PicoQuant GmbH HydraHarp 400 Software V. 3.0.0.1
A problem often overlooked is pile–up and dead time related histogram distortion. It becomes noticeable if the
detector count rate exceeds 2 % of the sync rate. This is why high excitation rates are so important. Pile–up is
an inherent problem of TCSPC and not a fault of the hardware. The only way to handle it safely is to maintain
count rates < 1% to 2 % of the sync rate. Pile–up may to some extent also be corrected for, but this can be
extremely difficult in practice. For further details see our TechNote on TCSPC or the literature given in the end
of section 2.4.
7.4. Warming Up and Calibration
Observe the warm–up period of at least 20 minutes (dep. on ambient temperature) before using the HydraHarp
for serious measurements. Warming up takes about 20 to 30 minutes dependent on the lab temperature. It is
completed when the cooling fan starts to run for the first time. You can use this time for set –up and preliminary
measurements. Calibrate one more time before starting serious measurements. The calibration takes only a
few seconds. For very long measurements allow some more time for thermal stabilization and avoid
temperature changes > 5 K in the environment of the instrument. The permissible ambient temperature is 15°C
to 35°C. Do not obstruct the cooling fan at the back and the air inlets at the bottom of the housing. Make sure
that the cooling air can circulate freely and no other hot instrument is under the cooling inlets.
7.5. Custom Programming of the HydraHarp
A programmer's library (DLL) for custom Windows software development is available to build your own
applications e.g. in LabVIEW, Matlab, C++, C#, Delphi, Lazarus or Visual Basic. A rich set of demo code is
provided for an easy start. A Library for Linux is also available. It provides the same interface so that
applications can easily be ported between the platforms.
7.6. Software Updates
We constantly improve and update the software for our instruments. This includes updates of the configurable
hardware (FPGA). Such updates are important as they may affect reliability and interoperability with other
products. The software updates are free of charge, unless major new functionality is added. It is strongly
recommended that you register for email notification on software updates. If you wish to receive such
notification, please email your name and the serial number of your PicoQuant product(s) to
info@picoquant.com. You will then receive update information with links for download of any new software
release. Alternatively you can click the button 'Check for Updates' in the Help-About dialog available through
the main menu or the toolbar. Note that downloading a software update by means of this button does not
automatically install it. Typically the downloads contain zip files that must be unpacked and installed manually.
Also note that it may not always be advisable to blindly install the latest software. This is the case especially
when a user or his/her laboratry have developed custom software that relies on a certain file format. Updates
may break this compatibility. Therefore, always study the release notes before installing updates.
7.7. Support and Bug Reports
The HydraHarp 400 TCSPC system has gone through extensive testing. Nevertheless, it is a very cutting edge
product and we would like to offer you our support in any case of problems with the system. Do not hesitate to
contact PicoQuant in case of difficulties with your HydraHarp.
As a first step it is always advisable to study the manual or pres the help button. As a second step you may
want to consult PicoQuant's user forum at http://forum.picoquant.com/ where a similar issue may already be
described.
Should you observe errors or bugs caused by the HydraHarp system please try to find a reproducible error
situation. Then open the About HydraHarp dialog. This dialog provides version information on the HydraHarp
software and hardware (the latter only if it is installed and operational). It can be opened via the Help menu or
via the toolbar. The button Request Support opens a small text viewer window that provides a listing of
HydraHarp hardware and software versions that you can copy and paste into your support enquiry. Note that
this information is very important for adequate troubleshooting. Support requests without this information
cannot be processed and will be delayed by return questions for this information. If your system is not
functional at all, the minimum information you must provide for support is the serial number of your HydraHarp.
It can be found at the back of the housing. There may be other relevant circumstances, especially other new
hardware installed in your PC, so please provide details. You can run msinfo32 to obtain a listing of your PC
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