ORTEC trans-SPEC-DX-100 User Manual
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ORTEC trans-SPEC-DX-100 User Manual

Portable integrated hpge spectrometer
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ORTEC
®
trans-SPEC
-DX-100
®
trans-SPEC
-N
®
Portable Integrated HPGe Spectrometer
User's Manual
Printed in U.S.A.
ORTEC Part No. 931042
1014
Manual Revision C

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  • Page 1 ORTEC ® trans-SPEC -DX-100 ® trans-SPEC ® Portable Integrated HPGe Spectrometer User’s Manual Printed in U.S.A. ORTEC Part No. 931042 1014 Manual Revision C...
  • Page 2 Copyright © 2014, Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. ® ORTEC is a registered trademark of Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

  • Page 3: Additional Warranty Statement

    The trans-SPEC should be opened only by ORTEC-authorized service personnel. If you have any questions about the use or maintenance of this instrument, please contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center first.
  • Page 4 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    TABLE OF CONTENTS WARRANTY ..............ii ADDITIONAL WARRANTY STATEMENT .
  • Page 6 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 3. STARTUP AND OPERATION ..........19 3.1.
  • Page 7 931042C / 1014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.1.6.6. Nuclide ROI Settings ........37 Disabling a Nuclide Report Entry .
  • Page 8 8.8. Feature Mask Bits ........... . . 71 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS . . . 77 9.1.
  • Page 9 931042C / 1014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES ....... . 93 10.1.
  • Page 10 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 11: Safety Instructions And Symbols

    Safety Instructions and Symbols This manual contains up to three levels of safety instructions that must be observed in order to avoid personal injury and/or damage to equipment or other property. These are: DANGER Indicates a hazard that could result in death or serious bodily harm if the safety instruction is not observed.

  • Page 13: Introduction

    Cooled by miniature, high-reliability mechanical cooler that runs from internal battery, supplemental external battery, line power, or automobile power outlet, all with automatic switchover. ! HPGe gamma spectrometer has 16k resolution digital electronics with ORTEC Low Frequency Rejector (LFR) digital noise filter to minimize microphonic noise.

  • Page 14: Hpge Detector

    Full hardware specifications are provided in Chapter 8. 1.1. HPGe Detector The trans-SPEC-DX-100 detector is a P-type (“ORTEC GEM”) crystal, nominally 65 mm × 50 mm. The trans-SPEC-N detector is an N-type crystal, nominally 67 mm × 69 mm. The instru- ment is cooled by a small, high-reliability Stirling cooler that draws less than 25 W when opera- ting —...

  • Page 15: Gps And Wireless Capabilities

    The trans-SPEC can be purchased with built-in global positioning (GPS) hardware. The GPS coordinates are captured at the start of each acquisition and saved in the spectrum file if you select the ORTEC file format during setup. I n t e g e r . S P C In addition, the trans-SPEC can be equipped with IEEE 802.11 wireless connectivity.

  • Page 16: Spectrum Collection, Storage, Transfer, And Viewing

    The trans-SPEC can operate for about 3 hours on the internal lithium-ion battery. The auto- mobile accessory adapters (included) allow you to use 12-V power from an automobile battery. In addition, ORTEC offers optional battery belts to extend the remote operation time. 1.4. Spectrum Collection, Storage, Transfer, and Viewing The live (currently displayed) spectrum and all the associated information are held in the spec- trometer’s memory.

  • Page 17: Spectrum Filenaming Conventions

    931042C / 1014 1. INTRODUCTION Stored spectra are retained until you delete them, even when the trans-SPEC is powered off and has been disconnected from all external and battery power. Available storage capacity depends on the computer controlling the trans-SPEC and on the capa- city of the memory card.

  • Page 18: The "Launcher" Interface For Multiple Identifier Applications

    If sub- sequent ORTEC applications are added to your instru- ment, our “Launcher” interface (Fig. 1) runs first, making it easy to switch between ORTEC identifier programs and exit to Windows Mobile.

  • Page 19: Should You Take A Computer Into The Field

    931042C / 1014 1. INTRODUCTION 1.7. Should You Take a Computer Into the Field? The trans-SPEC is designed for standalone field use. However, there are a few situations where an external computer is useful. One use is for advanced analysis of the spectra where the Nuclide Report does not show enough detail.
  • Page 20 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 21: The Trans-Spec

    2. THE TRANS-SPEC This chapter takes you through the setup and startup procedures. IMPORTANT The trans-SPEC is designed to function with the Regional Settings in Windows Mobile set to the English (United States) region and all of its default settings, as discussed in Section 6.12.
  • Page 22 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Figure 2. The trans-SPEC. ! SD Card Slot This is located on the front panel under the protective dust cover. To release the cover, press and rotate by a quarter turn the two captured, bayonet-mount screws.

  • Page 23: Connectors

    931042C / 1014 2. THE TRANS-SPEC Figure 3. The trans-SPEC Docking Station. Figure 4. PAC-II Charger, Front and Rear Panels. 2.2.2. Connectors Figure 5 shows the trans-SPEC rear-panel, including the three connectors: ! INPUT POWER — supplies external power for operating the trans-SPEC and recharg- ing the internal battery.

  • Page 24: The Touchscreen

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ! DATA — USB connector used to connect the trans- SPEC to a computer to retrieve stored spectra. ! CONTROL — USB port connects the trans-SPEC’s MCA board to a computer for use as an HPGe spec- trometer with MAESTRO.

  • Page 25: The Docking Station

    931042C / 1014 2. THE TRANS-SPEC two spacers, then insert the stud into the trans-SPEC and tighten until the hanger bracket resists rotation but still turns (do not overtighten). Figure 7. Carrying Strap Attachment. 2.3. The Docking Station The docking station houses both the charger for the trans-SPEC’s internal lithium-ion battery and two low-noise fans that assist heat exchange in the trans-SPEC.

  • Page 26: Strapping The Trans-Spec To The Docking Station

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Figure 9. Docking Station Rear Panel and AC/DC Figure 8. Docking Station Front Panel and Power Adapter. Battery Charger Cable. 2.3.2. Strapping the trans-SPEC to the Docking Station...

  • Page 27: The Automobile Accessory Adapter

    931042C / 1014 2. THE TRANS-SPEC Place the PAC-II on a hard, level surface where air can adequately circulate around it. For more information on proper placement and treatment of the docking station or PAC-II, see the setup instructions in Section 3.1.1 and the cautions in Section 3.2.1. To use the PAC-II, attach its OUTPUT cable to the trans-SPEC INPUT POWER connector, then connect either the ac or dc power cord (both supplied) to the appropriate rear-panel connector.

  • Page 28: Internal And External Power

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 2.6. Internal and External Power The trans-SPEC uses power in these ways: ! The internal battery provides approximately 3 hours of operation. The internal battery cannot be used to start the cooler or cool the detector from room-temperature; external power is required.

  • Page 29: The Internal Battery

    931042C / 1014 2. THE TRANS-SPEC When connected to an external battery, the trans-SPEC relies on external power until the exter- nal voltage drops below 9 V. It then switches to the internal battery. The instrument makes the transition smoothly, and there is no effect on the energy resolution. If you begin with both bat- teries fully charged, the sum of the two battery capacities will be achieved.
  • Page 30 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 31: Startup And Operation

    3. STARTUP AND OPERATION 3.1. Startup Before using the trans-SPEC: ! Connect it to the power adapter/charger or other external power source. This will boot up the computer, start the cooler, and start the trans-SPEC software application at the Home screen.

  • Page 32: Manually Turning The Cooler On

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 approximately 1/8th of a turn clockwise until it seats securely. The internal battery will begin charging and will typically reach full charge in 3–4 hours (well before the detector has cooled to operating temperature range).

  • Page 33: Selecting The Data Storage Location

    931042C / 1014 3. STARTUP AND OPERATION the detector crystal, regardless of whether the detector is warm, partially cooled, or cooled to operating temperature. 3.1.2. Selecting the Data Storage Location Choose the spectrum file storage location by tapping Main, Spectra, then the Data Location field.

  • Page 34: Operation Overview

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 3.2. Operation Overview This section discusses: ! Operating cautions ! Moving through the menus and screens ! Spectrum display controls 3.2.1. Cautions ! Remember that there are no user-serviceable parts inside the trans-SPEC. Opening the trans-SPEC (except the battery hatch and the SD card drive’s dust cover) voids the...

  • Page 35: Moving Through The Menus

    931042C / 1014 3. STARTUP AND OPERATION ! To avoid damaging the cooler by overheating it (and, where applicable, to comply with transportation regulations), be sure to turn the cooler off before shipping the trans-SPEC (see Section 3.1.1). The unit can be shipped as soon as the cooler is turned off; there is no need to wait until the detector warms up.

  • Page 36: Using The Controls

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ! To erase characters in an entry, tap to position the cursor then tap the <Backspace> soft key. Change the entry as needed, then tap Set.

  • Page 37: Spectrum Display Controls

    931042C / 1014 3. STARTUP AND OPERATION The spectrum display area is limited so a modified version of scientific notation is used when labeling the Y axes for numbers greater than or equal to 10,000: The number of trailing zeros in the number is replaced by “E”...

  • Page 38: Restricting Access To Advanced Settings And The Spectrum Display

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ! Clr (Unmarking ROIs) — To unmark an ROI, tap or press << or >> to position the cursor in the desired ROI, then tap Clr.

  • Page 39: Menu Commands

    4. MENU COMMANDS This chapter describes the trans-SPEC menus, commands, and status screens in standalone (ActiveSync) mode. 4.1. The Main Menu The main Menu screen is shown in Fig. 18. 4.1.1. Exit The Exit button closes the trans-SPEC application and takes you to the operating system.

  • Page 40: Enter Sample Desc

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.4. Enter Sample Desc Allows you to enter an alphanumeric identifier, up to 63 characters long, to describe the sample (Fig. 20). If you mark the Ask for Sample Description option on the Spectra Settings screen (Section 4.1.8.1), the description...

  • Page 41: Mca Settings

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS 4.1.6. MCA Settings Figure 22 shows the MCA Settings menu. Figure 22. MCA Settings. 4.1.6.1. High Voltage This dialog (Fig. 23) displays the HV on/off setting, the target and actual bias, and the live detector temperature.

  • Page 42: Amplifier

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.6.2. Amplifier Allows you to set and/or review the various amplifier settings (Fig. 24). Figure 24. Amplifier Settings. Amplifier Gain This screen (Fig. 25) allows you to adjust the amplifier gain before or during acquisition.

  • Page 43: Blr (Baseline Restorer) Settings

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS BLR (Baseline Restorer) Settings Choose a BLR setting (Fig. 26). Auto is the normal setting, Fast is typically used for high-count-rate situations, and Slow is typically for low-count-rate situations. Figure 26. Set the BLR. View Settings This displays all the current amplifier settings (Fig.

  • Page 44: Presets

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.6.3. Presets Figure 28 shows the Preset Settings menu. Live Time, Real Time, ROI Integral, ROI Peak These four preset screens all function in the same way:...

  • Page 45: Uncertainty Preset

    Section 7.2. If a particular preset is not defined, it is marked as (DISABLED). Setup can alternatively be performed with GammaVision or other ORTEC applications. Data acquisition stops when the MDAs of all of the specified peaks reach their set value.
  • Page 46 MDA calculations. The values you enter will depend on the MDA formula you are using. You can enter any coefficients here, but to have the values correspond to the MDA value calculated in GammaVision (or other ORTEC analysis applications), use the values shown on Gamma- Vision’s MDA Preset tab under Acquire/MCB Properties.

  • Page 47: View Settings

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS ! Length — Enter the number of channels for the peak region. The region should be wide enough to end in the background on the high-energy side of the peak. The three right- most channels should be background. The region should not be wider than necessary, as the unnecessary width increases the background and the MDA value.

  • Page 48: Adc Settings

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.6.4. ADC Settings The dialog is shown in Fig. 35. ! LLD — This is the lower-level discriminator. It should be set to reject any low-level noise but not any useful peaks.

  • Page 49: View Settings

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS ! Width — This is the width (in channels) of the peak region to be used. It should be only slightly wider than the peak. ! Stabilizer Enabled — When you have entered the Center and Width, tap to mark this box and enable the stabilizer.

  • Page 50: Disabling A Nuclide Report Entry

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ! Units — Reporting units for all entries in the Nuclide Report, to a maximum of 6 charac- ters. The most recently entered Units label for any ROI is used for all ROIs in the next Nuclide Report.

  • Page 51: Audio

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS 4.1.6.7. Audio Drag the slider, or tap on the desired slider position to adjust the volume for the speaker and headphones (Fig. 41). Figure 41. Audio Settings. 4.1.6.8. State of Health Shows the trans-SPEC’s current (live) diagnostic status (Fig.

  • Page 52: General Settings

    If you make a mistake, tap Clear and try again. NOTE There is no master administrator password. If you lose this password, contact your ORTEC service representative. Figure 43. General Settings. Set Admin Pwd — Setting an administrator password...

  • Page 53: Admin Mode

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS — Clear — To clear either password, open the desired screen and tap Clear then Done. It is not necessary to exit and restart the trans-SPEC application. ! If the administrator password is not set, entering the user password grants full admin- istrator access to all functions.

  • Page 54: Usb Control

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.7.4. USB Control This feature is used by the Micro-trans-SPEC and is not required for the trans-SPEC. To access the trans-SPEC’s computer for data transfer, simply connect to the computer using the rear-panel USB port labeled DATA.

  • Page 55: Editing Calibration Points

    “undo.” 4.1.7.6. Set PHA Mode Sets the operation mode to pulse-height analysis (PHA). This is only needed when the previous user disconnected from the host computer with the trans-SPEC still in the ORTEC Insight™...

  • Page 56: Status/Marker

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Virtual Oscilloscope mode (see the InSight mode discussion in the MAESTRO User’s Manual). 4.1.7.7. Status/Marker This menu (Fig. 48) accesses the Status Line and Marker Line setup screens. Figure 49 shows the Status Line, above the spectrum display, and the Marker Line just below the spectrum.

  • Page 57: Spectra

    This can be changed at any time. 4.1.8.3. File Save Format Tap to select the ORTEC Integer .Spc or ORTEC Integer .Chn spectrum file format. 4.1.8.4. Displaying a Stored Spectrum To display a stored spectrum, select the desired Data Location, then tap Display to show the list...
  • Page 58 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 it (Fig. 52). The display screen show the filename and spectrum, and provide a subset of the Home screen’s display control buttons. Figure 51. Choose the Spectrum to Figure 52.

  • Page 59: Deleting A Spectrum File

    931042C / 1014 4. MENU COMMANDS 4.1.8.5. Deleting a Spectrum File To permanently remove a spectrum file, select the desired Data Location, then tap Delete to display the list of avail- able files (Fig. 53). Tap to highlight the desired file, tap Choose, then tap Yes to confirm that you wish to delete.

  • Page 60: Turn Cooler Off/On

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 4.1.10. Turn Cooler OFF/ON This is a simple on/off toggle for the mechanical cooler (Fig. 55). The button label changes to reflect the next available action. For more information on the cooler, see Section 3.1.1.

  • Page 61: File Transfer To Computer

    Once you have downloaded the spectrum files, you . C H N can view and analyze them with ORTEC spectroscopy programs such as MAESTRO, Gamma- Vision, and ISOTOPIC. The file transfer method depends on your computer operating system and where your spectrum files are stored on the trans-SPEC.
  • Page 62 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 IMPORTANT Remember that the trans-SPEC is not to be used for purposes beyond the monitoring tasks described in the user manual, and no changes should be made to the operating system settings.

  • Page 63: Windows Xp

    931041C / 1014 5. FILE TRANSFER TO COMPUTER Figure 58. The trans-SPEC Computer’s Top-Level File Structure. 5.2. Windows XP 1) Download the free ActiveSync v4.5 or higher from the Microsoft Download Center. When download is complete, select Run. This will automatically start installation. Follow the wizard prompts and restart the computer.
  • Page 64 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 IMPORTANT Remember that the trans-SPEC is not to be used for purposes beyond the monitoring tasks described in the user manual, and no changes should be made to the operating system settings.

  • Page 65: When File Transfer Is Complete

    931041C / 1014 5. FILE TRANSFER TO COMPUTER Figure 61. Exploring the trans-SPEC Computer’s Files from the ActiveSync Window. 5.3. When File Transfer Is Complete To return the trans-SPEC to standalone service, simply disconnect it from the USB cable and navigate back to the home screen.
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  • Page 67: Troubleshooting

    ! Listen to the cooler: If you hear any unusual noises (rattling or pinging) emanating from the cooler, contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center. ! Monitor the View Status screen for the next few hours to ensure that the cooler and bias volt- age are functioning properly, and ensure that it is still calibrated.

  • Page 68: If The Trans-Spec Will Not Turn On

    If the unit fails in one or more of these respects or if any message boxes indicate a failure, con- tact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center for further assistance. Remember that there are no user-serviceable parts inside the trans-SPEC and opening the case will void the warranty.

  • Page 69: Computer

    Cool the instrument until the message disappears. The maximum operating temperature is 40EC (104EF). 6.9. If You Forgot the Administrator Password There is no master password. Contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center for assistance. 6.10. Windows Connectivity Problems...

  • Page 70: Troubleshooting Maestro-Related Problems

    You should see one or more “new hardware” bubble messages indicating the trans-SPEC was successfully detected. ! If these steps do not resolve the issue, contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center. In the meantime, if your spectrum files are stored in the instrument’s folder, you may wish to exit the program, use the computer’s File...

  • Page 71: Other Problems With The Trans-Spec

    ! Tap the upper right OK circle, then the upper right X circle to return to the Windows desktop. ! Restart the trans-SPEC application by tapping Start, Programs, trans-SPEC. For further assistance, contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center.
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  • Page 73: Calculations

    Nuclide Report at any time. The peak area calculations are the same as the cal- culations in MAESTRO and other ORTEC software, so the Report contents can be duplicated using the spectra stored in the computer. The calculated value is computed by multiplying the net peak count rate by a user-defined constant.

  • Page 74: Uncertainty

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 LiveTime is the current live time. NetCounts is computed with the following equation: GrossCounts is the sum of the counts in the ROI, excluding the first and last 3 channels of the ROI.

  • Page 75: Mda Preset Calculation

    931042C / 1014 7. CALCULATIONS EnergySlope and EnergyIntercept are the energy calibration values as entered on the touchscreen (in standalone mode) or by software (when connected to a computer). If the values are not present, the result is given in channels. 7.2.
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  • Page 77: Specifications

    8. SPECIFICATIONS Gamma-Ray Detector Internal, coaxial HPGe detector. ! trans-SPEC-DX-100 P-type high-purity germanium, 65 mm diameter × 50 mm length, nominal. — Relative efficiency: 40% typical (ANSI/IEEE 325-1996) — Resolution: 1450 eV @ 122 keV and 2.15 keV @ 1332 keV (FWHM warranted at optimum settings).

