4PI ANALYSIS, INC.
Contract: $300,000 - National Institute of Standards and Technology - Jun. 23, 2009
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Award Description: Development and prototyping of a digital pulse processor for improved coincidence detection, rejection, and pulse recovery for high count-rate silicon drift detectors (SDD); and, deliver to NIST the first prototype of a conceptually new digital pulse processor (DPP) for SDD-based energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy instrumentation. It is anticipated that the prototype will achieve an order-of-magnitude reduction in coincidence counting at an output count rate of 500,000cps. In addition, it is expected to be the first demonstration of a viable realtime pulse-recovery technology for x-rays, that has the potential for greatly reducing or eliminating accrued deadtime.
Project Description: The bulk of the work performed to date is in the areas of FPGA circuit family suitability and extension of the analytical studies that were developed prior to this contract award. The first prototype of the digital pulse processor based on FPGA technology has been constructed. Work performed to date has been focused on writing firmware to implement the inverse filter FPGA. New high-level software that duplicates the analysis done on the FPGA level has been written. The software incorporates actual data streams and is written to a level of detail in which every individual x-ray can be categorized as to its signal characteristics.
Jobs Summary: Zero jobs created; 2 jobs retained. Funds enabled the company to continue to retain key personnel critical to its viability. The first position contributes to all hardware and software aspects of the design, implementation, support, and delivery of commercial x-ray microanalysis and digital imaging systems (the company's primary product line), in addition to acting as either PI or key personnel on earlier SBIR grant awards. The second position retained involves work critical to the company's 3rd generation digital image acquisition and x-ray spectrum acquisition hardware; and, work on firmware that provides highly accurate beam control for sharp high-resolution digital images, rapid streaming of image and x-ray data, sophisticated packet formatting and a programmable scan interface with the ability to dynamically set and change parameters during data acquisition. The job currently directs development of FPGA firmware for the digital pulse processor. (Total jobs reported: 2)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Jun. 23, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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