Agilent Technologies Introduces High-Speed PCIe Digitizer with Real-Time Data Processing for OEM Applications

The Agilent U1084A Acqiris high-speed data converter leverages the performance of Agilent's leading-edge technology and know-how to meet the most demanding requirements. The product's PCIe form factor and flexible architecture are ideal for use in medical imaging, scientific instrumentation, non-destructive testing (NDT) and even the validation of mixed-signal semiconductors in automated test equipment. The extreme performance of the digitizer is also suited to advanced research in to high-energy physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics.

The U1084A is a dual-channel, 8-bit PCIe digitizer card with up to 4 GS/s sampling rates, 1.5 GHz bandwidth and incorporates a 15 ps trigger time interpolator (TTI) for accurate timing measurement. Real-time signal processing, provided by the on-board FPGA is defined by the chosen processing firmware.

Firmware options allow the data converter card to perform specific post-processing tasks, and are easily uploaded into the FPGA under program control. They also redefine the way data acquisition can be performed, making the data converter platforms extremely flexible and easy to reconfigure. The first firmware to be made available for the U1084A is an on-the-fly signal averaging process that can be used to reduce random noise effects, improving the signal to noise ratio, as well as increasing resolution and dynamic range. This averaging firmware also includes a noise suppression algorithm that can be used to reduce synchronous noise.

The combination of on-board processing and the high speed PCIe bus maximizes data and measurement throughput. A 4-lane PCIe card, the U1084A digitizer provides data throughput at up to 650 MB/s.

Software drivers for Windows(r) and Linux enable the U1084A data converter to be easily integrated and designed into existing measurement systems as well as exchanged, replaced or upgraded to other high-speed Acqiris-based data converters.