ORTEC 9327 Service manual

Model 9327
1-GHz Amplifier and
Timing Discriminator
Operating and Service Manual
Printed in U.S.A. ORTEC®Part No. 774750 1202
Manual Revision D

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 in this agreement or purchaseorder, ORTEC’s exclusiveliabilityand buyer’s exclusive remedy shall berelease
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 [[phone]] or by facsimile transmission [[phone]], 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 due to inadequate packing will be repairedat 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 be examined immediately upon receipt for evidenceofexternal or concealeddamage. Thecarrier
making deliveryshouldbenotifiedimmediatelyof any suchdamage, since thecarrier is normally liablefor damage
in shipment. Packing materials, waybills, and other such documentation should be preserved in order to establish
claims. After such notification to the carrier, please notify ORTEC of the circumstances 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 ................................................................ 3
2.1. PERFORMANCE ............................................................. 3
2.2. INPUTSANDOUTPUTS ....................................................... 3
2.3. CONTROLSANDINDICATORS ................................................. 4
2.4. ELECTRICALANDMECHANICAL................................................ 4
2.5. ORDERINGINFORMATION .................................................... 4
3. INSTALLATIONANDOPERATION ................................................... 5
3.1. GENERAL .................................................................. 5
3.2. CONNECTIONTOPOWER..................................................... 5
3.3. INPUTCONNECTIONS........................................................ 5
3.4. OUTPUTCONNECTIONS...................................................... 5
3.5. ADJUSTINGTHEINPUTSIGNAL................................................ 6
3.6. THRESHOLDADJUSTMENT ................................................... 6
3.7. WALKANDWALKADJUSTMENT ............................................... 6
3.8. INPUTRANGESELECTION .................................................... 7
4. MAINTENANCE AND FACTORY REPAIR SERVICE ...................................... 8
5. POWERCONNECTORPINOUT ..................................................... 8

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
Fig. 1.1. Typical Block Diagram for a Fluoresence Lifetime Spectrometer (with reversed start/stop assignments).
ORTEC MODEL 9327
1-GHz AMPLIFIER AND TIMING DISCRIMINATOR
C For picosecond timing with mV signals from
Microchannel plate detectors
Microchannel plate PMTs
Fast photodiodes
Fast photomultiplier tubes
C 1-GHz Amplifier and Timing Discriminator are internally matched for minimum walk and timing jitter
C Walk typically <±40 ps over the top 90% of full scale.
C Jitter <20 ps FWHM at 50% of full scale
C Optimized for pulse widths from 250 ps to 1 ns; accepts pulse widths up to 5 ns
C Selectable input pulse height range: 0 to -30 mV, or 0 to -150 mV full scale
C 2:1 Fine Gain control
C Over-Range LED for precise gain adjustment without an oscilloscope
1. DESCRIPTION
The Model 9327 1-GHz Amplifier and Timing
Discriminator combines into one compact
preamplifier-sized package the two functions
normally needed for picosecond timing with ultra-
fast detectors. It is ideal for
Fluorescence/Phosphorescence Lifetime
Spectrometry (Fig. 1.1), Time-of-Flight Mass
Spectrometry (Fig. 1.2), and LIDAR applications.
The Model 9327 is optimized for use with the
millivolt signals produced by microchannel plate
detectors,microchannelplatephotomultipliertubes,
fast photodiodes, and fast, discrete-dynode
photomultipliertubes. Thecompact packageavoids
degradation of the sub-nanosecond signals from
these detectors by enabling an exceptionally short
cable connection between the detector and the
amplifier.Thetimingdiscriminatoroutputlogicpulse
can be transmitted over much longer cables to the
rest of the time spectrometer without compromising
the picosecond time resolution.
The amplifier provides a 1-GHz bandwidth to
minimize the noise and rise time contributions to
timing jitter on detector pulses having widths as
narrow as250 ps. The 50-
S amplifier input includes
diode clamps to protect against overload pulses. A
PC-board-mounted jumper controls the coarse gain
to yield two ranges for full-scale input pulse

