DigiBASE-E-High-Performance-Digital-Gamma-Spectrometer0 pages

ORTEC®
digiBASE-ETM
High-Performance, Digital Gamma Spectrometer
A Complete, All-in-One, High Performance
Digital Gamma Spectrometer in a PMT Base
for Scintillation Detectors.
• All-in-one solution for scintillation spectroscopy in a 14-pin tube base
based on high performance digital signal processing, suitable for
most 10-stage PMTs.
• Ideal for most types of scintillation detectors, including NaI(Tl),
LaBr3(Ce), etc.
• Integral preamplifier, HV, and digital MCA.
• Stable up to high count rates; HUGE maximum throughput1
~200k cps at ~530k cps input count rate.
• PHA and List Mode data acquisition plus 32-bit counter input.
• Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) makes for ease of system implementation
in networks and other applications. (Standard RJ45 connector).
• Flexible gating and synchronizing of multiple spectrometers.
• Industry Standard TCP/IP protocol compatible with most networks and routers.
The digiBASE-E is a complete spectroscopy solution for most scintillation detectors. It comprises, high voltage, digital signal
processing of the detector pulse stream and high performance MCA functionality all within a standard 14-pin PMT base. Connection to
the controlling PC is easy; the integral Ethernet RJ45 connector features Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) allowing a simple single cable
connection. A flexible system of gating logic facilitates configuration of multiple units as part of an integrated system where time
synchronicity is needed. The digiBASE-E is therefore ideal for remote monitoring applications and detector networks and arrays.
Various scintillators can be used with the digiBASE-E. NaI(Tl) detectors have been historically the most popular, but digiBASE-E is
also compatible with the newer “lanthanum halide” scintillators such as LaBr3(Ce), which are growing in popularity.
Flexible Acquisition Modes
Both the familiar Pulse Height Analysis (PHA) acquisition mode and List Mode Acquisition are provided in the digiBASE-E.
In list mode, each (gamma ray interaction) event is recorded both with energy (as in PHA mode) and with time of occurrence (not
recorded in PHA mode). This mode of data collection means that the data set can be sorted on the basis of both time and energy.
This has proven invaluable in many applications such as homeland security, where, for example, a source is moving relative to a
detector. Data without the source present may be discarded on the basis of time of occurrence, potentially enhancing signal-to-noise.
In addition to PHA and List Mode an external input allows the digiBASE-E to perform as a 32-bit counter.
Flexible Gating
In measurement systems employing multiple detectors, there is often a need to synchronize data acquisition (for example in a mobile
gamma-ray search system the data from all detectors must be correlated to correctly map out the activity distribution over an area).
DigiBASE-E provides flexible gating features; events from multiple spectrometers may be correlated to within <100-milliseconds.
This is achieved by the use of a gate input and a gate output.
The gate input can accept multiple signal types, which can be enabled from the MAESTRO-32 MCA emulation program (supplied) or
from a user program. (Command syntax is provided in the documentation.) Gate input modes are:
1. Coincidence Gate mode. In this mode, during acquisition, the gate is only open to the passage of data when this input is “True.”
2. Trigger mode (“ACQ gate”). In this mode, application of a “True” pulse to the gate will start data acquisition.
3. EVENT GATE mode. Here, when in PHA mode the presence of a “True” level will result in data being routed to an alternate spectral
memory.
4. List Mode Event Gate. In this mode the presence of a TRUE level at the gate input will result in the associated list mode event(s)
receiving a data tag.
1Actual maximum depends on the scintillation detector used; peaking time (Rise Time + Flat Top) should not be less than ~4 X the light collection time
of the scintillator; i.e. NaI should not be less than about ~1-microsecond.