Implementation of the Electronics Chain for the Bunch by Bunch Intensity Measurement Devices for the LHC

The fast beam intensity measurements for the LHC are provided by eight Fast Beam Current Transformers (FBCT). Four FBCTs installed in the LHC rings are capable of providing both bunch-by-bunch and total turn-by-turn beam intensity information. A further four FBCTs, two in each of the LHC dump lines, are used to measure the total extracted beam intensity. In addition to providing intensity information the ring FBCTs also send signals to the machine protection system. This increases the complexity of both the RF front-end and the digital acquisition parts of the signal processing chain. The aim of this paper is to discuss the implemented hardware solution for the FBCT system, in particular with respect to the signal distribution, FPGA signal processing, calibration, and interaction of the FBCTs with the machine protection chain.