Caen N957 Technical document

Technical
Information
Manual
MOD. N957
28 May 2012
Revision n. 6
8K MULTICHANNEL
ANALYZER
NPO:
00105/04:N957x.MUTx/06

CAEN will repair or replace any product within the guarantee period if the Guarantor declares
that the product is defective due to workmanship or materials and has not been caused by
mishandling, negligence on behalf of the User, accident or any abnormal conditions or
operations.
CAEN declines all responsibility for damages or
injuries caused by an improper use of the Modules due
to negligence on behalf of the User. It is strongly
recommended to read thoroughly the CAEN User's
Manual before any kind of operation.
CAEN reserves the right to change partially or entirely the contents of this Manual at any time
and without giving any notice.
Disposal of the Product
The product must never be dumped in the Municipal Waste. Please check your local
regulations for disposal of electronics products.

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
User's Manual (MUT) Mod. N957 8k Multi-Channel Analyzer 28/05/2012 6
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.GENERAL DESCRIPTION.........................................................................................................................6
1.1OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................................................................6
2.TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................................................7
2.1PACKAGING..............................................................................................................................................7
2.2POWER REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................7
2.3FRONT AND BACK PANEL..........................................................................................................................8
2.4INPUT/OUTPUT CONNECTIONS..................................................................................................................9
2.5FRONT PANEL DISPLAYS ...........................................................................................................................9
2.6INTERNAL HARDWARE COMPONENTS .....................................................................................................10
2.6.1Switches.........................................................................................................................................10
2.6.2Firmware jumpers.........................................................................................................................10
2.7TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TABLE .........................................................................................................11
2.8ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION .........................................................................................................11
2.8.1Analog to digital conversion timing ..............................................................................................12
2.8.2Pile Up Rejection...........................................................................................................................14
2.9DATA READOUT......................................................................................................................................15
2.10SCALER AND TIMERS..............................................................................................................................16
2.10.1Scaler description..........................................................................................................................16
2.10.2Timers description.........................................................................................................................16
2.11FIRMWARE UPGRADE..............................................................................................................................18
2.11.1N957Upgrade command parameters ............................................................................................18
3.SOFTWARE INTERFACE........................................................................................................................20
3.1REGISTER MAP........................................................................................................................................20
3.2STATUS REGISTER (0X00, R)...................................................................................................................21
3.3CONTROL REGISTER (0X01, R/W)............................................................................................................21
3.4FIRMWARE REVISION REGISTER (0X02, R) ..............................................................................................22
3.5FIRMWARE DOWNLOAD REGISTER (0X03, R/W) ......................................................................................22
3.6FLASH ENABLE REGISTER (0X04, R/W)...................................................................................................22
3.7PULSER REGISTER (0X05, R/W)...............................................................................................................22
3.8DAC REGISTER (0X06, R/W)...................................................................................................................22
3.9BLOCK DIMENSION REGISTER (0X07, R/W).............................................................................................22
3.10POTENTIOMETER CONTROL REGISTER (0X08, R/W) ................................................................................23

