dp5
Amptek DP5/PX5/DP5G/MCA8000D MCA products
INTRODUCTION
This help file describes the spec support for the Amptek DP5, PX5, DP5G and MCA8000D (and products derived from those) using Amptek's version 6 firmware. In the following text, although DP5 is named explicitly, the descriptions apply to all the above models.
The spec support for the DP5 is available over serial, USB and ethernet interfaces.
Not all functionality available on the DP5 is currently included in the spec support. If a missing feature is needed, please contact CSS.
CONFIGURATION
The DP5 is configured on the MCA and Image Acquisition screen of the the configuration editor along the following lines:
MCA (1D) and Image (2D) Acquisition Device Configuration MCA-like DEVICE ADDR <>MODE <>TYPE 0 YES /dev/ttyS1 <> 115200 Amptek DP5 (FW6) (Serial) 1 YES 9467 Amptek DP5 (FW6) (USB) 2 YES 192.168.1.13 Amptek DP5 (FW6) (Socket)
For the serial interface, spec sets the baud rate to 115200 when initializing the device no matter what baud rate is set in the config file, since the device only works at 115200 baud.
With the USB interface, the ADDR field can optionally be set to the module's serial number, which is useful if more than one DP5 is connected via USB. Otherwise it is not possible to distinguish one from the other in the configuration. If the ADDR field is zero, the modules are assigned in the order in which they are discovered on the USB interface, which works fine if there is just one module.
For the socket interface, the DEVICE field contains a resolvable hostname or an IP address. The port number can be optionally appended with a colon, as 192.168.1.13:10001. If missing, the default port, 10001 is used. One can set the DP5 IP address using the "ethernet" option to mca_par() as described below.
Note, the DP5 firmware requires a 15 second timeout period after closing the socket connection before the socket can be reopened from the same IP address. Normally spec's reconfig command closes and reinitializes sockets connections. For the DP5, spec keeps the socket connection open across a reconfig if the DP5 configuration remains unchanged. If the DEVICE string is altered or if spec is quit and restarted within 15 seconds, the DP5 socket access will fail until the timeout period on the DP5 completes. spec will detect this failure and automatically pause for the required interval.
FUNCTIONS
The standard MCA commands supported by spec are described in the mca help file. Of the standard functions, the spec MCA support for the Amptek DP5-type devices includes mca_get() but not mca_put(). In addition to the mca_par() options described below, the the standard mca_par() options "info", "chans", "max_chans", "max_channels", "disable" and "native_type" are supported.
As explained in the mca help file, when more than one MCA is configured in spec the mca_sel() command or the mca_sget() and mca_spar() commands can be used to direct commands to particular modules.
In the mca_par() options described below, the argument parsing is case insensitive. Either lower case or upper case may be used. The DP5 requires upper case for parameters sent to it. spec makes the conversion automatically.
STATE FILE
Several parameters are saved in the user state file so that the values will persist when restarting spec as the same user. The parameters that are saved are those corresponding to "npts" (the number of channels), the presets "preset_time", "preset_real", "preset_live" (for the MCA800D) and "preset_counts", and the upper and lower region-of-interest ("roi") limits. In addition, the settings for "auto_clear", "auto_run" and "soft_preset" are saved.
INTERFACE
- mca_par("ethernet")
Reads the current ethernet configuration and displays the results along the following lines:
Address: 192.168.1.13 Gateway: 192.168.1.1 Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 Port: 10001 MAC address: 00:0b:3c:5c:f7:f0When using the USB or serial interface, if the DP5 fails to detect the ethernet chip, the command will fail with the error message "CP2201 not found". The problem can usually be solved by cycling the power on the DP5.
