Princeton Instruments PI-MAX2 System - Timing Mode; Fast Gating; Table 5. Timing Mode, Shutter Control, and Ext. Trigger Input When a PTG Is the

Chapter 7 Gated Operation with a PTG 83
Timing Mode
When you are in Gate Mode, the PTG will only operate using Internal Sync timing.
This timing mode initiates a readout cycle after each PTG pulse ensemble.
*
The
handshakes that prevent a readout from occurring while the PTG is busy and that prevent
the PTG from pulsing the photocathode ON while a readout cycle is in progress are
performed through the ST-133 backplane. For this mode, the following parameters are
automatically set by the application software and cannot be changed: Exposure Time is
set to 0, Continuous Cleans is disabled, and Disabled Opened and PreOpen are
selected for Shutter Control.
Timing Mode
"Shutter" Control
Ext Trigger Input
Controlled by PTG
Controlled by PTG
Ext Trig In. BNC
Table 5. Timing Mode, Shutter Control, and Ext. Trigger Input
when a PTG is the Timing Generator
Note: The Accumulations and Images (or Spectra) parameters (WinView/32 or
WinSpec/32 Acquisition Setup Main tab page) govern how the data will be processed.
Integrating multiple events on the CCD really brings the power of the PI-MAX to bear on
low-light gate-mode experiments. If the experiment allows, many pulses can be summed
on the CCD with no pulse artifacts in the readout. The signal increases nearly linearly
with the number of pulses (within limits imposed by the CCD).
Fast Gating
A particularly noteworthy feature of the PI-MAX is its ability to gate in as little as 2 ns or
less when the PI-MAX has been configured with a fast gate intensifier. The camera’s
exceptional gating performance can be easily demonstrated with a straightforward
experimental setup.
The following fast-gated experiment was
performed using the PI-MAX camera with the
fast-gate option and operated in conjunction
with Princeton Instruments’ WinSpec/32
software, a Hamamatsu PL0-01 Picosecond
Light Source, and a PTG. Other equipment
included a computer and an ST-133 Controller.
To do the experiment, 60 ps pulses from the
Hamamatsu Light Source triggered from the
timing generator were applied to the PI-MAX
and a gated measurement was performed.
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A PTG pulse ensemble consists of a Gate Start pulse, a Gate Stop pulse, and an Auxiliary pulse.
Sequential Gating Setup
Number of Spectra: 61
Start Gate Width: 2 ns
End Gate Width: 2 ns
Start Gate Delay: 102 ns
End Gate Delay: 105 ns
Increment Type: Fixed
Delay Increment: 0.05 ns