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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3.11CALIBRATION SET REGISTER (0X09, W)..................................................................................................23
3.12CALIBRATION CLEAR REGISTER (0X0A, W)............................................................................................23
3.13SCRATCH REGISTER (0X0B, R/W)............................................................................................................23
3.14BUFFER OCCUPANCY REGISTER (0X0C, R/W).........................................................................................23
3.15SCALER LOW REGISTER (0X0D, R) .........................................................................................................23
3.16SCALER HIGH REGISTER (0X0E, R).........................................................................................................23
3.17TIMER LOW REGISTER (0X0F, R/W)........................................................................................................24
3.18TIMER HIGH REGISTER (0X10, R)............................................................................................................24
3.19LIVETIME LOW REGISTER (0X11, R) .......................................................................................................24
3.20LIVETIME HIGH REGISTER (0X12, R).......................................................................................................24
3.21SOFTWARE CLEAR REGISTER (0X13, W) .................................................................................................24
3.22SOFTWARE RESET REGISTER (0X14, W)..................................................................................................24
4.SOFTWARE TOOLS .................................................................................................................................25
4.1SOFTWARE INSTALLATION:GETTING STARTED ......................................................................................25
4.1.1Software installation: Windows.....................................................................................................25
4.1.1.1Software installation: Demo folder ...........................................................................................................26
4.1.1.2Software installation: Doc folder ..............................................................................................................26
4.1.1.3Software installation: LabView folder ......................................................................................................26
4.1.1.4Software installation: Lib Folder...............................................................................................................26
4.1.1.5Software installation: Upgrade folder .......................................................................................................26
4.1.2Driver installation.........................................................................................................................27
5.LIBRARY AND DEMO SOFTWARE OVERVIEW..............................................................................29
5.1N957TOOL LIBRARY ..............................................................................................................................29
5.1.1N957Tool library: Overview .........................................................................................................29
5.1.2N957Tool library: typical usage ...................................................................................................30
5.2DEMO SOFTWARE ...................................................................................................................................30
5.2.1Demo software: N957Demo..........................................................................................................30
5.2.1.1N957Demo: overview ...............................................................................................................................30
5.2.1.2N957Demo: settings..................................................................................................................................30
5.2.1.3N957Demo: configuration file format.......................................................................................................31
5.2.1.4N957Demo: output data format.................................................................................................................32
5.2.1.5N957Demo: practical example..................................................................................................................32

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LIST OF FIGURES
FIG.1.1: MOD.N957 BLOCK DIAGRAM ...............................................................................................................6
FIG.3.1: MOD.N957 FRONT PANEL .....................................................................................................................8
FIG.3.2: MOD.N957 PCB BOARDAND COMPONENT LOCATION.........................................................................10
FIG.3.3: SIGNAL CONVERSION TIMING AUTO GATE MODE (NO PILEUP).............................................................13
FIG.3.4: SIGNAL CONVERSION TIMING AUTO GATE MODE (TRAILING EDGE PILEUP).........................................13
FIG.3.5: SIGNAL CONVERSION TIMING EXTERNAL GATE MODE .........................................................................14
FIG.3.6: PUR TIMING FOR EVENT REJECTION (AUTO GATE MODE)....................................................................14
FIG.3.7: MAX DATA RATE VS.DATA BLOCK SIZE SETTING ..............................................................................15
FIG.3.8: LIVETIME STATUS (CONTROL REGISTER <0> =1AND AUTO GATE MODE) ..........................................17
FIG.3.9: LIVETIME STATUS (CONTROL REGISTER <0> =1AND EXTERNAL GATE MODE)...................................17
FIG.5.1: INSTALLATION FOLDER STRUCTURE.....................................................................................................26
FIG.5.2: PROGRAM MENU DEMO ........................................................................................................................27
FIG.5.3: USB DRIVER INSTALLED......................................................................................................................27
FIG.6.1: SOFTWARE LAYERS..............................................................................................................................29
FIG.6.2: N957DEMO PROMPT ............................................................................................................................33
FIG.6.3: N975DEMO IN ACQUISITION MODE ......................................................................................................33
FIG.6.4: HISTOGRAM PLOT OF 60CO SOURCE IN PROGRESS .................................................................................34
FIG.6.5: ACQUISITION REPORT...........................................................................................................................34
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 2.1: POWER REQUIREMENTS......................................................................................................................7
TABLE 3.2: MOD.N957 TECHNICAL FEATURES .................................................................................................11

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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1. General description
1.1 Overview
The Mod. N957 is a 8k Multi-Channel (MCA) with USB port, housed in a 1-unit wide
standard NIM module. The multichannel analyzer performs the essential function of
collecting the data and producing output, in the form of converted value of input peaks.
The input pulses can be those produced by a standard spectroscopy amplifier. They can
be Gaussian, semi-Gaussian or square waves, unipolar (positive) or bipolar, in a range
from 0 to 10 V, with a rise time greater than 0.1 µs.
The trigger can be made “on signal” (Auto Gate mode) or “external” (External Gate
mode). In the first case a discriminator, with a settable threshold, enables the conversion.
In the second case, an external gate is fed to the module, via front panel GATE In
connector.
The input channel has one peak amplitude stretcher, the output of which is digitised by a
13 bit fast (0.8 s) ADC featuring a sliding scale technique, to improve the differential
non-linearity. Converted waveforms are stored into a 64 KSamples buffer memory.
The unit hosts an USB2.0 port (also compatible with USB 1.1), which permits a simple
control and data-acquisition via PC.
Software Libraries, available for both Windows and Linux platforms, are described in § 5.
Future firmware upgrade is possible via USB; only tools developed by CAEN must be
used for the firmware upgrade.
N957 CONTROLLER
(ALTERA CYCLONE EP1C6)
CHANNEL
CONTROLLER
(MAX7032S)
ANALOG FRONT-END
(TRACK-HOLD/PULSE
STRETCHER)
USB
PERIPHERAL
CONTROLLER
ACQUISITION
MEMORY
(SRAM 64Kx16)
USB
CONV
PUR
BUSY
OUTP
ANALOG
IN
GATE
IN
Fig. 1.1: Mod. N957 Block Diagram

