Research and Verification on Real-Time Interpolated Timing Algorithm Based on Waveform Digitization

In the field of nuclear medical imaging, nuclear and particle physics electronics, precise time measurement is an important task. In this paper, we focused on a real-time interpolated timing algorithm based on waveform digitization, which can be integrated in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device. The basic principle of this algorithm is to calculate the pulse peak and the time point when the pulse crosses the threshold. We analyzed the factors that would influence the time precision, and conducted simulations to estimate the effect. After implementing the algorithm in the FPGA, tests were conducted with the results concording well with the simulation, and a time precision of around 3 ps is successfully achieved for the photomultiplier tubes (PMT)-like pulse digitized by 800 MSps 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC).