Work

PACIFIC 2 suite integrated with the CAEN DT5730S digitizer: A desktop digital system for time-differential perturbed angular correlation measurements

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Advancements in low-cost, FPGA-integrated parallel signal digitizers are reshaping nuclear and materials spectroscopy, particularly time-differential perturbed angular correlation (TDPAC). This work demonstrates the modernization of TDPAC acquisition and processing by replacing legacy analog electronics with a compact, affordable, and fully digital system. The setup combines a commercial CAEN S.p.A. DT5730S digitizer—featuring eight input channels, a 14-bit ADC, and a 500 MS/s sampling rate - with PACIFIC 2 , an in-house Python-based toolkit enabling flexible online and offline γ – γ coincidence searches. Experimental validation was performed using metallic indium and layered perovskite samples probed with and isotopes, confirming reliable real-time data acquisition and processing. The system’s time resolution performance was optimized using 511-511 keV γ – γ coincidence events from positron–electron annihilation in a source, detected with pairs of LaBr 3 :Ce scintillators coupled to Hamamatsu R2083 photomultiplier tubes. The results demonstrate that sub-nanosecond time resolution can be achieved with a 500 MS/s digitizer, establishing a versatile and accessible digital platform for future TDPAC research.

Source: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment