Experiment Setup|Main; Number Of Images/Spectra And Accumulations; Ccd Readout; Intensifier Gain - Princeton Instruments PI-MAX 3 System Manual

Chapter 5

Experiment Setup|Main

Typically, the first experiment setup
parameters are selected/entered on the
Experiment Setup|Main tab. These
parameters determine such things as how long
the signal of interest will be allowed to
integrate on the CCD, the number of separate
frames (denoted as images or spectra) that will
be acquired, how much of the CCD will be
used to acquired data, the intensifier gain, and
the intensifier mode. The Main parameters are
described briefly below.

Number of Images/Spectra and Accumulations

This is the number of sequential frames the software will collect and store in a single file.
Each frame will be digitized and stored, but all of the frames will be in a single file. A frame
may contain data from more than one region of interest as defined via the ROI Setup tab.
If the Accumulations > 1, each stored frame will contain summed data sets from two or
more exposures. The number of separate frames stored will the same as it would be for
Accumulations =1, but the total number of exposures required would be the product of
the Number of Images/Spectra parameter times the Accumulations value.

CCD Readout

This parameter selection determines whether the entire CCD array will be used to acquire
a frame or if only a rectangular portion (or portions) of the array will be used. When Use
Region of Interest is selected, data will be collected from the region(s) defined on ROI
Setup tab. The full chip size or the sum of the active region(s) as defined on the ROI tab
is displayed.

Intensifier Gain

The Intensifier gain provides continuous adjustment over a range of 1 to 100. Gain is
approximately proportional to the number entered. 100 is maximum gain or 100%; 1 is
approximately 1% of maximum gain. The default setting will give good results in many
applications. Gain can only be changed when acquisition is NOT occurring: you must
stop acquisition, change the gain, and then restart acquisition. We suggest beginning with
a low setting and then increasing it until optimum results are obtained.
General Operation Factors

Figure 18. Experiment Setup|Main tab

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