MicroTCA is a modular high performance system

Shelfs for 1 ... 12 AMC modules are available.

Many possible combinations of front (AMC) and rear (RTM) modules saves development time.

Wide application rage form simple digital to 10 GSPS ADC.

Redundant fans and power supplies are foreseen.

Complete remote and local management.

State-of-the-art high speed data transfer.

Excellent analog signal quality.

Integrated Ethernet, PCIe, colck, trigger and interlock distribution.

AMC: Advanced Mezzanine Card; RTM: Rear Transition Module

High performance backplane communication

All backplane communication is based on differential gigabit links.

Ethernet to all AMCs.

PCIe gen 3 with 4 lanes to all 12 AMCs (3.9 G Bytes/s per slot).

Clocks with a star topology between AMCs and MCH.

Point-to-point links for FPGA direct communication between AMCs.

MLVDS bus lines to all AMCs used for e.g. tiggers and interlocks.

A MicroTCA crate with an optional backplane for rear modules

To build very compact systems a second backplane between RTM modules can be used. This patented second backplane is fully managed like the standard front backplane. In XFEL it is used to distribute RF signals to the down converters on the RTMs. It provides a better signal stability compared to an external cable solution for high precision RF with phase jitters in the order of a few fs. Optional power supplies on the rear side can deliver additional voltages and provide more power to the RTM modules.

High performance Radio Frequency controls

← The front side with fiber links to the central timing and for the machine protection system, and an Ethernet cable connected to the MCH.

The rear side of the MicroTCA crate with the cable connections to the probes and forward and reflected power signals of the cavities →

This MicroTCA shelf controls two independent RF systems with 8 cavities each of the XFEL injector.