Heiko Koerte, N.A.T.
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High-energy physics: Controllers for X-ray laser accelerators
DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) - one of the world's leading particle-accelerator centers, conducting top-level international research into the fundamental relationships of matter - was tasked with finding a successor technology for its control and data-acquisition systems, which were based on VME and proprietary hardware, some of which was more than 30 years old. The main requirements: better signal quality, higher bandwidth, and support for several decades of operation, allowing for a phased migration in current installations.