  • Page 78: Mca Specifications

    -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Digital Noise Suppression ORTEC Low-Frequency Rejector filter. 8.1. MCA Specifications Display Color LCD touchscreen provides live spectrum display, status information, and analysis results. Full Display and Zoom Modes Display of multiple ROIs.
  • Page 79 ! Fine gain: 0.45 to 1. Full-Scale Energy Range ! trans-SPEC-DX-100: With the available range of gain settings, the achievable full-scale energy range is 187 keV to ~7 MeV. ! trans-SPEC-N: With the available range of gain settings, the achievable full-scale energy range is ~40 keV to ~11 MeV.
  • Page 80 See Section 7.2 for details on the MDA preset calculation. Low Frequency Rejector (LFR) Filter The digital signal processor incorporates ORTEC’s exclusive LFR filter, designed to reduce microphonic and low-frequency periodic noise from germanium detector output signals, thereby producing significant improvement in spectral reso- lution.

  • Page 81: Trans-Spec Physical Specifications

    931042C / 1014 8. SPECIFICATIONS 8.2. trans-SPEC Physical Specifications Maximum Overall Dimensions 39.4 cm L × 16.3 cm W × 34.9 cm H (15.5 in. × 6.6 in. × 13.8 in.) including handle, Ge detector endcap, and shock absorbers. Weight 11.1 kg (24.4 lb). Maximum Shock Tolerance 20 g.

  • Page 82: Computer Prerequisites

    In addition to completely independent, standalone operation, the trans-SPEC can also be operated as a benchtop MCB, in conjunction with ORTEC spectroscopy applications such as MAESTRO, by connecting it to any computer running Windows 8, 7, or XP Professional SP3.

  • Page 83: Feature Mask Bits

    “pump and bake” of the instrument is required at an ORTEC service center. Fortunately, you can easily avoid this problem: We strongly recommend that instruments used only occasionally be turned on once a month, fully cooled to Ready status, and allowed to run for at least 48 hours.
  • Page 84 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Meaning Software-selectable manual PZ (SET/SHOW_PZ) Battery-backed, real-time clock (SHOW_DATE/TIME, SHOW_DATE/TIME_START) Sample changer support (SET/SHOW_OUTPUT, SHOW_INPUT) One-button acquisition (ENA/DIS/SHOW_TRIG_SPEC, MOVE) Nomadic (likely to move between opens) Local app data (SET_DATA_APP, SHOW_DATA_APP)
  • Page 85 931042C / 1014 8. SPECIFICATIONS Meaning SHOW_STATUS command supported (returns $M record) Overflow preset (ENA/DIS/SHO_OVER_PRES) Software-enabled, MicroNOMAD-style audio clicker (ENA/DIS_CLICK) Software-readable thermistor (SHOW_THERM) Floating-point fine gain (SET/SHO/VERI/LIST_GAIN_FINE) Software-enabled pileup rejector. (ENA/DIS/SHO_PUR, SET/VERI_WIDT_REJ) Alpha-style HV power (SHOW_HV_CURRENT) Software-readable vacuum (SHOW_VACUUM) Acquisition alarms (ENA/DIS/SHO_ALARM) Hardware acquisition trigger (ENA/DIS/SHO_TRIG) Ordinal numbers for shaping times (SET_SHAP 0, SET_SHAP 1, ...) Query gain ranges (LIST/VERI_GAIN_FINE, ..._COAR, ..._CONV)
  • Page 86 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Meaning — Monitor command support (SHOW_MONI_MAX/LABEL/VALUE) SMART-1 Detector support (SHOW_SMART_DET, SHOW_SNUM_DET, SHOW_HV_RECO) Nuclide report (SET/SHOW_NUCL_COEF, SET/SHOW_ROI_NUCL, ...) Interactive Display Features Such as Nuclide Report Advanced Stored Spectra (SH_SPEC_COUNT, SET/SHOW_SPEC_ID, MOVE)
  • Page 87 931042C / 1014 8. SPECIFICATIONS Meaning — — — — — — — — Extended feature mask available (SH_FEAT_EXT)
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  • Page 89: Using The Trans-Spec With Ortec Spectrum Analysis Programs

    SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS The trans-SPEC is intended for completely independent operation, with no external computer required. However, when you connect the CONTROL port to a computer running ORTEC spec- troscopy applications such MAESTRO or GammaVision, you can use it as a high-performance HPGe spectrometer/digital MCB.