- mca_par("ethernet", "address [, gateway [, subnet]]")
Sets the DP5 ethernet parameters for IP address, gateway address and subnet mask. Values are entered using the standard dotted-decimal notation, as shown in the previous display. The gateway and subnet mask values are optional. The gateway defaults to an address with the first three elements of the IP address with a ".1" in the fourth position. The subnet mask defaults to 255.255.255.0. The following commands would set the same parameters:
mca_par("ethernet", "192.168.1.13") mca_par("ethernet", "192.168.1.13,192.168.1.1,255.255.255.0")Note, the items in the second argument can be delimited by commas, spaces, colons or semicolons. After sending the command to set the configuration, the new configuration is read back and displayed. One would normally connect to the DP5 over the USB or serial interface to configure the ethernet settings.
OPERATION
- mca_par("clear")
- Sends commands to the DP5 to clear the spectrum and the scalers.
- mca_par("run")
- If "auto_clear" mode is set, sends commands to clear the spectrum and scalers. If a preset value is nonzero, programs the DP5 with either the preset accumulation time, the preset real time or the preset counts. Finally, sends the command to start acquisition.
- mca_par("halt")
- Sends the command to halt acquisition.
- mca_par("auto_clear" [, 0|1])
- With no arguments returns the current value of auto-clear mode. Otherwise turns auto-clear mode off or on. When auto-clear mode is on, the spectrum and scalers are cleared automatically each time an acquisition is started.
- mca_par("auto_run" [, 0|1])
- With no arguments returns the current value of auto-run mode. Otherwise turns auto-run mode off or on. When auto-run mode is on, the DP5 is started automatically with the standard spec count commands.
- mca_par("soft_preset" [, 0|1])
- With no arguments, returns the current value of soft-preset mode. Otherwise turns soft-preset mode off or on. When soft-preset mode is on in conjunction with auto-run mode, the DP5 will be programmed for the same preset accumulation time as the master timer when counting to time, or the same preset counts as the master counter when counting to preset counts. spec will include the DP5 when polling for the end of counting when soft-preset mode is on.
- mca_par("npts" [, value])
- With no arguments, returns the current number of points configured for the DP5 spectrum. Otherwise sets the number of points to value. Allowed values are 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 and 8192. Setting the DP5 number-of-channels parameter MCAC has the same effect.
- mca_par("group_size" [, value])
- Has the same meaning as "npts" above.
- mca_par("preset_time" [, value])
- With no arguments, returns the current preset acquisition time in seconds. Otherwise sets the preset acquisition time to value. The DP5 is not programmed with the value until acquisition is started.
- mca_par("preset" [, value])
- Has the same meaning as "preset_time" above.
- mca_par("preset_real" [, value])
- With no arguments, returns the current preset real time in seconds. Otherwise sets the preset real time to value. The DP5 is not programmed with the value until acquisition is started.
- mca_par("preset_live" [, value])
- With no arguments, returns the current preset live time in seconds. Otherwise sets the preset real time to value. Only available with the MCA8000D. The MCA8000D is not programmed with the value until acquisition is started.
- mca_par("preset_counts" [, value])
- With no arguments, returns the value for the current preset counts. Otherwise sets the preset counts value to value. The DP5 is not programmed with the value until acquisition is started. The preset counts are the counts accumulated in the region of interest programmed for scaler number 8.
- mca_par("roi" [, lower, upper])
- With no arguments, returns the number of channels in the current region of interest. Otherwise, sets the region of interest used with preset-counts mode. Scaler 8 of the DP5 will be programmed with the region-of-interest values when acquisition is started.
- mca_par("roi", "lower"|"upper" [, value])
- With the argument "lower" or "upper", returns the associated region-of-interest limit. With a third argument, sets the associated region-of-interest limit to value and returns the number of channels in the current region-of-interest.
- mca_par("autoset_input_offset")
- Sends the autoset input offset packet to the DP5.
- mca_par("autoset_fast_threshold")
- Sends the autoset fast threshold packet to the DP5.
