Ametek ORTEC digiBASE User Manual
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Ametek ORTEC digiBASE User Manual

Pmt base with integrated bias supply, preamplifier, and digital multichannel analyzer for nai spectrometry and counting
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®
ORTEC
®
digiBASE
PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier,
and Digital Multichannel Analyzer
for NaI Spectrometry and Counting
User's Manual
Printed in U.S.A.
ORTEC Part No. 931003
0620
Manual Revision E

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  • Page 1 ® ORTEC ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier, and Digital Multichannel Analyzer for NaI Spectrometry and Counting User’s Manual Printed in U.S.A. ORTEC Part No. 931003 0620 Manual Revision E...
  • Page 2 NOTICE OF PROPRIETARY PROPERTY — This document and the information contained in it are the proprietary property of AMETEK Inc. It may not be copied or used in any manner nor may any of the information in or upon it be used for any purpose without the...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    TABLE OF CONTENTS WARRANTY ..............ii Safety Instructions and Symbols .
  • Page 4 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 3.1.2. Special Performance Features ........20 3.2.

  • Page 5: 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 7: Introduction

    1. INTRODUCTION ® ® The ORTEC digiBASE is a 14-pin photomultiplier tube base for gamma-ray spectroscopy applications with NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors, and accommodates virtually all 14-pin tube bases used with NaI detectors. The digiBASE combines a miniaturized preamplifier and detector high voltage (0 V to +1200 V bias) with a powerful digital multichannel analyzer and special features for fine time-resolution measurements, all incorporated into a lightweight (10.1 oz), compact (63 mm diameter ×...

  • Page 8: Host Computer And Software Requirements

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 1.1. Host Computer and Software Requirements The digiBASE is completely computer-controlled and can be operated with any suitable version of ORTEC spectroscopy software, including MAESTRO, which is supplied with the instrument. The digiBASE connects via a USB port.

  • Page 9: Getting Started

    2. GETTING STARTED 2.1. The digiBASE Figure 1 shows the digiBASE connectors on both the top and bottom panels, including the pin assignments for the TRW 3B14 socket base, which accepts JEDEC B14-38 PMT pin bases. The digiBASE is powered by the USB bus so there is no separate power supply or cord. For more information on the ENABLE INPUT and USB connector, see Chapter 3.
  • Page 10 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 ! With a 5/16-in. wrench, remove the nut on the ENABLE INPUT connector. ! With a 0.050-in. Allen wrench, remove the 4 set screws that hold the shroud in place. ! Slide the shroud off of the socket to expose the internal circuit boards.

  • Page 11: Software And Hardware Installation

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED 2.3. Software and Hardware Installation Installing the digiBASE and the MAESTRO MCA Emulation Software takes just four easy steps: 1) Install the accompanying version of the C Driver Update Kit (p/n 797230), ONNECTIONS being sure to select USB-based instruments on the Instrument Families screen. 2) Install the accompanying version of MAESTRO (A65-BW).

  • Page 12: Step 3: Connect The Digibase To The Computer

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 2.3.3. Step 3: Connect the digiBASE to the Computer 1) Attach your PMT and detector to the digiBASE. Before doing so, make sure the PMT matches the pin assignments shown in the figure above.

  • Page 13: Configuring A New Instrument

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED Figure 4. MCB Numbering and Descriptions 2.3.4.1. Configuring a New Instrument The first time a new instrument is detected, the dialog shown in Fig. 5 will remind you that all new instruments must be assigned a unique, non-zero ID number.

  • Page 14: Attaching More Than One Digibase To The Computer

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 Figure 6. Change MCB Number or Description Make the desired changes and click Close. Any changes you have made to an ID number or description will then be written back to the corresponding MCB.

  • Page 15: Additional Notes

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED disconnect the digiBASE, you will see a “detector not responding” message on the status line at the bottom of the MAESTRO window. When you reconnect the digiBASE to the computer, you will have to reselect it from the detector droplist on the Toolbar. 2.4.

  • Page 16: Amplifier

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 2.5.1. Amplifier Figure 7 shows the Amplifier tab. This tab contains the controls for Gain and Shaping Time. Set the amplifier coarse gain by setting the gain jumper described in Section 2.2 to 1×, 3×, or 9×...

