YO-A Time-of-Arrival Receiver for Removal of Femtosecond Helicity-Correlated Beam Effects

The G0 parity violation experiment at Jefferson Lab is based on time-of-flight measurements, and is sensitive to timing effects between the two electron helicity states of the beam. Photon counters triggered by time-of-arrival at the target mandate that timing must be independent of delays associated with different orbits taken by the two helicity states. In addition, the standard 499 MHz beam structure is altered such that 1 of every 16 microbunches are filled, resulting in an arrival frequency of 31.1875 (31) MHz, and an average current of 40 (micro)A. Helicity correction involves identifying and tracking the 31 MHz subharmonic, applying a fast/fine phase correction, and finally producing a clean 31 MHz trigger and a 499 MHz clock train. These signals are phase-matched to the beam arrival at the target on the order of femtoseconds. The 10 kHz output bandwidth is sufficiently greater than the 30 Hz helicity flip settling time (500 (micro)s). This permits the system to correct each helicity bin for any orbit-induced timing inequalities. A sampling phase detection scheme is used in order to eliminate the unavoidable 2n/n phase shifts associated with frequency dividers. Conventional receiver architecture and DSP techniques are combined for maximum sensitivity, bandwidth, and flexibility. Results of bench tests, commissioning and production data will be presented