Speaker
Raymond Larsen
(IC Division, SLAC)
Description
The PICMG xTCA for Physics Technical Committees were approved in May 2009 so now have been operating for over five years. The major work of the PICMG MTCA.4 hardware extensions to MTCA.0, “MicroTCA Enhancements for Rear I/O and Precision Timing”, was approved in September 2011, a short time for such an extensive undertaking. This standard seems now firmly established in several labs and supporting industries. In addition software guideline tasks drafted in2009 have continued to develop slowly until a year ago. Thanks to new volunteers joining after an appeal at MTCAWS 2013, three new guidelines are very close to submittal to PICMG for approval. The hardware standard has also advanced further to include an auxiliary RTM backplane invented by the DESY XFEL team for use specifically in the Low Level RF system, but with potential applicability to many different applications; as well as protective covers for both sides of AMCs and RTMs. The status and roadmaps for these emerging standards and guidelines will be described. As new applications discover other imaginative uses for MTCA.4, the Committees anticipate fruitful work will continue well into 2015.
Primary author
Raymond Larsen
(IC Division, SLAC)
