Page 2 - Exclusion of liability
MCA166-USB Exclusion of liability The GBS Elektronik GmbH is not liable for errors and does not guarantee the specific utility of the MCA166-USB software or firmware. In particular, the GBS Elektronik GmbH is not liable for indirect or subsequent damages due to errors of the MCA166-USB software or f...
Page 3 - Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................5 2 Hardware..........................................................................................................................6 2.1 Users saf...
Page 5 - Introduction; Automated repeated measurement functions
1 Introduction The MiniMCA MCA166-USB is a battery powered high performance 4K Multi-Channel Analyzer/Multi-Channel Scaler module comparable in its performance with laboratory grade MCA. High voltage supply for detector and preamplifier power supply are integrated as well as an internal amplifier an...
Page 6 - Hardware; Users safety information; Do Not Remove Connectors; Do not open the device before the power is switched off.; General Description
MCA166-USB 2 Hardware 2.1 Users safety information Read all these instructions first!Save these instructions for later use. Do Not Remove Connectors To avoid personal injury or damage of equipment, do not remove the connectors for the High Voltage supply, preamplifier supply, and the input connector...
Page 9 - To connect a detector; switch the device off; . Before connecting the high voltage; correct; and that the power consumption of the detector does not; exceed the maximum; The correct values for HV, polarity, and
2.2.5 Connection of detectors To connect a detector switch the device off . Before connecting the high voltage connector of the detector make sure that the built in High Voltage supply has the correct polarity and that the power consumption of the detector does not exceed the maximum value ( 0.5mA o...
Page 10 - Additional external battery pack and Power Pack; Software
MCA166-USB Typical errors which may be observed with the detector preamp signal are: ● Rise time is too slow (>0.5 µs). This may cause that the pile up rejector does not work correctly. There may be even a large amount of regular pulses rejected and especially the high energetic part of the spect...
Page 13 - MCAPlot and MCAPrint; Table 1: Supported file formats by MCAWAND; Source
3.10 MCAPlot and MCAPrint MCAPlot and MCAPrint are programs to view and print spectra recorded with the MCA166-USB. Up to 32 spectra can be viewed at the same time and be printed on one page. Also some evaluation functions are available. MCAPlot is not included in the MCA price. MCAPrint is a free d...
Page 14 - MCA166-USB parameters for use with different detectors; Table 2: Parameters for different detectors
MCA166-USB 3.13 Miscellaneous For communication and evaluation some libraries for MS Windows and Linux are available. This may help the make own application programs or to integrate the MCA166-USB in an existing system. 4 MCA166-USB parameters for use with different detectors This table shall just g...
Page 15 - Some of the most important photon energies; Table 3: Photon energies for different isotopes; Isotope
5 Some of the most important photon energies Table 3: Photon energies for different isotopes Isotope Half-life Energy (keV) Branching ratio (%) Am241 432.2y 26.34/59.54 2.4/36 Cd109 462.6d 88.03 3.63 Bi214 19.9min, daughter of Ra226 609.31 46.09 Ce139 137.64d 165.86 79.87 Co60 5.271y 1173.23/1332.49...
Page 16 - Technical Data
MCA166-USB 6 Technical Data 6.1 MCA166-USB Hardware Specifications 6.1.1 Amplifier 1. Type ● Gaussian programmable shaping amplifier with pile-up rejector and gated base line restorer 2. Gain ● From 1 ... 1000 ● Minimum gain step 0.5 channel for 2K scale ● Gain tuning under visual control of spectru...
Page 20 - Diagrams and pin connections; Figure 3: Block Diagram of the MCA166-USB
MCA166-USB 6.2 Diagrams and pin connections Figure 3: Block Diagram of the MCA166-USB 20
Page 22 - Troubleshooting; Switch on the MCA
MCA166-USB 7 Troubleshooting General Remark:Before changing anything concerning the hardware, plugging or pulling cables etc. shut down the high voltage and switch off the MCA.Soldering or manipulating with the SMD boards is strongly not recommended for users. We have specialists for that. If you ha...
Page 25 - APPENDIX 1 - MCA166-USB spectral data format
APPENDIX 1 - MCA166-USB spectral data format The MiniMCA spectral data format is in compliance with the IAEA SPE Spectral Data Format (see SPEDAC PRO User’s Manual Rel. 1.0, IAEA, Feb 1994). All information is stored in a block structured ASCII BSA file so that its content can be viewed with any tex...
Page 32 - The Area and the Area Uncertainty Function:
MCA166-USB APPENDIX 2 - MCA166-USB algorithm, formulas This appendix lists the algorithms used by the MiniMCA for the following functions: ● Area, Area uncertainty ● Centroid ● FWHM ● Smooth ● Strip ● Energy Calibration The Area and the Area Uncertainty Function: The area algorithm calculates the nu...
Page 35 - Description of the communication DLLs; MS-Windows DLL for communication with one MCA166-USB
APPENDIX 3 - Description of the communication DLLs 8 A3.1 MS-Windows DLL for communication with one MCA166-USB The Dynamic Link Library exists as a 16-bit variant (mca_comm.dll) and as a 32-bit variant (mca32com.dll). The DLL must reside in the system directory of Windows or in the same directory as...
Page 38 - Command set
MCA166-USB A3.2 Command set MCA Reset Command: Name MMCA_RESET Description All MCA Parameters will be reset to their initial state and the spectra are cleared.The measurement is aborted, but the states of the preamplifier power and the value of the high voltages are unchanged! Parameter - Results - ...
Page 57 - MS-Windows DLL for the communication with several MCA166-USB
Name MMCA_QUERY_VOLTAGE_CURRENT Description The command reads the voltages and currents from the MMCA. Parameter - Results array Charger current [mA] long Byte Offset 4 HV primary current [mA] long Byte Offset 8 Battery current [mA] long Byte Offset 12 Battery voltage [mV] long Byte Offset 16 HV ref...
Page 58 - APPENDIX 4 - Description of the MCA166-USB firmware functions
MCA166-USB APPENDIX 4 - Description of the MCA166-USB firmware functions MCA Reset Command: Command name CMD_INIT Description All MCA Parameters will be reset to their initial state and the spectra are cleared. The measurement is aborted, but the states of the preamplifier power and the value of the...
Page 72 - APPENDIX 5 - Changing the MCA166-USB Firmware; The order of changing the switches must be followed exactly,
MCA166-USB APPENDIX 5 - Changing the MCA166-USB Firmware Attention: The order of changing the switches must be followed exactly, otherwise the µ P will be destroyed! The programming voltage (+12V) shall only be applied when the working voltage (+5 V) is switched on !! Each MMCA must be programmed wi...