STATUS
- mca_par("status")
Reads the status packet from the DP5 and displays elements of the status as shown:
DP5: s/n 9467 FPGA version: 6.1 Firmware: 6.6.9 Fast count: 0 Slow count: 9502 GP count: 0 MCA enabled: No Accumulation time: 4.999 sec Live time: 4.999 sec Real time: 5 sec Preset count reached: 0 Preset real reached: 1 Oscope data rdy: 0 Auto Fast Threshold: not locked Auto Input Offset: locked Unit configured: yes FPGA clock: 20MHz Clock set by auto: no Board Temp: 43C Detector Temp: 0.0K Detector HV: 0V List-mode clock: 1us List-mode sync: INT- mca_par("slow_counts")
- Reads the status packet and returns the current value for slow counts. The DP5 documentation says, "Slow counts are counts from the slow (shaped) channel. Any event that is counted in the spectrum is also counted here."
- mca_par("elapsed_counts")
- Reads the status packet and returns the same value as returned by the "slow_counts" option.
- mca_par("fast_counts")
- Reads the status packet and returns the current value for fast counts.
- mca_par("elapsed_time")
- Reads the status packet and returns the elapsed (accumulation) time in seconds.
- mca_par("live_time")
- Reads the status packet and returns the live time in seconds.
- mca_par("real_time")
- Reads the status packet and returns the real time in seconds.
- mca_par("diagnostic")
Reads the DP5 diagnostic packet and displays the results along the following lines:
FPGA version: 6.1 Firmware: 6.6 DP5 Temp: 43.595C PWR: 5.044V 3.3V: 3.279V 2.5V: 2.492V 1.2V: 1.199V +5.5V: 5.488V -5.5V: -5.463V An_In: 1.728V Vref_In: 1.423VNote, the DP5 takes up to 2.5 seconds to respond to a diagnostic packet request.
PARAMETERS
The DP5 has many parameters and spec offers many methods for accessing the parameters.
- mca_par("pars")
Displays a table containing a description, the name and the current value for all the available parameters, along the lines of the following:
DPP Device Type: DP5 Description Name Value MCA/MCS number of channels "MCAC": 1024 Threshold for shaped channel "THSL": 4.003% Preset acquisition time "PRET": OFF Preset counts "PREC": OFF Preset counts low threshold "PRCL": 0 Preset counts high threshold "PRCH": 8191 Preset real time "PRER": OFF Gate control "GATE": OFF Peak detect mode "PDMD": NORM Set spectrum offset "SOFF": OFF Low-level discriminator "TLLD": OFF MCA input source "MCAS": NORM MCS timebase "MCST": 0.000s MCS low threshold "MCSL": 0 MCS high threshold "MCSH": 8191 Peaking time "TPEA": 8.000us Flat top width "TFLA": 2.000us Pile-up reject interval "PURE": OFF Threshold for fast channel "THFA": 80.000 Fast channel peaking time "TPFA": 400ns BLR down correction "BLRD": 2 BLR up correction "BLRU": 1 Baseline restorer "BLRM": 1 20MHz/80MHz "CLCK": 20MHz Risetime discrimination "RTDE": OFF RTD threshold "RTDT": 0.000% RTD sensitivity "RTDS": 0% Non-trapezoidal shaping "CUSP": 0% Total gain "GAIN": 3.000 Coarse gain "GAIA": 2 Fine gain "GAIF": 1.2043 Input offset "INOF": DEF Analog input "AINP": NEG Detector reset lockout "RESL": OFF Turn supplies on/off at power up "BOOT": OFF DAC output "DACO": SHAPED DAC offset "DACF": 199mV Auxiliary output 1 "AUO1": ICR Test pulser "TPMO": -S Auxiliary output 2 "AUO2": ICR GP counter edge "GPED": FA GP counter uses MCA enable "GPME": ON GP counter gate enable "GPGA": ON GP counter clear with MCA clear "GPMC": ON GP counter input source "GPIN": AUX1 Scope trigger edge "SCOE": RI Scope trigger position "SCOT": 87% Digital scope gain "SCOG": 1 SCA pulse width "SCAW": 100ns- mca_par("par_options")
Displays a table containing a description, the name, the current value and the options for parameter values for all the available parameters, along the lines of the following:
MCA/MCS number of channels "MCAC": 1024 256|512|1024|2048|4096|8192 Threshold for shaped channel "THSL": 4.003% ##.###[%] Preset acquisition time "PRET": OFF ########.###[s]|OF|OFF ...Vertical bars separate valid options. The # characters indicate the range of number values. Unit strings shown in square brackets are optional.
