Hardware
Designed for spectroscopy applications, the Integrated Computer Spectrometer offers complete support for standard scintillation detectors together with multichannel scaling for decay and time related studies.
Constructed on a single PC compatible plug-in card, the multichannel analyzer contains many advanced features including computer controlled amplifier and high voltage for PM tubes, upper and lower level discriminators, on-card data memory, and a comprehensive software package for use under DOS or WINDOWS.
The ICS-10 requires only a single standard card slot and is designed for installation in most types of IBM compatible computers with a minimum of 512K of memory and EGA or VGA graphics. For stability and low noise operation, critical power is regenerated on the card from the computer power using high efficiency converters. An on-board microprocessor acts as the master controller and data storage device, as well as the communication link directly to the PC bus.
The integrated amplifier and high voltage are fully compatible with most standard scintillation detectors eliminating the need for special tube bases and external modules. For ease of setup and calibration, coarse gain, fine gain, high voltage, and lower and upper level discriminator settings are controlled directly from the PC. For operation with other types of detector systems such as alpha spectrometers or single photon counting, a selector is provided to bypass the scintillation amplifier and allow direct access to the ADC.
A 1024 channel ADC with derandomizing buffer offers excellent data throughput at high counting rates with minimal dead-time losses. Conversion gain may be changed from 1024, to 512, or 256 channels via the software. Data from the ADC is stored directly in on-board memory for autonomy and high speed operation, freeing the host PC for other tasks.
Software
The ICS-10 produces a high resolution, real-time live color display of spectral data with EGA or VGA graphics systems, running under DOS or Windows. Operation is intuitive using pull down menus and function buttons for the most commonly used commands and display options. When used in the pulse height analysis mode, the software offers full control of all features including preset live/real time, preset count, and unlimited regions-of-interest together with centroid, gross and net area calculations.
Hardware control of the amplifier, high voltage, ADC and input discriminators is also through function buttons for straightforward calibration and operation. To simplify identification of peaks, the cursor may be calibrated to read directly in energy units, using either a 2-point, or quadratic relationship to allow for detector non-linearity.
In addition to the on-board hardware data memory, the ICS-10 provides 4 hardware memory buffers for holding spectra. A background spectrum may be collected over a long counting period and stored in the Background Buffer. The computed fraction is then subtracted from the data spectrum to remove the environmental background component from each measurement. The remaining buffers may be used for temporary data storage such as when performing spectral comparisons. Spectral files may transferred to disk for long term storage as binary files or in spreadsheet compatible ASCII format for exporting to other programs.
To aid in the identification of nuclides, the ICS-10 contains a unique peak labeling feature named ISOMATCH. Providing the unit is accurately energy calibrated, the user may select a nuclide from the library and the corresponding characteristic emission lines are superimposed on the spectrum along with isotope and energy information. Using this feature, users may quickly check a spectrum and visually identify the emission components for each nuclide present.
Hardware.
Physical: Single IBM-XT compatible card includes preamplifier, amplifier, detector high voltage, 1024-channel multichannel analyzer with data memory, LLD and ULD. Fully compatible with many scintillation detectors and commercial tube bases. Data Input: BNC connector for direct connection to PMT anode signal. On-board jumper to bypass amplifier for use with positive unipolar or bipolar signals from external amplifier for alpha/beta spectrometers, 0-8volt range. HV Output: MHV (or optional SHV) connector supplies positive 0-1280volt @ 1mA maximum current to power scintillation detector. High voltage is fully regulated and computer controlled in 5volt increments. Amplifier: On-board combination preamp./amplifier for use with scintillation detectors and PMT's. Computer controlled coarse and fine gain from x2 to x1000. ADC: Wilkinson type with 80MHz clock and computer selected conversion gain of 1024. 512, or 256 channels. Direct input accepts pulse peaking times of 1sec. to 10sec. Includes dead-time correction when used in Live-time mode. LLD & ULD: Independently computer controlled in 4-channel increments over entire input range. Operates prior to ADC for reduced system dead time. Modes: MCA for pulse height analysis, or MCS for half-life decay or other time related studies. Timers: Real-time or Live-time operation selectable in 1-second increments for PHA, or dwell times from 1msec. to 60sec. per channel in MCS mode. Data Memory: On-board dynamic RAM, 4x1024 channel x 3 Bytes for data, plus region-of-interest flag. Zero Level: 10-turn potentiometer, through panel. Deadtime: System dead-time is computed and displayed on screen during acquisition. Power: +5V, 12V from computer bus. On-board regulated for stability and noise rejection.
Software.
System: Operates under DOS or Windows with 512K minimum memory requirement. Display: EGA or VGA color graphics, 350x640 pixels. Vertical scale adjust from 32 to 16M and LOG display. Horizontal 1024 channels with expansion down to 128 channels. Time Mode: Preset live-time or preset real-time selection. Both times are recorded and displayed. Count Mode: Preset count mode for selected channel or gross Region-of-Interest. ROI'S: Multiple Regions-of Interest using color coding. Integral: When cursor is in ROI, computes gross area, net area with end point averaging, centroid and FWHM. Energy Cal: 2-point linear or 3-point quadratic converts cursor position reading directly to energy units. (Time units in MCS mode.) Bkgd Buffer: Used to store background spectrum for time normalized background subtraction. Subtract: Subtracts channel-by-channel time normalized data stored in Background Buffer from display data. Data Buffers: 3 additional software buffers for storing spectra. Used with COMPARE feature. Compare: Overlays data memory spectrum with up to 3 additional spectra stored in Buffers. Smooth: 3-point, or 5-point smoothing of displayed data. Does not modify data in on-board memory. Control: Software control of High Voltage, Amplifier Gain, Lower and Upper level discriminators, and ADC Conversion Gain. File: Save or load data file and header information in binary, bit map or spreadsheet compatible formats. ROI File: Saves ROI data, centroid, FWHM, gross and net integrals, and header information in spreadsheet compatible format. ISOMATCH: Isotope library text file with peak markers and labeling for overlaying on spectrum for quick isotope identification. Library may be edited and extended using word processor or text editor programs.
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