  • Page 90: Quantitative Analysis Of Trans-Spec Spectra In Gammavision And Isotopic

    931042C / 1014 The final step is to run the MCB Configuration program according to the instructions in the MAESTRO User’s Manual to build Master Instrument List of all ORTEC MCBs accessible to the PC. To monitor the battery time remaining from within MAESTRO, go to the Status tab under Acquire/MCB Properties..

  • Page 91: Trans-Spec Mcb Properties In Maestro

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS To add the efficiency information to an existing file from a standalone trans-SPEC: . S P C ! Transfer the file from the trans-SPEC to the PC (see Chapter 5).

  • Page 92: Amplifier

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 The changes you make on most property tabs take place immediately. There is no cancel or undo option for this dialog. NOTES In MAESTRO, the Download Spectra and View ZDT Corrected commands on the Acquire menu and the Smooth and Strip commands on the Calculate menu are disabled for this instrument.

  • Page 93: Amplifier 2

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Optimize — The trans-SPEC is equipped with both automatic pole-zero logic and automatic flattop logic. The Start Auto optimization button uses these features to automatically choose the best pole zero and flattop tilt settings. During optimization, pole zeroes are performed for several rise-time values and the trans-SPEC is cycled through all the rise time values for the determination of the optimum tilt values.
  • Page 94 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 with the default value, increase the rise time for better resolution for expected lower count rates; and reduce it when unusually high count rates are anticipated, for higher throughput with some- what worse resolution.

  • Page 95: Amplifier Pro

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS 9.3.3. Amplifier PRO Figure 65 shows the Amplifier PRO tab, which contains the Low Frequency Rejector (LFR) filter control. Turning it off causes shifting and/or broadening of peaks in addition to the acquisition of noise in the lowest-energy channels.

  • Page 96: Stabilizer

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Upper Level Discriminator sets the level of the highest amplitude pulse that will be stored. This level establishes a hard upper-level cutoff, by channel number, for ADC conversions.

  • Page 97: High Voltage

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS 9.3.6. High Voltage Figure 68 shows the High Voltage tab, which allows you to turn the bias voltage off and on, and monitor the Actual bias. You cannot adjust the...

  • Page 98: About

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 9.3.8. About This tab (Fig. 70) displays hardware and firmware information about the trans-SPEC as well as the data Acqui- sition Start Time. In addition, the...

  • Page 99: Presets

    O K o r E R R ! HV Bias — in volts. ! ID Table Version — not used by the trans-SPEC. To resolve status problems, refer to Chapter 6. For further assistance, contact your ORTEC representative or our Global Service Center. 9.3.10. Presets Figure 72 shows the Presets tab.
  • Page 100 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 the Live Time preset, the low-level samples will be counted to the desired fixed live time while the very active samples will be counted for the ROI peak count. In this circumstance, the ROI Peak preset can be viewed as a “safety valve.”...

  • Page 101: Mda Preset

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Marking the Overflow checkbox terminates acquisition when data in any channel exceeds 2 (over 2×10 ) counts. 9.3.11. MDA Preset The MDA preset (Fig. 73) can moni tor up to 20 nuclides at one time, and...

  • Page 102: Nuclide Report

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 MDA; and the preset is based on counting activity (cA) instead of becquerels. You can enter the MDA preset either in counts; or corrected for factors such as sample volume, attenuation, or calculated efficiency.

  • Page 103: Add New

    931042C / 1014 9. USING THE TRANS-SPEC WITH ORTEC SPECTRUM ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Figure 74. Nuclide Report. The report format and calculations are discussed in detail in Section 7.1. 9.3.12.1. Add New ! Manual Add — Nuclides can be added to the list using the library to assist in the region definition or manually.
  • Page 104 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 105: Firmware Commands And Responses

    Most software communication with the trans-SPEC will be through the C software ONNEC TIONS layer. C is used by all ORTEC software and can be accessed for other software ONNECTIONS ® development with our C Programmer’s Toolkit with Microsoft ActiveX...

  • Page 106: Dollar Response Records

    ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Command execution error Invalid Command For macro code 129 (syntax error) or 131 (execution error), the following apply: Invalid Verb Invalid Noun Invalid Modifier Invalid first parameter...