  • Page 17: Insight Mode

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED 2.5.2.1. InSight Mode The InSight display (Fig. 9) shows the actual sampled waveform in the digital processing units on a reference graticule. The Properties dialog remains active and can be used to change MCB settings while you are viewing the pulses.
  • Page 18 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 Figure 9. digiBASE InSight Mode The display can be switched from the digiBASE to another MCB or the buffer. In this case the other MCB will be shown in the mode selected for it. The buffer will always be shown in PHA mode.

  • Page 19: Adc

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED supports only PosBLDisc and Peak. Mark Types For the Mark, go to the Display/Preferences submenu and select either Points or Fill All. This choice does not change the histogram appearance in PHA mode. No channels are marked in the display. None This shows when the positive baseline discriminator PosBLDisc...

  • Page 20: Stabilizer

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 If set to Coincidence, when the ENABLE INPUT is low, real time and live time operate nor- mally, but no counts are stored in memory. If the ENABLE INPUT is high, normal acquisition occurs.

  • Page 21: High Voltage

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED dialog, the stabilizer will stay enabled even if the power is turned off. When the stabilizer is enabled, the Center Channel and Width cannot be changed. 2.5.5. High Voltage Figure 13 shows the High Voltage tab, which allows you to turn the high voltage on or off;...

  • Page 22: Status

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 2.5.7. Status Figure 15 shows the Status tab. The Enable Counter functions when the Gate function on the ADC tab is set to Event and the digiBASE is actively acquiring data in a spectrum.

  • Page 23: Troubleshooting

    931003E / 0620 2. GETTING STARTED The values of all presets for the currently selected MCB are shown on the Status Sidebar. These values do not change as new values are entered on the Presets tab; the changes take place only when you Close the Properties dialog.
  • Page 24 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 25: Specifications

    3. SPECIFICATIONS 3.1. Performance Conversion Gain 1024 channels. Coarse Gain Gain settings of 1, 3, and 9, controlled by jumper setting as described in Section 2.2. Factory setting is 1×. Fine Gain 0.4–1.2. Integral Nonlinearity ±0.05% over the top 99% of the range. Differential Nonlinearity ±1% over the top 99% of the range.

  • Page 26: Inputs

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 3.1.1. Inputs ENABLE INPUT The SMA connector accepts a TTL signal, the function of which depends on the Gate setting on the ADC tab under Acquire/MCB Properties... in MAESTRO. ! When set to Enable, if the ENABLE INPUT is low (<0.8V), real time, live time, and data acquisition are stopped.

  • Page 27: Computer Controls And Indicators

    931003E / 0620 3. SPECIFICATIONS Number of List Mode Units per Computer When multiple units are used in a list mode application, the limited bandwidth of the USB bus sets a practical limit on the number of units that can send data to a single computer. The total data rate of all units should be kept less than 200 kcps.

  • Page 28: Feature Mask Bits

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 3.4. Feature Mask Bits The following table describes the feature bits from the SHOW_FEATURES command discussed on page 34. If the feature is supported in the digiBASE, the bit is set to 1; if the feature is not supported, the bit is 0.
  • Page 29 931003E / 0620 3. SPECIFICATIONS Software-selectable DPM address (SET_DPM_ADDR) Multiple devices (e.g., 919) Software-selectable ADC gate mode (SET_GATE...) Software-downloadable firmware Time histogramming functions available (e.g., 9308) Software-selectable lower level discriminator Software-selectable upper level discriminator MCS-mode SCA input available MCS-mode positive TTL input available MCS-mode fast-negative NIM input available MCS-mode discriminator input available Software-switchable MCS-mode discriminator edge...
  • Page 30 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 External dwell support (ENA/DIS_DWELL_EXT) Selectable SUM or REPLACE MCS modes (ENA/DIS_SUM) External start of pass support (ENA/DIS/SHO_START_EXT) Explorable with MCS list commands (LIST_SOURCE, LIST_LLSCA, LIST_ULSCA) Device supports the MDA preset Software-selectable ADC type (Matchmaker)

  • Page 31: Firmware Commands And Responses

    4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Most software communication with the digiBASE will take place through the C ONNECTIONS software layer. C is used by all ORTEC software and can be accessed for other ONNECTIONS ® software development with our C Programmer’s Toolkit with Microsoft ActiveX ONNECTIONS Controls (A11).

