Multiparameter data acquisition system for spectroscopy

A powerful and versatile, simple to use multiparameter data acquisition system has been implemented for use in spectroscopy. In its standard configuration, the system can acquire signal from 16 time-to-digital converter channels, 16 analog-to-digital converter channels, and 12 scaler inputs. The system was put to use on the electron beam ion trap experiment to record the output from four position-sensitive proportional counters in two soft x-ray spectrometers together with the signal from an x-ray pulse height analyzer. Also recorded are the electron beam energy and the pulse height distribution of the proportional counters. All data are recorded as a function of time. Because the relevant parameters are recorded simultaneously, software gates instead of hardware gates are used to select the data of interest. This has led to a substantial cost saving over earlier data acquisition systems. Data are stored in binary or in ascii format for system-independent processing. The operation of the system is demonstrated in a measurement of the M-shell soft x-ray spectrum of gold. We used the system to record the 3-4 and 3-5 transitions of gold (Au44+-Au51+) excited with a simulated Maxwellian with electron temperature of 2.5 keV. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.