Design of electronic modules for the low-level RF systems at CERN.: With particular regard to a new trigger unit for the Super Proton Synchrotron.

This report presents the work completed while the author was working for the BE-RF-FB group at the European Organization for Nuclear Research during the period of June to December 2010. The placement was completed as part of the University of Glasgow course ‘Industrial Project EE5’ which is requirement during the final year of the Degree of Master of Engineering. The report will pay particular attention to the hardware and firmware design of the ‘Dual Trigger Unit’, a new electronic module for the low-level RF system of the Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator which generates delayed timing pulses in order to trigger other hardware. In addition to this, the report will cover other projects completed during the period, including work on a prototype of the ‘VME Peak Detector’ card for the Large Hadron Collider beam observation system.