  • Page 32: Dollar Response Records

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 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 Invalid second parameter Invalid third parameter...

  • Page 33: Mcb Commands

    931003E / 0620 4. 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 34 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 CLEAR_ALL This command clears all spectrum channels, presets, and ROIs. It is equivalent to the combination of CLEAR_COUNTERS, CLEAR_DATA, CLEAR_PRESETS, and CLEAR_ROI commands. CLEAR_COUNTER Sets the live time and true time counters to zero.
  • Page 35 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES ENABLE_HV Turns on the high-voltage enable output of the digiBASE and sets the HV to the target HV value. See also DISABLE_HV and SHOW_HV. ENABLE_ZERO_STABILIZATION Enables the stabilization of the zero peak. See also DISABLE_ZERO_STABILIZATION, SHOW_ZERO_STABILIZATION, and INITIALIZE_ZERO_STABILIZATION.
  • Page 36 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 LIST_GATE Lists the various ways the GATE (ENABLE on the digiBASE) can be used. Response: GATE Off Coincidence Enable Event LIST_HV Lists the valid high-voltage settings. digiBASE accepts HV values between 0 and +1200 V in 960 steps (1.25 V/step).
  • Page 37 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_GAIN_CHANNEL chan Sets the center channel for the stabilizer gain peak. If a gain channel is chosen such that the beginning channel or ending channel would be below channel 0 or above the maximum channel as determined by the conversion gain, the gain peak width is reduced until the peak fits the device boundaries.
  • Page 38 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 SET_MODE_LIST Puts the unit in List mode as opposed to InSight or PHA Mode. In List mode, individual peak values are stored along with the time the pulse arrived are stored and transferred to memory. See SET_MODE_PHA and SET_MODE_SAMPLE.
  • Page 39 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SET_SHAP 2 Sets the shaping time to 1.25 ìs SET_SHAP 3 Sets the shaping time to 1.5 ìs SET_SHAP 4 Sets the shaping time to 1.75 ìs Sets the shaping time to 2 ìs SET_SHAP 5 SET_TRIG_SAMPLE setting Selects the triggering source in InSight Mode.
  • Page 40 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 SET_ZERO_WIDTH chans Sets the width in channels for the stabilizer zero peak. The width must be chosen such that the beginning channel is no lower than channel 0 and the ending channel is no higher than the maximum channel as determined by the conversion gain.
  • Page 41 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_GAIN_CHANNEL Reports the current center channel for the stabilizer gain peak or zero if the gain channel has not been set. See also SET_GAIN_CHANNEL. Responses: $C00000087<CR> Gain channel has not been set. $C00002089<CR>...
  • Page 42 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 Example Responses: $F0OFF<CR> Gate disabled. $F1COIN<CR> Gate set to coincidence mode. Low during peak detect rejects conversions. $F2ENABLE<CR> Gate functions as ENABLE. Stops clocks and conversions when low.
  • Page 43 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Example Responses: 1000 V, negative, not overloaded, disabled. $D0100000003077<CR> $D0100000002076<CR> 1000 V, positive, not overloaded, disabled. $D0100000007082<CR> 1000 V, negative, not overloaded, enabled. SHOW_INTEGRAL [start_chan,number_of_chans] Reports the sum of the specified group of spectral data channels. If start_chan and number_of_chans is not provided, SHOW_INTEGRAL reports the sum of all channels in the currently selected segment that have their ROI flag set.
  • Page 44 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 Responses: $C00050092 The LLD is 50. SHOW_MODE Reports mode of operation (List, PHA, or Sample [InSight]). Response: PHA mode. $FPHA<CR> $FLIS<CR> List mode. $FSAM<CR> Sample (InSight) mode.
  • Page 45 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES SHOW_PEAK This command returns the contents of the ROI channel with the largest number of counts. An ROI channel is a channel that has the ROI flag set. The maximum possible value is 2147483647, which is the maximum number of counts that can be stored in a 31-bit channel.
  • Page 46 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 SHOW_ROI_SAMPLE Displays the ROI Sample setting. See also SET_ROI_SAMPLE. Response: $C00001088 SHOW_SEG Returns the current segment number. Always 1 for the digiBASE. SHOW_SHAP Displays the shaping time as an index into the list returned by LIST_SHAP. Responses: First shaping time selected (0.75 ìs) $C00000087...
  • Page 47 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Bit 8: Unused Bit 9: Unused Bits 10B14: Unused Reserved Bit 15 (MSB): SHOW_TIME_SAMP Reports the number of microseconds per channel in InSight mode (See SET_MODE_SAMP). SHOW_TRUE Reports the contents of the true-time counter in units of 20 ms (50 ticks/s). See also CLEAR_COUNTERS and SET_TRUE.
  • Page 48 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 SHOW_ULD Returns the value of the ULD, in channels, as a $C record. Example Responses: $C01023093 The ULD is 1023 (the maximum setting for the digiBASE). SHOW_VERSION Reports the digiBASE firmware version number in the form Fmmmm-vvv<CR>...
  • Page 49 931003E / 0620 4. FIRMWARE COMMANDS AND RESPONSES Responses: Zero stabilization is currently enabled. $IT<CR> $IF<CR> Zero stabilization is currently disabled. SHOW_ZERO_WIDTH Reports the current width for the stabilizer zero peak. See also SET_ZERO_WIDTH, SET_ZERO_CHANNEL, and SHOW_ZERO_CHANNEL. Responses: $C00001088<CR> Zero width has not been set. Zero width is 3 channels (lowest possible width).
  • Page 50 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 [Intentionally blank]...