  • Page 107: Mcb Commands

    931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES unsigned checksum of all characters on the record up to but not including the checksum characters, and <CR> represents the ASCII carriage return character. $Axxxccc<CR> xxx is a single 8-bit unsigned number. $Cxxxxxccc<CR>...
  • Page 108 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 CLEAR_ALL This command is equivalent to the combination of CLEAR_COUNTERS, CLEAR_DATA, CLEAR_PRESETS, and CLEAR_ROI commands. CLEAR_DATA The channels of spectral data in the window of interest (see SET_WINDOW command) are set to zero.
  • Page 109 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES DISABLE_BLRE_AUTOMATIC Disables the automatic determination of baseline restorer time constant. See also ENABLE_ BLRE_AUTOMATIC, SET_BLRE, and SHOW_BLRE. DISABLE_GAIN_STABILIZATION Stops stabilization of the gain peak while data is being acquired. The gain stabilization adjustment is held at its current value until either gain stabilization is reenabled with the ENABLE_GAIN_STABILIZATION command or reinitialized with the INITIALIZE_ GAIN_STABILIZATION, SET_GAIN_PEAK or SET_GAIN_WIDTH command.
  • Page 110 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ENABLE_BLRE_AUTOMATIC Enables the automatic determination of baseline restorer time constant. See also DISABLE_ BLRE_AUTO, SHOW_BLRE, and SET_BLRE. ENAB_CLICKER Turns on audio clicker. Clicker makes a “Click” sound for each predefined number of gamma rays that strike the detector.
  • Page 111 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES ENABLE_ZERO_STABILIZATION Enables the stabilization of the zero peak by the previously selected method, either Gauss mode or point mode (see SET_MODE_GAUSS and SET_MODE_POINT). See also DISABLE_ZERO_ STABILIZATION, SHOW_ZERO_STABILIZATION, and INITIALIZE_ZERO_STABILIZATION. INITIALIZE Returns the trans-SPEC to the factory default settings. INITIALIZE_GAIN_STABILIZATION Resets the gain peak stabilization adjustment to unity (no adjustment).
  • Page 112 This is used to store information in the trans-SPEC internal memory that can be used by other programs, such as sample descriptions and energy calibrations. The Unified MCB Interface (UMCBI) structure and ORTEC C make use of this feature. String1 = ONNECTIONS the data identifier, 32 bytes maximum;...
  • Page 113 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_DATE day,month,year Sets the date stored in the battery backed-up system clock to the specified values. Day can be any value from 1–31; month any value from 1–12; and year any value from 0–99. The cur- rent date and time are stored for a device when an acquisition is started.
  • Page 114 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 ADC from 15 bits (conversion gain = 16384) to 9 bits (conversion gain = 512) for the device. See also SHOW_GAIN_CONVERSION. Legal Commands: SET_GAIN_CONVERSION 0<CR> Conversion gain set to default (16384).
  • Page 115 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_ID “<id string>” Sets the sample id string. This string can be up to 16 characters long and can be set to any arbitrary value. The id string is intended to uniquely identify the sample being analyzed. The id string is also set by the BARCODE command and is stored with each spectrum acquired in field mode.
  • Page 116 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 The calculation is performed once every 30 seconds with i starting at 0 and advancing through each of up to 20 unique MDA presets. i only advances once the preset has been met.
  • Page 117 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_PEAK_PRESET count Sets the ROI peak preset to the specified count. During data acquisition when the contents of any channel of a device that has the ROI flag set reaches the peak preset count, the preset is complete and the acquisition is stopped.
  • Page 118 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 SET_SETTINGS num Determines the software mode of the identifier when connected to an analysis computer. A num value of 0 configures the instrument to operate in Detective mode, in which factory- calibrated settings (such as gain, rise time, and calibration coefficients) cannot be modified.
  • Page 119 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_TRUE ticks Sets the true-time counter to the specified number of ticks. The number represents true time in units of 20 ms (50 ticks/sec). Normally this value is set by the trans-SPEC during data acquisition.
  • Page 120 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 SET_ZERO_PRESET count Sets the Gauss mode stabilization preset for the zero peak. The preset represents the mini- mum number of incremental counts that must be collected in any one channel of the zero peak before the zero offset is evaluated by the stabilizer and potentially adjusted.
  • Page 121 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_CLICKER_SENSITIVITY Reports clicker sensitivity. Possible values are 0, 1, 2, or 3. SHOW_CONFIGURATION Returns a record that indicates the hardware configuration of the MCB. The record contains information about the number of segments in an MCB device (always 1 for the trans-SPEC), and the current conversion gain for each segment.
  • Page 122 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 SHOW_DATE Returns the day, month, and year of the current date as maintained in the battery-backed-up real time clock, in the form dddmmmyyy. The day is returned as a 3-digit integer number from 001–031, month as a 3-digit integer number from 001–012, and year as a 3-digit integer...