2
Fig. 1.2. The Model 9327 in a Simplified Illustration of a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer.
The Model 9308 picosecond TIME ANALYZER functions as a multiple-stop time spectrometer.
Fig. 1.3. Typical Walk vs. Pulse Amplitude.
Full scale is denoted by the Over Range LED turning on.
Measured with a pulse width of 300 ps FWHM.
Fig. 1.4. Timing Jitter vs. Pulse Amplitude.
Measured with the system in Fig. 1 by replacing the detectors
with a pulser having a pulse width of 300 ps FWHM. Full scale
is denoted by the Over Range LED turning on.
amplitudes: 0 to -30 mV and 0 to -150 mV. A fine
gain control permitsvarying the gain over nominally
a 2:1 range. An oscilloscope is not needed to adjust
the gain, because an over-range LED indicates
whenpulseamplitudeshaveexceededthefull-scale
limit of the amplifier. Detector and/or amplifier gain
can be increased until the over-range LED turns on,
and then decreased until the LED just turns off. This
ensures that the pulses utilize all of the amplifier’s
linear range.
The timing discriminator employs a zero-crossing
technique that processes pulse widths from 250 ps
to 5 ns without the need to adjust pulse-shaping
cables. The zero-crossing technique results in
minimal timing jitter and walk as a function of pulse
amplitude. It is optimized for sub-nanosecond pulse
widths, but will accommodate pulses up to 5 ns
wide. The shift in the timing output (walk) as a
function of pulseamplitude istypically lessthan ±40
ps over the top 90% of full scale when employing a
300-ps input pulse width (Fig. 1.3). The typical
contribution of the 9327 to timing jitter is illustrated
in Figure 1.4. With such a small contribution from
the 9327, the detector normally becomes the
dominant source of timing jitter. The Model 9327
includes a noise discriminator adjustable over a
major fraction of full scale. With the source of
detector events turned off, the discriminator
threshold can be adjusted until the associated LED
is turned on by triggering on noise. Subsequently,
the threshold is adjusted until the LED just turnsoff,
thus ensuring that the discriminator will not trigger
on noise.

3
1Subject to change without notice.
The Model 9327 provides two fast-negative NIM
logic signals suitable for operating other timing
instruments with picosecond time resolution. A 100-
ns wide TTL output is also provided for counting
applications. In addition to excelling in high-
resolution time spectrometry, the Model 9327 can
be used for single-photon and single-ion counting
applications.
A 3-meter long captive power cord terminated in a
9-pin, Dconnector suppliespower to theunit. Power
can be derived from the mating connectors on a
9308 or 9328 picosecond TIME ANALYZER, a
4002P Portable Power Supply, a 4003 Preamp
PowerOutput module, or any ORTEC spectroscopy
amplifier. Alternatively, a dc power source in the
range of +12 to +15 V at 350 mA can be connected
to the designated pins on the power connector.
2. SPECIFICATIONS1
2.1. PERFORMANCE
Performance is measured on the 0 to -30 mV input
range unless specified otherwise.
INPUT RANGE 0 to -30 mV (full scale) or 0 to -150
mV (full scale), selectable via a circuit board
jumper.
EQUIVALENT INPUT NOISE <100µV rms on the
0 to -30 mV range.
TIME SLEWING (Walk) Typically <±40 ps shift in
the timing output as a function of pulse amplitude
over the top 90% of full scale. Includes the
contribution of both the amplifier and the timing
discriminator. Measured with an input pulse width
of 300 ps FWHM.
TIMING JITTER <20 ps FWHM for a pulse
amplitude at 50% of full scale. Measured with the
same pulse shape listed under TIME SLEWING.
PULSE-PAIR RESOLUTION <10 ns at the fast-
negative NIM outputs.
OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE 0 TO
50°C.
TRANSMISSION DELAY TEMPERATURE
SENSITIVITY <±10 ps/°C from 0 to 50°C.
Measured at 50% of full scale with the pulse shape
listed under TIME SLEWING.
2.2. INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
Input (Amplifier) Rear-panel SMA connector for
negative input pulses. Accepts pulse widths from
250 ps to 5 ns FWHM. Optimized for sub-
nanosecond pulse widths. Input range is jumper
selectable for 0 to -30 mV or 0 to -150 mV. Input
impedance: 50
S ac, <1000 S dc to ground. Diode
clamps provide protection against overload to
±2 V dc, or ±10 V for a 50-ns-wide pulse at a duty
cycle <1%.
AMP OUT Rear-panel SMA test point suitable for
oscilloscope monitoring via a 50-
S coaxial cable
terminated in 50
S . Test point output impedance:
1000
S . The amplifier drives the timing
discriminator input in parallel with the output
monitor via an internal connection.
NIM OUT Front- and rear-panel BNC connectors
provide two independent, fast-negative NIM output
logic pulses. Output amplitude is nominally
-800 mV into a 50-
S load. Pulse width is nominally
4 ns.
TTL OUT Rear-panel BNC connector provides a
positive TTL pulse, triggered by the fast-negative
NIM output. The 100-ns width of the TTL pulse is
non-updating. Output impedance: <50
S , short-
circuit protected.
THRESH Front-panel test-point jack near the
THRESH control permits monitoring of the
threshold setting with a voltmeter for resettability.
Outputimpedanceis1000
S .Nominaloutputrange
is -10 mV to -1 V.
WALK Front-panel test-point jack near the WALK
adjustment for monitoring the walk (time slewing)
adjustment. See WALK under Controls and
Indicators.
GND Front-panel test-point jack for connecting the
ground lead of a voltmeter.

