Fiber optic taper (FOP) array coupled digital x-ray detector can be an ideal choice for large area high resolution
x-ray imaging, but its data acquisition system is a challenge, for the reasons such as restrictions of hardware design due to
the shape of the FOP array, long distance control requirement in x-ray environment, and arrangement of data transmission
sequence among multiple CCD/CMOS image sensors. A FPGA and ARM based data acquisition system for 2×2 FOP array
coupled x-ray detector was implemented in this paper. We have finished all the procedures involving the data acquisition
system, including hardware and PCB design, FPGA design, ARM and PC software development, and so on. The data
acquisition process operates in parallel during parameters setting, 4 CMOS image sensors (LUPA-4000) timing driving,
and DDR2 SDRAM data buffering, while it works in series when sending data from each FPGA to ARM and from ARM
to PC. Experimental results showed that the data acquisition system worked steadily, and whole images of a custom-built
calibration plate were achieved by butting images of the four individual CMOS image sensors’ in visible light test environment.
This work could be a valuable foundation for realization of all kinds of FOP array coupled digital x-ray detectors.
Tests of a prototype multiplexed fiber-optic ultra-fast FADC data acquisition system for the MAGIC telescope