  • Page 51: Appendix A. List Mode

    APPENDIX A. LIST MODE The digiBASE is equipped with List Mode, which streams spectroscopy data directly to the computer, event-by-event, without the data “dead periods” associated with the acquire-store- clear-restart cycle of standard spectrum acquisition. MAESTRO v7 supports our List Mode MCBs with menu and toolbar commands, as well as commands in our automated JOB streams.

  • Page 52: Throughput Issues

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 A.2. Throughput Issues In List Mode, each event received by the detector results in the transmission of a 32-bit data word to the computer. In extreme situations with multiple digiBASEs connected to a single com- puter, the data rate can overwhelm the computer.

  • Page 53: Format Of Stored Data

    931003E / 0620 APPENDIX A. LIST MODE collecting and storing list data in the file . Acquisition will stop when you click TESTDATA.BIN Stop. The right-hand column is a status screen that shows statistics about the acquisition in progress. Figure 17. List Mode Example Program A.3.3.

  • Page 54: Source Code

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 When multiple digiBASEs are selected, each successive “packet” rotates between the selected units. For example in the previous example file, if two digiBASEs are involved in the acquisi- tion, the first 16 bytes came from the first digiBASE, the next 8 bytes came from the second, the next 32 came from the first, and so on.

  • Page 55: Start_Click

    931003E / 0620 APPENDIX A. LIST MODE MCBs connected to the computer. This code gets the names out of that list and puts them in the list box on the form (lstMCBs). A.3.4.3. START_CLICK The START_CLICK function is the heart of the data collection. This function is executed in response to clicking the Start button on the form.
  • Page 56 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 For i = 1 To lstMCBs.ListCount If lstMCBs.Selected(i - 1) Then uConn21(i - 1).Comm “START” End If Next i ‘ ‘ Loop Collecting data ‘...

  • Page 57: Stop_Click

    931003E / 0620 APPENDIX A. LIST MODE The function begins by clearing out the status box on the form. It then enters a for…next loop that creates a connection control for each digiBASE that has been checkmarked in the list box. Each digiBASE is interrogated and its version and serial number are displayed in the status box (rtbStatus).

  • Page 58: Preparemcb

    ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 A.3.4.5. PrepareMCB Sub PrepareMCB(Index) uConn21(Index).Comm “STOP” uConn21(Index).Comm “CLEAR” uConn21(Index).Comm “SET_MODE_LIST” End Sub This function sends the commands to prepare the digiBASE to collect List data. STOP stops and acquisition in progress.

  • Page 59: Index

    INDEX About tab ......15 Acquisition presets ..... . . 16 live-time .
  • Page 60 ® digiBASE PMT Base with Integrated Bias Supply, Preamplifier and Digital Multichannel Analyzer 931003E / 0620 [Intentionally blank]...

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