Signal recovery/analysis system

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ChristofferBraestrup
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:47 am
Real name: Christoffer Braestrup

Signal recovery/analysis system

Post by ChristofferBraestrup »

I finally got around to racking all of my analysis and signal recording gear in a neat rack.

I wanted to be able to monitor all my larger-scale scientific experiments at a distance, in a different room, in part because it would be neat, in part because my high vacuum setup is pretty loud.

Either way, this rack features a NIM bin, with whatever one might want to put in it, a DOS PC running a Canberra Accuspec-A ADC/MCA card for partitcle spectroscopy/MCS and possibly TOF-MS use.
I was able to fit an 1U rack drawer for short cables and adapters/terminators.

On top is a Brüel & Kjær X-Y chart recorder, and below the NIM bin is an Oxord Cryosystems slow voltage sweep generator (electromechanical! Litterally a motor and gearbox turning a potentiometer!) to serve as either timebase for the chart, RF sweep, or as magnet field sweep source.

Not shown but installed is an Ortec/Brookdeal 9402 lock-in amplifier.

I am still debating with myself whether or not I should add my planned vacuum diagnostics system, complete with pirani/penning gauge drivers, vent solenoid drivers, data-logging, and safety interlocks, or this should go in its own rack.
SRRACK1.jpg
SRRACK DONE.jpg
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Maciek Szymanski
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Real name: Maciek Szymański
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: Signal recovery/analysis system

Post by Maciek Szymanski »

Beautiful. Expect that I would prefer a green or amber CRT monitor :-)
“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Dennis P Brown
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Re: Signal recovery/analysis system

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Very professional system (circa 1970's) especially with that analog plotter - love it. Takes me back to my lab days.

Having all systems/controls/readouts in one location is very useful for fusor control I've found. But triming the power, vacuum and gas inlet is tricky for an operating fusor if there is a delay in input response so not sure if it matters if all instrucments/control;s on one common panel.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Signal recovery/analysis system

Post by Richard Hull »

If you have seen my setup and those of others here, most all controls for the fusor should be in one panel and easy to reach during actual operation of the fusor. There is little need for a gamma spectrometer at the fusor. It can be placed anywhere as it is not involved with the fusor operations at all.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
ChristofferBraestrup
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:47 am
Real name: Christoffer Braestrup

Re: Signal recovery/analysis system

Post by ChristofferBraestrup »

The MCA is set up as a gamma spectrometer at the moment, but for actual experiments, it can serve a multitude of purposes.

Both for photoemmision EDX spectroscopy, and with a TAC converter as a TOF detector.

For high voltage in high vacuum environments It can also just be left running in MCS mode to quantify escaping bremsstahlung.

I'm considering a separate rack for actual instrumental control, vacuum subsystems, mass flow controller interfacing, so forth but maybe I'll build them together at some point.

Maciek, I'm still on the lookout for rack-mountable monitors!
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