Multichannel digital phase sensitive detection using a field programmable gate array development platform

This paper describes the development and performance of digital phase sensitive detectors (PSDs) based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) logic device. A FPGA development system combined with a custom analog data acquisition board provides a powerful platform for the development of digital signal processing systems. Conventional performance metrics for digital PSDs are determined by the analog front-end devices and do not represent improvements to the PSD itself. FPGAs offer a scalable platform on which digital PSDs can be implemented with enhanced capabilities including simultaneous demodulation of multiple independent analog signals at multiple frequencies with arbitrary demodulation functions. Circuits for providing dynamic frequency tracking and ultrafine (<0.001 degrees ) phase resolution are presented.