ORTEC 9305 Service manual

Model 9305
Fast Preamplifier
Operating and Service Manual
This manual applies to instruments marked
“Rev 03" on rear panel.
Printed in U.S.A. ORTEC®Part No.605540 1202
Manual Revision B

Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc.
a/k/a/ ORTEC®, a subsidiary of AMETEK®, Inc.
WARRANTY
ORTEC* warrants that the items will be delivered free from defects in material or workmanship. ORTEC makes
no other warranties, express or implied, and specifically NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
ORTEC’s exclusive liability is limited to repairing or replacing at ORTEC’s option, items found by ORTEC to
be defective in workmanship or materials within one year from the date of delivery. ORTEC’s liability on any
claim of any kind, including negligence, loss, or damages arising out of, connected with, or from the performance
or breach thereof, or from the manufacture, sale, delivery, resale, repair, or use of any item or services covered
by this agreement or purchase order, shall in no case exceed the price allocable to the item or service furnished
or any part thereof that gives rise to the claim. In the event ORTEC fails to manufacture or deliver items called
for inthis agreement or purchase order, ORTEC’s exclusive liabilityand buyer’s exclusiveremedyshallberelease
of the buyer from the obligation to pay the purchase price. In no event shall ORTEC be liable for special or
consequential damages.
Quality Control
Before being approved for shipment, each ORTEC instrument must pass a stringent set of quality control tests
designed to expose any flaws in materials or workmanship. Permanent records of these tests are maintained for
use in warranty repair and as a source of statistical information for design improvements.
Repair Service
If it becomes necessary to return this instrument for repair, it is essential that Customer Services be contacted in
advance of its return so that a Return Authorization Number can be assigned to the unit. Also, ORTEC must be
informed, either in writing, by telephone [(865) 482-4411] or byfacsimiletransmission [(865) 483-2133], of the
nature of the fault of the instrument being returned and of the model, serial, and revision ("Rev" on rear panel)
numbers. Failure to do so may cause unnecessary delays in getting the unit repaired. The ORTEC standard
procedure requires that instruments returned for repair pass the same quality control tests that are used for
new-production instruments. Instruments that are returned should be packed so that they will withstand normal
transit handling and must be shipped PREPAID via Air Parcel Post or United Parcel Service to the designated
ORTEC repair center. The address label and the package should include the Return Authorization Number
assigned. Instruments being returned that are damaged in transit dueto inadequate packing will be repaired at the
sender's expense, and it will be the sender's responsibility to make claim with the shipper. Instruments not in
warranty should follow the same procedure and ORTEC will provide a quotation.
Damage in Transit
Shipments should beexaminedimmediatelyuponreceipt for evidenceof external or concealeddamage. The carrier
making delivery should be notifiedimmediatelyof any such damage, since the carrier is normallyliablefor damage
in shipment. Packing materials, waybills, and other such documentation should be preserved in order to establish
claims. After such notification to thecarrier, please notify ORTEC of thecircumstances so that assistance can be
provided in making damage claims and in providing replacement equipment, if necessary.
Copyright © 2002, Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc. All rights reserved.
*ORTEC®is a registered trademark of Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc. All other trademarks used
herein are the property of their respective owners.

iii
CONTENTS
WARRANTY ....................................................................... ii
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND SYMBOLS ............................................... iv
SAFETY WARNINGS AND CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS ..................................... v
1. DESCRIPTION................................................................... 1
2. SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................ 1
2.1. PERFORMANCE ........................................................... 1
2.2. CONTROLS ............................................................... 1
2.3. ELECTRICALANDMECHANICAL.............................................. 2
3. INSTALLATION .................................................................. 2
3.1. CONNECTIONTODETECTOR................................................ 2
3.2. CONNECTIONOFOUTPUT .................................................. 2
4. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ....................................................... 2
5. MAINTENANCEANDCALIBRATION.................................................. 3
5.1. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ................................................ 3
5.2. CORRECTIVEMAINTENANCE ................................................ 3
5.3. CALIBRATION ............................................................. 3
5.4. FACTORY REPAIR ......................................................... 3

iv
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND SYMBOLS
This manual contains up to three levels of safety instructions that must be observed in order to avoid
personal injury and/or damage to equipment or other property. These are:
DANGER Indicates a hazard that could result in death or serious bodily harm if the safety instruction
is not observed.
WARNING Indicates a hazard that could result in bodily harm if the safety instruction is not observed.
CAUTION Indicates a hazard that could result in property damage if the safety instruction is not
observed.
Please read all safety instructions carefully and make sure you understand them fully before attempting to
use this product.
In addition, the following symbol may appear on the product:
ATTENTION–Refer to Manual
DANGER–High Voltage
Please read all safety instructions carefully and make sure you understand them fully before attempting to
use this product.

