DARTS: a low-cost high-performance FPGA implemented real-time control platform for adaptive optics

摘要

Durham University's Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) are currently producing a generic high-performance low-cost real-time control system (RTCS) for adaptive optics (AO) based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology. This platform, labelled DARTS, 'Durham Adaptive optics Real Time System', will primarily be used as the controller for Durham's enhanced Rayleigh Technical Demonstrator (RTD) system. However, DARTS could be used as a low latency control system for existing AO instruments or could be used for future 'budget' AO Natural Guide Star (NGS) and/or Laser Guide Star (LGS) RTCS. DARTS uses an FPGA device to host an end-to-end modular real-time AO pipeline connected to a Wishbone control bus. The FPGA takes advantage of the pipeline's highly parallel computationally intensive tasks which usually are calculated in series by a system processor. DARTS hopes to increase the obtainable control loop frequency and reduce the computational latency of the RTD's RTCS. DARTS is capable of high bandwidth I/O due to the implementation of the serial Front Panel Data Port (sFPDP) industrial protocol. The hardware's I/O design is modular, allowing for the future connection of various WFSs and DMs via signal converters. Various communications architectures are suggested to allow non real-time configuration and visualisation data to flow between the wishbone control bus and a processing device, either externally or internally to the FPGA device.