Timing System Solution for MedAustron; Real-time Event and Data Distribution Network

MedAustron is an ion beam research and therapy centre under construction in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The facility features a synchrotron particle accelerator for light ions. The timing system for this class of accelerators has been developed in close collaboration between MedAustron and Cosylab. Mitigating economical and technological risks, we have chosen a proven, widely used Micro Research Finland (MRF) timing equipment and redesigned its FPGA firmware, extending its high-logic services above transport layer, as required by machine specifics. We obtained a generic real-time broadcast network for coordinating actions of a compact, pulse-to-pulse modulation based particle accelerator. High-level services include support for virtual accelerators and a rich selection of event response mechanisms. The system uses a combination of a real-time link for downstream events and a non-real-time link for upstream messaging and non time-critical communication. It comes with National Instruments LabVIEW-based software support, ready to be integrated into PXIe based front-end controllers. This article explains the high level logic services provided by the real-time link, describes the non-real-time interfaces and presents the software configuration mechanisms.