v
DANGER Opening the cover of this instrument is likely to expose dangerous voltages. Disconnect the
instrument from all voltage sources while it is being opened.
WARNING Using this instrument in a manner not specified by the manufacturer may impair the
protection provided by the instrument.
CAUTION To prevent moisture inside of the instrument during external cleaning, use only enough liquid
to dampen the cloth or applicator.
SAFETY WARNINGS AND CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
Cleaning Instructions
To clean the instrument exterior:
!
Unplug the instrument from the ac power supply.
!
Remove loose dust on the outside of the instrument with a lint-free cloth.
!
Remove remaining dirt with a lint-free cloth dampened in a general-purpose detergent and water
solution. Do not use abrasive cleaners.
!
Allow the instrument to dry completely before reconnecting it to the power source.

vi

1
ORTEC MODEL 9305
FAST PREAMPLIFIER
1. DESCRIPTION
The ORTEC 9305 Fast Preamplifier contains a
direct-coupled wideband hybridized amplifier
suitable for use with photomultipliers, electron
multipliers, and other detectors used in photon
counting, ion counting, or fast timing applications.
In addition to the fast rise time (3 ns), the 9305 has
a variable voltage gain of 5-10 and can drive ±5 V
into a 50
S
load. The 9305 also features excellent
dc and gain stabilityalongwith lownoiseand<5-ns,
overload recovery time. Overload input protection
is provided. Hybrid circuit technology gives the
9305 high performance and reliability. For operator
convenience, independent bandwidth (BDW),
output dc offset (DC), and fine gain (Gain)
adjustments are included. Also, because of its
compact size and lightweight, the 9305 is ideal for
mounting directly to, or close to, a detector.
Consequently, low-level signals which would
otherwise be susceptible to pickup of noise or
interference are amplified to a suitable level for
cable connection to the mainamplifier. Connection
to a power supply is through a 10-ft-long captive
cable that is furnished with the 9305. (Other cable
lengths are available by special order.)
Power for the 9305 is supplied through this 10-ft
cable and can be furnished from a variety of
sources, such as the ORTEC 114 Preamp Power
Supply or any time- or energy-spectroscopy
amplifier. The 9305 Fast Preamplifier includes an
Amphenol 17-20090 plug at the remote end of the
powercable,whichiswiredtoaccept+12Vthrough
pin 4, -12 V through pin 9, and ground through pins
1 and 2. This plug is directly compatible with any
ORTECstandardNIMthathasapreamplifierpower
connector on the rear panel.
2. SPECIFICATIONS
2.1. PERFORMANCE
NOMINAL VOLTAGE GAIN 5-10; noninverting.
RISE TIME <3 ns to ±5 V into 50
S
; bandwidth
>120 MHZ.
NOISE <25
:
V referred to the input measured
with an HP3400A true rms voltmeter. Wideband
noise (200 MHZ) <30
:
V referred to the input.
INTEGRAL NONLINEARITY Typically
#
±l%for
output to ±5 V.
PULSE OVERLOAD RECOVERY Typically <5 ns
for a X10 overload.
GAIN INSTABILITY Typically
#
±0.05%/°C.
DCINSTABILITY Typically
#
-±150
:
V/°Creferred
to the output.
INPUT IMPEDANCE 50
S
, dc-coupled.
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE <1
S
, dc-coupled.
OUTPUT LINEAR RANGE ±5 V into 50
S
.
OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE 0to50°C.
2.2. CONTROLS
BDW 20-turn potentiometer adjusts the output
bandwidth and overshoot. Front panel mounted.
DC 20-turn potentiometer adjusts the output dc
offset. Front panel mounted.
GAIN 20-turn potentiometer adjusts the voltage
gain from typically 5 to 10. Front panel mounted.

