A dual-parameter multichannel analyzer using a personal computer

Abstract

Personal Computer" TADASHI AKIMOTO, IKUO MURAl, SHIN CHAKI, YlJICm 'OGAWA, AND ISAO SHOJI Abstract--:-The design of a practical system for measuring twoparameter signals is reported. To obtain constantly changing energy spectra of nuclear reactor assemblies due to repeated insertion of pulsed neutron sources, the simultaneous acquisition of time and energy data are needed. A computer-based dual-parameter multichannel pulse-height analyzer (MCA) has been developed; it employs a personal coniputer, two analog-to-digital converters (ADC's), and a parallel interface board for handling these signals. The system showed excellent performance characteristics with a minimum data processing time of about 14 p's; a maximum conversion gain of 211 channels (for example, 512 x 512 ch); a count capacity of 232-1/ch (2 16 _lIch at 512 x 512 ch); and the time required for graphic display of approximately 3 s/2 16 dots (contour display) or about 0.1 S/(216/ 16) dots (isometric display). Large data arrays were handled dynamically with a segment register. 'The data processing speed was improved by transferring the data from the ADC to the central processing unit (CPU) in 16-bit words and simultaneously reading the statu$ flag and the data. The graphic display process was speeded up by writing the data bit corresponding to the locations directly into the graphic video random access memory (VRAM). The system is simple to oper~te, and by changing the memory size and coincidence ' resolution time by software operations, it is highly flexible.

A dual-parameter multichannel analyzer by a dual-computer system

“…The process was speeded up by directly writing the bit data corresponding to the locations into the VRAM. Readers may refer to [3] for further details.…”

“…We have developed a simple and efficient computer-based dual-parameter MCA [3]. The computer in this system employed a 80286 central processing unit (CPU) .…”

Calibration measurements for the efficiency and response function of the NE213 scintillator by a /sup 252/Cf spontaneous fission source-application of a two-dimensional pulse height analysis system

“…They do not give perfect results because of detector imperfections in relation to the characteristics of the light yield by the proton, among other reasons. It is still necessary to make experimental measurementS as there are systematic differences, even for the same type of detector, depending on the light connection between the scintillator and the photomultiplierWe have developed an experimental calibration method for the efficiency and response function of the NE213 liquid scintillator using a two-dimensional pulse height analyzer and a fast neutron source which produces a continuous neutron spectrum such as a 252Cf spontaneous fission source [4]- [6]. In this method, the detection efficiency and response function of the NE213 can be easily derived using the known neutron ' spectrum from the source.…”

Pulse Train Analyzer for Laboratory Use and Its Application to The Anticipation of Magnet Relay Breakdown.

“…There are a lot of research work concerning the processing of pulse trains in the field of nuclear radiation detection2-6),physiology3,7),photon counting8),electrical insulation9-12),and acoustic emission13). In laboratories computers are used to take pulse data2, [4][5][6][7]10,11,14,15)and the computer can rebuild them into Pulse Height Distribution(PHD)4-6),Time…”