4
2.3. CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
INPUT RANGE (Coarse Gain) Circuit board
jumper near the amplifier INPUT permits input
range selection for 0 to -30 mV or 0 to -150 mV.
FINE GAIN Front-panel, 15-turn screwdriver
adjustment to calibrate the full-scale sensitivity.
Can be used as a fine gain control with
approximately a 2:1 range of gain adjustment.
THRESH Front-panel, 15-turn screwdriver
adjustment to setthe input discriminator threshold.
Adjustable from <2% to >50% of full scale.
THRESH test-point jack permits monitoring the
setting with a voltmeter.
WALK Front-panel, 15-turn, screwdriver fine
tuning to minimize time slewing as a function of
input pulse amplitude. Adjustable over a range of
approximately ±150 mV. AWALK test jack permits
monitoring the setting through an output
impedance <100
S .
OUTPUT LED Front-panel LED flashes on each
output pulse to indicate active triggering. Used to
set the threshold beyond the noise level.
OVER RANGE LED Front-panel LED flashes on
each preamplifier pulse that has an amplitude
exceeding full scale. Used during detector gain
adjustment to avoid overloads while maximizing
pulse amplitudes.
PWR LED Front-panel LED indicates when power
is being supplied to the unit.
2.4. ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL
POWER REQUIREMENTS The Model 9327
derives its power through a 3-meter long (9-ft.)
captive power cable terminated with a 9-pin D,
preamplifier power connector. This connector is
compatible with the preamplifier power connectors
on ORTEC Models 9328, 9308, 4003, 4002P, or
most ORTEC spectroscopy amplifiers. Power
required is +12 to +15 V at 350 mA (Pin 4) and
Ground (Pins 1 and 2).
WEIGHT
Net 0.48 kg (1.1 lb).
Shipping 1.1 kg (2.5 lb).
DIMENSIONS Approximately 3.3 x 12.5 x 13.5 cm
(1.3 x 4.9 x 5.3 in.).
MISCELLANEOUS Meets EEC standards (CE) for
emissions, susceptibility, and power.
2.5. ORDERING INFORMATION
To order, specify:
Model Description
9327 1-GHzAmplifier andTiming
Discriminator
Suggested Cable Accessories:
SMA58-0.15 RG58U (50-
S ) Coaxial
CablewithSMAconnectors,
0.15-m length
SMA/BNC SMA to BNC Adapter with
male SMA and female BNC
BNC/SMA BNC to SMA Adapter with
male BNC and female SMA
C-25-12 RG58A/U (50-
S ) Coaxial
Cable withBNCconnectors,
3.7-m (12-ft) length