CDF run IIb silicon vertex detector DAQ upgrade

The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) operates in the beamline of the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider at Batavia, IL. The Tevatron is expected to undergo luminosity upgrades (Run IIb) in the future, resulting in a higher number of interactions per beam crossing. To operate in this dense radiation environment, an upgrade of the CDF´s silicon vertex detector subsystem and a corresponding upgrade of its VME-based DAQ system has been explored. Prototypes of all the Run IIb SVX DAQ components have been constructed, assembled into a test stand, and operated successfully using an adapted version of the CDF´s network-capable DAQ software. In addition, a PCI-based DAQ system has been developed as a fast and inexpensive tool for silicon detector and DAQ component testing in the production phase. We present an overview of the Run IIb silicon DAQ upgrade, emphasizing the new features and improvements incorporated into the constituent VME boards and discuss a PCI-based DAQ system developed to facilitate production tests.