  • Page 123 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Example Response: FEATURES 00003741991 01082802188 00060822784 00000409097 SHOW_GAIN_ADJUST Returns the gain-stabilize amplifier setting. SHOW_GAIN_CHANNEL Reports the current center channel for the stabilizer gain peak. See also SET_GAIN_ CHANNEL. Responses: $C00000087<CR> Gain channel has not been set. $C00002089<CR>...
  • Page 124 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Sample Response: GAIN_FINE 0000000000000.5 Gain is 0.5. SHOW_GAIN_POLARITY Returns the polarity of the amplifier input as $F records. Responses: $INEG<CR> The amplifier input is set to negative.
  • Page 125 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_HV Reports the current high voltage and the status of the high voltage power supply in the form: $Dvvvvvsssssccc<CR> Where vvvvv represents the current output voltage if the high voltage is enabled, or the rear- panel high voltage setting if the high voltage is disabled.
  • Page 126 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Responses: $INEG<CR> The HV is set to negative. $IPOS<CR> The HV is set to positive. SHOW_ID Reports the sample ID string as was previously set by the SET_ID command. The sample ID string is stored with each spectrum acquired in field mode and is restored with the field mode spectral data by the MOVE command.
  • Page 127 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_LENGTH_SAMPLE Reports the number of points in the Insight Mode Waveform. Response: $C010000088 1000 points in the waveform. SHOW_LIVE Reports the contents of the live-time counter in units of 20 ms (50 ticks/s). See also CLEAR_ COUNTERS and SET_LIVE.
  • Page 128 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 SHOW_MDA_COEF Reports the current settings for coeffficients a, b, and c used for the MDA calculation. See SET_MDA_COEF. Example Responses: MDA_COEF 000000000002.71 000000000000000 00000021.700001 Coefficient a = 2.71, b = 0, and c = 21.7.
  • Page 129 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES is the number of channels in the group. If no more channels have their ROI bit set, SHOW_NEXT returns a first channel of 0 and a number of channels of 0. The SHOW_ROI command is used to report the “first”...
  • Page 130 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Responses: $G0000000000075<CR> Maximum count in an ROI channel is zero or no ROI channels were found. $G0000000001076<CR> Maximum count in an ROI channel is 1. $G2147483646120<CR>...
  • Page 131 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_ROI Used in conjunction with the SHOW_NEXT command, SHOW_ROI reports the first con- tinuous group of channels that have the ROI flag set. The response is of the form: $Dsssssnnnnnccc<CR> where sssss represents an integer number that is the number of the first channel of the “first” group of channels that all have their ROI bit set, and nnnnn represents an integer number that is the number of channels in the group.
  • Page 132 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 SHOW_SHAP_FLAT Reports the width of the flattop in µs. See also SET_SHAP_FLAT. Responses: SHAP_FLAT 0000000000001.2 SHOW_SHAP_RISE Displays the rise-time setting in µs. See also SET_SHAP_RISE. Responses: SHAP_RISE 0000000000003.2...
  • Page 133 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Bit 4: Amplifier PZ’d since initialization (0=normal, 1=needs PZ’ing) Bit 5 Optimization since initialization (0=normal, 1=needed) Bits 6–7: Unused Bit 8: Amplifier automatic PZ (1=Auto PZ in progress, 0=normal) Bit 9: Optimization (0=normal, 1=in progress) Bits 10–14: Unused Bit 15 (MSB):...
  • Page 134 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Example Responses: $N010054017052<CR> Time returned 10:54:17 (10 h, 54 min, 17 s). $N020013037050<CR> Time returned 20:13:37 (20 h, 13 min, 37 s). SHOW_TRIG_SAMPLE Reports the trigger source in Insight Mode.
  • Page 135 931042C / 1014 10. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_UNCERTAINTY Returns the current value of the uncertainty for the peak in the uncertainty preset. See also SET_UNCERTAINTY. Responses: UNCE 0000000000008.5 Uncertainty of the peak is 8.5%. SHOW_UNCERTAINTY_PRESET Returns the current uncertainty preset setting. See also SET_UNCERTAINTY_PRESET. Responses: UNCE_PRES 000000000000000 No preset.
  • Page 136 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 $C16382107<CR> Zero channel is channel 16382 (highest possible channel). SHOW_ZERO_PRESET Reports the Gauss mode stabilization preset for the zero peak. The preset represents the minimum number of incremental counts that must be collected in any one channel of the zero peak before the zero offset is evaluated by the stabilizer and potentially adjusted.

  • Page 137: Appendix K. Changing The Internal Battery

    The typical service life of the trans-SPEC internal battery is 3–5 years. When the internal battery no longer retains a charge, it must be replaced. Contact ORTEC to obtain the appropriate replacement kit. Changing the battery takes just a few minutes, so the detector does not signi- ficantly warm up during the procedure.
  • Page 138 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Figure 76. Internal Battery Pack and Connector. Figure 75. Remove the Screws from the Battery Hatch.

  • Page 139: Index

    INDEX ActiveX ....... . 3 Docking Station ......69 ADC Settings .
  • Page 140 ® ® ® ORTEC trans-SPEC -DX-100 / trans-SPEC -N User’s Manual 931042C / 1014 Touchscreen ......12 Passwords user and administrator .

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