Universal communication module based on AMC standard

The linear accelerator driving Free Electron Laser in Hamburg requires a reliable and accurate Low Level Radio Frequency control system. A VME standard is currently used to design the LLRF control of the FLASH. However, the present VME-based LLRF control system has serious drawbacks concerning reliability, upgradeability and serviceability. The Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA) and Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) standards could be more suitable for a demanding LLRF system of the XFEL accelerator. New standards offer useful features that allow enhancing the reliability and availability of the LLRF system. However, a significant number of additional features like: serial high-speed interface controllers, complex power supply units, monitoring and management systems must be implemented to take a full advantage of ATCA or AMC standards. The paper presents a universal AMC-B module that can used for a fast development of AMC-based subsystems, designed according to theAMC standard. The AMC module controlled by Xilinx FPGA, equipped with PCI Express and Rocket IO interfaces as well as Module Management Unit can be connected to AMC-A module and therefore enables fast and easy development of AMC-based systems for accelerators and telecommunication applications.