- mca_par("par_array")
- Returns an associative array indexed by the four-letter parameter names with each element containing the parameter value. Elements will be string valued or number valued, as appropriate.
- mca_par("save_config", filename)
- Reads the current parameter values from the DP5 and writes them to filename using the Amptek parameter-file format.
- mca_par("read_config", filename)
- Reads parameter values from the given filename, which must be in the Amptek parameter-file format, and programs the DP5 with those values.
- mca_par("read_config2", filename)
- As above, but programs the DP5 one parameter at a time. The method takes longer, but if there are error messages from the DP5 due to a parameter value, the error message will be associated with the particular parameter.
- mca_par("set_config")
- Programs the DP5 using the current values for all the parameters. This command should not be needed, as the DP5 is programmed with each parameter as it is set and when values are read from a parameter file.
- mca_par("set_config2")
- As above, but programs the DP5 one parameter at a time. The method takes longer, but if there are error messages from the DP5 due to a parameter value, the error message will be associated with the particular parameter.
- mca_par(parameter [, value])
- Sets or reads a single DP5 parameter. The parameter name is the first argument to mca_par(). If only one argument, the current value is read from the DP5 and returned. If the second argument is a valid parameter, the DP5 is programmed with that value.
- mca_par(parameter, "syntax")
- Returns the syntax options for the specified parameter.
- mca_par("reset")
- Sends the command to reset the DP5 configuration to default values. Note, though, spec will reprogram the number of channels parameters "MCAC" to the value it had prior to the reset command.
- mca_par("send", command)
Sends the parameter configuration command directly to the DP5. The only time this command might be useful is if a new parameter not recognized by spec is added to the DP5 firmware. Usage would be:
mca_par("send", "GATE=OFF")- mca_par("read", command)
Can be used to read a parameter value directly from the DP5. The only time this command might be useful is if a new parameter not recognized by spec is added to the DP5 firmware. Usage would be:
print mca_par("read", "GATE")
SCALERS
Each of the 16 scalers can be programmed for an lower and upper region of interest. The scalers will accumulate counts that fall within that region. Scaler 8 is special in that its region of interest values are programmed to the region of interest set with the mca_par("roi") command when using preset-counts mode.
- mca_par("scalers")
- Reads the current scaler values and displays a list of current value, region of interest lower and upper limits and output state for each of the scalers on the device.
- mca_par("scaler_array")
- Reads the current scaler values and returns a 16-element data array (unsigned long) containing the data.
- mca_par("scaler#")
- Reads and returns the current scaler value for scaler number #, where # is from 1 to 16.
- mca_par("scaler#", "lower" [, value])
- Sets or reads the lower region of interest limit for scaler number #, where # is from 1 to 16.
- mca_par("scaler#", "upper" [, value])
- Sets or reads the upper region of interest limit for scaler number #, where # is from 1 to 16.
- mca_par("scaler#", "output" [, value])
- Sets or reads the output configuration for scaler number #, where # is from 1 to 8. The value argument can be "OFF", "LOW" or "HIGH".
DIGITAL OSCILLOSCOPE
- mca_par("arm_scope")
- Sends the command to arm the digital oscilloscope.
- mca_par("scope")
- Reads and returns the oscilloscope data as a 2048 element ushort data array.
- mca_par("scope_rearm")
- Reads and returns the oscilloscope data as above and rearms the digital oscilloscope.