2
2.3. ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL
POWER REQUIRED +12 V, 67 mA; -12 V, 67 mA.
WEIGHT
Net 0.32 kg (12 oz).
Shipping 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz).
DIMENSIONS 3.81 x 6.1 x 8.89 cm (1.5 x 2.4 x
3.5 in.).
3. INSTALLATION
3.1. CONNECTION TO DETECTOR
Connect the output from the detector to the Input
BNC on the 9305 with 50
S
coaxial cable. This
cable should be as short as practical to minimize
the physical distance through which the detector
output-current pulse has to pass. The amount of
noise that will be added to the signal increases with
cable length.
An input signal to the 9305 can be of either polarity
(e.g., it can originate from the anode or any dynode
in a photomultiplier tube circuit). AC-coupling must
be used to prevent any high voltage from the
detector being applied directly to. the 9305 input.
An input-protection circuit is included which allows
excellent (typically <5 ns) overload recovery. The
output signal from the 9305 will have the same
polarity astheinput andwillbeamplifiedbyafactor
of 5-10. The linear output range is ±5 V into a 50
S
load.
3.2. CONNECTION OF OUTPUT
The output impedance of the 9305 is nominally 1
S
. Any counter, amplifier, or timing instrument can
be driven by the 9305 through 50
S
cable
terminated by a 50
S
load. If the driving instrument
does not have an input impedance of 50
S
, an
external terminating resistor should be added to
prevent pulse reflections.
4. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Three operator controls (DC, Gain, and BDW) are
provided on the 9305. The DC adjustment permits
the setting of the dc-output offset to zerovolts. (The
input offset voltage is adjusted by an internal
potentiometer mounted on a printed wiring board.)
The Gain potentiometer adjusts voltage gain
continuously from 5 to 10. The BDW (bandwidth)
sets the rise time or overshoot appropriate for the
experiment.

3
5. MAINTENANCE AND CALIBRATION
5.1. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Give reasonable attention to mechanical details.
Keep the signal connectors clean at all times.
Periodically remove the cover and inspect the
interiorofthemodulefor dustaccumulationorother
undesirable conditions. Clean as often as required
by local conditions (normally about once every 12
months).
5.2. CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE
Corrective maintenance generally consists of
replacing defective components (i.e., resistors,
capacitors, diodes, transistors, and integrated
circuits),replacingmissinghardware,andtightening
loose hardware. Do not use excessive force when
tightening screws or nuts.
When replacing components on a printed wiring
board, be sure that the board is not damaged by
excessive heating. When unsoldering leads, grip
the lead that is to be removed with pliers or some
similar tool that acts as a heat sink. Heat the solder
joint as little aspossible while maintaining a steady
pull on the lead to assure its prompt removal.
Remove excess solder from the board with a
solder-puller. Do not redrill holes in the printed
wiring board since many are plated through the
board. if the integrity of a plated-through hole is in
doubt, solder the component lead on both sides of
the board.
When a defective component is to be removed
from a printed wiring board, the preferred method is
to cut both or all leads to the component and then
remove each of the leads from the board.
5.3. CALIBRATION
Follow this procedure to adjust all controls of the
9305:
1. Furnish power tothe unit for at least ten minutes.
2. Use 50
S
cable to connect the In connector of
the 9305 to a digital voltmeter. Adjust R4 (mounted
on the printed wiring board) as needed to set the
input dc level at 0 V ± 1 mV.
3. Use 50
S
cable to connect the Out connector of
the 9305 to a digital voltmeter. No connection
should be made to the In connector. Adjust R12
(front panel) as needed to set the Out dc level at 0
V ± 1 mV.
4. Using 50
S
cable, connect a 1 ns rise timepulser
(HP215A Pulser or equivalent) to an oscilloscope
with a 500 MHZ bandwidth (Tektronix 7904
mainframe and 7A19 vertical plug-in unit or
equivalent). Set the oscilloscope input impedance
to 50
S
. Adjust the HP215A output to -500 mV.
5. Using 50
S
cable, connect the output of the
pulser to the In connector of the 9305. Connect the
Out connector of the 9305 to the 500 MHZ
oscilloscope. Set the oscilloscope input impedance
to50
S
. Adjust theGain(front panel)potentiometer
of the 9305 to produce a -5 V output signal. Adjust
the BDW (front panel) potentiometer of the 9305 to
produce a 3.1 ns rise time signal. This sets the rise
time of the 9305 to 3.0 ns.
6. Reverse the polarity of the pulser and repeat
steps 4 and 5 for positive signals.
7. Set the oscilloscope Cal output to some
convenient value such as 1 kHz, 0.4 V. Set the
oscilloscope vertical input to DC. Observe the
oscilloscope Cal signal which should be a square
wave. Using 50
S
cable, connect the Cal signal to
the 9305 In connector. Using 50
S
cable, connect
the 9305 Out connector to the oscilloscope input.
Adjust R9 (mounted on the printed wiring board),
the Tilt Adj, as needed to produce a square wave
output from the 9305. The adjustment of R9
equalizes the gain of the fastloop and the slow loop
within the hybrid amplifier A1.
5.4. FACTORY REPAIR
This instrument can be returned to the ORTEC
factory for service and repair at a nominal cost. Our
standard procedure for repair ensures the same
quality control and checkout that are used for anew
instrument.
Alwayscontact the Customer Services Department
at ORTEC, (865) 483-2231, before sending in an
instrument for repair to obtain shipping instructions
and so that the required Return Authorization
Number can be assigned to the unit. Write this
number on the address label and on the package to
ensure prompt attention when it reaches the
ORTEC factory.

4
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