nondestructive assay system designers. It is not currently widely acknowledged, or accounted for, in the user community. However, it is gaining attention as list mode data acquisition and analysis becomes more commonly used for system diagnostics, revealing features that have been overlooked by historic timing gate selection using traditional shift register data acquisition methods. Double pulsing increases the apparent number of measured neutron events from a source. Therefore, it may contribute to a falsely increased count rate if present at the operational high voltage used when assaying samples, even with set predelays. The authors have previously studied the effects of double pulsing, using list mode data acquisition and analysis on neutron pulse trains in three common neutron coincidence counting systems used in routine measurements for international safeguards: a Canberra Industries JCC-71 Neutron Coincidence Collar, a variant on the Canberra Industries JCC-51 Active Well Neutron Coincidence Counter (the Large Volume Active Well Neutron Coincidence Counter), and an AnTech Inc. N2071 Neutron Coincidence Collar. We find that this non-ideal behavior was isolated to the Amptek A111 Charge Sensitive Preamplifier & Discriminator chip used in both the Canberra Industries and Antech systems. The double pulsing fraction was calculated in post-analysis for various high voltage settings in these A111-based systems, assuming no predelay settings. In this work, the authors expand upon this identification and analysis to make it more translatable between list mode data acquisition and analysis and shift register-based analysis. By investigating the double pulsing fractions in a JCC-71 Uranium Neutron Collar as a function of predelay settings, as well as describing and performing alternative tests and analyses to diagnose and quantify the double pulsing using shift register logic, this work hopes to complete the picture of double pulsing identification and analysis.

Safeguards↗

Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR) User Manual

This User Manual is intended to familiarize the user with the Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR) and its functions. It includes a description of the UMSR along with setup and operation instructions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE and JAEA Field Trial of the Single Chip Shift Register (SCSR)

Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) has recently developed a new data acquisition system for multiplicity analysis of neutron detector pulse streams. This new technology, the Single Chip Shift Register (SCSR), places the entire data acquisition system along with the communications hardware onto a single chip. This greatly simplifies the instrument and reduces the size. The SCSR is designed to be mounted into the neutron detector head alongside the instrument amplifiers. The user’s computer connects via USB directly to the neutron detector eliminating the external data acquisition electronics entirely. JAEA, through the INSEP program, asked LANL to demonstrate the functionality of the SCSR in Tokai using the JAEA Epithermal Neutron Multiplicity Counter, ENMC. In late September of 2015 LANL traveled to Tokai to install, demonstrate and uninstall the SCSR in the ENMC. This report documents the results of that field trial.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Unattended Dual Current Monitor (UDCM) Unattended Multiplicity Shift Register (UMSR) FY18 Summary Report

This fiscal year LANL was funded to modify both the UDCM and UMSR based on the IAEA recommendations from their Initial Evaluation of the Unattended Dual Current Monitor (UDCM) report, SG-RP-14384 and the December 2017 meeting at the Agency. Modifications include increasing the instruments sensitivity range, including a remote reset function, modifications to the web interface and modifications to the firmware for improved usability. The final product will be an updated UDCM and UMSR that are ready for commercialization. This report describes that work.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Programmable pseudo-random sequence generator for use with universal lidar and its associated method of operation

A pseudo-random sequence generator for use within a universal lidar system and its corresponding method of operation. The pseudo-random sequence generator uses synchronized shift registers that are in series Binary adders are provided. The signal output of each of the shift registers is tapped and directed to the binary adders. High-speed switches are provided between the shift registers and the binary adders. The switches are programmed to connect only two of the shift registers to the binary adders for each of the pseudo-random patterns being generated. The binary adders generate an output signal that is received by the first shift register. The signal propagates through all the shift registers to the last shift register. The last shift register outputs a pseudo-random sequence.

Datta, Shubhashish↗

Pattern generator circuit for high-speed pulse generation

A pattern generator circuit includes a high-speed shift register and a non-overlap generator. The shift register is programmable to produce a pulse train of pulses having a defined pulse duration and a defined pulse-to-pulse interval. The non-overlap generator deserializes the incoming pulse train, and it produces a time-separated reset pulse based on the pulse train. The shift register is configured to permit the pulse durations and pulse-to-pulse interval to be selected arbitrarily over specified ranges in increments of a basic time unit that depends on the oscillator period.