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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2. Technical specifications
2.1 Packaging
The Model N957 is housed in a single width NIM module.
2.2 Power requirements
Table 2.1: Power requirements
+12 V 220 mA
-12 V 220 mA
+6 V 600 mA
-6 V 50 mA

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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2.3 Front and back panel
Mod.
N957
8K
MCA
BUSY
CONV
PUR
OUTP
LINK
IN
GATE
LINK ON
TX/RX
Fig. 2.1: Mod. N957 Front panel

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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2.4 Input/Output connections
IN: Type: Input
Function: Unipolar (positive) or bipolar in a range from 0 to +10 V,
with a rise time greater than 0.1 µs, high impedance. BNC connector
(to be connected to Amplifier Analog output); negative inputs are
neglected.
GATE: Type: Input
Function: Temporal window for peak detection (in External Gate
mode); Signal must occur prior to and must extend for at least 0.2-μs
after the peak; NIM/TTL (automatically recognised) signal, high
impedance. BNC connector.
BUSY: Type: Output
Function: Provides NIM/TTL (switch selected, see § 2.6.1) standard
logic level signal to indicate a conversion;. Rise Time 3.5 ns. Fall
Time 3.5 ns. LEMO connector.
CONV: Type: Input
Function: Accepts NIM/TTL (switch selected, see § 2.6.1) signal; it is
an external conversion inhibit (active high), actually it disables the on
going conversions. Input impedance: 50 Ohm; LEMO connector.
PUR: Type: Input
Function: Pile-up rejection input; accepts NIM/TTL (switch selected,
see § 2.6.1) signal; signal must occur before the ADC Conversion
(see § 2.8.2). Input impedance: 50 Ohm; LEMO connector (to be
connected to Amplifier INHIBIT Output1).
OUTP: Type: Output
Function: Provides NIM/TTL (switch selected, see § 2.6.1) standard
logic level signal programmable via USB. (OUTP default signal:
BUFFER_FULL →data loss; it can be turned off by resetting the Full
status flag, see § 3.3).
LINK: B type USB connector; USB 2.0 compliant
2.5 Front panel displays
BUSY: red LED; light up during the ADC conversion
PUR, OUTP: green LEDs (1 per connector); light up as the relevant signal is active
CONV: green LED; light up if CONVERSION ENABLE bit (see § 3.3) is ON
and CONV input signal is not active.
LINK ON: green LED; lights up as USB port is powered
TX/RX: yellow LED; signals activity on USB port
1Amplifier INHIBIT Output provides a logic pulse when the internal pile-up rejection logic detects a distortion of the input
signal due to pile-up.

Document type: Title: Revision date: Revision:
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NPO: Filename: Number of pages: Page:
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2.6 Internal hardware components
See Fig. 2.2 for their exact location on the PCB and their settings.
2.6.1 Switches
SW1 Type: DIP switch.
Function: it allows the selection between NIM and TTL I/O
signals (RIGHT: TTL; LEFT: NIM).
2.6.2 Firmware jumpers
J6 Type: Jumper.
Function: it allows to select whether the “Standard” or the
“Back up” firmware must be loaded at power on; (default
position: STD).
DAUGHTER BOARD
USB SECTION N957 FPGA
SW1 switch for
NIM/TTL logic
level selection
J6 jumper for
firmware
selection
Fig. 2.2: Mod. N957 PCB boardand component location