Laser Signals Striking Silicon-Diode Target

Customer Case

The customer wants to capture the output of some silicon diodes looking at a laser target. The typical signal is anywhere from 20mv to 1V in amplitude and 0 to 15ns in length. There are up to 16 of these diodes that are looking at the same target. Each diode has a different filter so the post-trigger depth and amplitude-scale must be user-adjustable. Their main interest is to sample and digitize the signals for archiving, with later retrieval and plotting. Fancy software is not needed for display as the data is gathered in the field by the technicians. Later, the data typically would be formatted into a matrix and manipulated by a scientific program. The trigger for all channels is a single pulse from the laser facility – not 16 independent signals.

GaGe Case Solution

The GaGeScope PC oscilloscope software application is more than sufficient for this function – up to 60 “live-capture”, saved, and/or derived channels can be displayed/analyzed simultaneously. The GaGeScope software can save acquired signals either in the binary SIG-file format, or in various ASCII text-formats (ie columns of data).

Up to 8 CompuScope 14100 cards can be combined into one chassis in a Master/Slave configuration, allowing up to 16 simultaneous channels (if using dual-channel cards in their dual-channel mode) in a single chassis. If simultaneous channels are not needed, then we have various Instrument Mainframe chassis that will house up to 16 x PCI cards (and other configurations that will house up to 20 x ISA cards) in a Multiple/ Independent configuration instead. Then, we could put up to 16 cards together to give 16 independent pairs, each of 2 simultaneous channels (if using dual-channel cards).

GaGe Case Recommended Products

Test & Measurement Application Request

We encourage you to contact us and discuss your test & measurement application in more detail with our engineering team. GaGe can provide tailored custom data acquisition hardware and software solutions to meet specific application requirements.