Arbitrary digital pulse sequence generator with delay-loop timing

TL;DR

This paper introduces a low-cost, multi-channel digital pulse sequence generator with nanosecond timing precision, capable of producing complex sequences over a wide temporal range, suitable for physics experiments.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel multi-channel digital sequence generator using a microcontroller with nanosecond timing granularity and broad delay range, adaptable for various scientific applications.

Findings

Achieved 12 ns timing granularity with linear delay scaling.

Demonstrated delay range from tens of nanoseconds to hundreds of seconds.

Ensured sequence repeatability within 100 ps jitter when synchronized externally.

Abstract

We propose an idea of an electronic multi-channel arbitrary digital sequence generator with temporal granularity equal to a single clock cycle. We implement the generator with 32 channels using a low-cost ARM microcontroller and demonstrate its capability to produce temporal delays ranging from tens of nanoseconds to hundreds of seconds, with 12 ns timing granularity and linear scaling of delay with respect to the number of delay loop iterations. The generator is optionally synchronized with an external clock source to provide 100 ps jitter and overall sequence repeatability within the whole temporal range. The generator is fully programmable and able to produce digital sequences of high complexity. The concept of the generator can be implemented using different microcontrollers and applied for controlling of various optical, atomic, and nuclear physics measurement setups.