42 ENGINEERING↗

High-speed CMOS camera

A high-speed CMOS camera includes an array of pixel circuits coupled to a photodiode array, an oscillator circuit, and a pattern generator circuit. The pattern generator circuit includes a high speed shift register and a non-overlap generator. The shift register is programmable to produce a pulse train of trigger pulses that defines an interframe and a frame's shutter duration. The non-overlap generator deserializes the incoming pulse train of trigger pulses, and it produces a time-separated reset pulse based on the pulse train of trigger pulses. The shift register is configured to permit the frame durations and the interframe times to be selected arbitrarily over specified ranges in increments of a basic time unit that depends on the oscillator period.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Using the JCC-71 neutron coincidence collar as a benchmark for detector characterization with PTR-32 list mode data acquisition

Augmenting or interchanging current international safeguards shift registerbased data acquisition systems with list mode data acquisition systems gives nondestructive assay (NDA) systems greater versatility. Neutron list mode data analysis offers comparable analytical results to the more widely used shift register analysis in nuclear material quantification applications and offers several diagnostic tools that are specifically beneficial to in-laboratory characterization and calibration measurements. These benefits include identification of non-ideal behavior, optimization of operational parameters from a single measurement, and an improved understanding of the physics-based behavior of NDA systems for a more precise system representation and more confident assay results. In this work the advantages of using list mode data acquisition for detector characterization are demonstrated experimentally. Two commercial-off-the-shelf International Atomic Energy Agency-supported technologies are used for a typical detector characterization procedure and their performance is compared. Specifically, a 3 He-based Canberra Industries JCC-71 Neutron Coincidence Collar is characterized using the Hungarian Institute of Isotopes’ Pulse Train Recorder-32 (PTR-32) list mode data acquisition system, and the results are compared to those obtained using the standard Canberra Industries JSR-15 model shift register. The quantitative results from the two systems are in agreement, which demonstrates that the PTR-32 is a technically viable alternative to conventional shift register electronics for this task. A suitable procedure for full instrument characterization is described, and the added benefits of list mode for characterization and data collection are discussed. Furthermore, this is an important step toward establishing a procedure for the routine use of list mode data acquisition and analysis for neutron NDA system characterization in safeguards field applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Demonstration of INCC6 for advanced list-mode data acquisition and analysis using ALMM

The International Neutron Coincidence Counting (INCC) software plays an important role in nuclear safeguards and nuclear material control and accounting (NMC&A) measurements. While the current version, INCC5, represents the traditional standard utilized by inspectorates as well as facilities and practitioners alongside shift register hardware, LANL has recently developed an upgraded version of the software, INCC6. INCC6 offers the same analysis tools as INCC5 while adding new capabilities including acquisition and analysis of list-mode data, recording and storage of list-mode data files, and an expanded set of advanced analysis tools that make use of the additional information available from list-mode data. Here, this paper presents the first demonstration of data acquisition and analysis using INCC6 and the Advanced List Mode Multiplicity Module (ALMM). The capability of INCC6 to perform live list-mode data acquisition and analysis is demonstrated for a variety of neutron sources with a range of neutron emission rates relevant for practical applications and validated against the results obtained with INCC5 and traditional shift register hardware. Advanced list-mode analysis tools introduced by INCC6, such as time-interval and coincidence matrix analysis, are also demonstrated. Finally, the capability of INCC6 to analyze list-mode data files is tested and validated against traditional shift register results using INCC5.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Characterizations of double pulsing in neutron multiplicity and coincidence counting systems

Passive neutron coincidence/multiplicity counters are subject to non-ideal behavior, such as double pulsing and dead time. It has been shown in the past that double-pulsing exhibits a distinct signature in a Rossi-alpha distribution, which is not readily noticed using traditional Multiplicity Shift Register analysis. But, it has been assumed that the use of a pre-delay in shift register analysis removes any effects of double pulsing. Here, we use high-fidelity simulations accompanied by experimental measurements to study the effects of double pulsing on multiplicity rates. By exploiting the information from the double pulsing signature peak observable in the Rossi-alpha distribution, the double pulsing fraction can be determined. Algebraic correction factors for the multiplicity rates in terms of the double pulsing fraction have been developed. We also discuss the role of these corrections across a range of scenarios.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