From September 1 to 5, 2025, Nuclear Instruments participated in the International Conference on Diagnostics for Fusion Reactors (ICFRD) in Varenna, presenting innovations in FPGA-based DAQ architectures with ultra-fast digitizers and sponsoring the event with a dedicated exhibition booth showcasing our latest solutions.

Date

Sep 05, 2025

ICFRD 2025 – The Burning Plasma Era

From September 1 to 5, 2025, the International Conference on Diagnostics for Fusion Reactors (ICFRD) was held at Villa Monastero in Varenna, Italy. This major event focused on diagnostic systems, technologies, and control solutions for ITER and future DT fusion reactors such as BEST, SPARC, DEMO, and ARC.

The conference also highlighted the role of private fusion companies, the worldwide progress in diagnostics development, and innovative concepts enabling the transition to the burning plasma era. ICFRD strongly emphasized the involvement of young scientists, fostering knowledge exchange and new collaborations.

Our Talk: Ultra-Fast Digitizers and Sci-Compiler Innovations

Nuclear Instruments presented the contribution:

The Latest Generation of Ultra-Fast Digitizers for FPGA-Based Data Acquisition

The talk introduced how new platforms—such as the CAEN V2730 (32 channels, 14-bit at 500 MSPS), V2751 (16 channels, 16-bit at 1 GSPS), Nuclear Instruments DAQ121/DAQ141 (32 channels, 12/14-bit at 1 GSPS), and the DT9000 (8 channels, 14-bit at 5 GSPS)—are reshaping the landscape of real-time data acquisition.

Traditional FPGA architectures face limitations at GHz sampling rates. To overcome this, Sci-Compiler has been re-engineered with time-multiplexed signal processing, mapping high-speed data streams (e.g., 1 GHz) into multiple parallel buses at lower frequencies. This paradigm shift required redesigning digital energy filters, CFDs, and trigger logic for interleaved streams, while maintaining full precision.

Thanks to its graphical design interface and modular IP library, Sci-Compiler abstracts this complexity, giving researchers the ability to fully exploit ultra-fast digitizers while ensuring flexibility, scalability, and rapid reconfiguration. These innovations pave the way for next-generation instrumentation at large-scale facilities.

Sponsorship & Exhibition Booth

Nuclear Instruments was proud to sponsor ICFRD 2025 and hosted an exhibition booth during the conference. At our stand, we showcased:

The new 20-bit digitizer
The DAQ121 1 GSPS 12-bit digitizer
The R5560SE and DT1260, programmable digitizers fully compatible with Sci-Compiler

The booth served as a valuable meeting point to engage with leading experts in fusion diagnostics and high-performance DAQ, allowing in-depth discussions on specifications and requirements for future ultra-fast, multi-channel digitizers.