A High-Performance Data Acquistion and Processing System for Spectroscopic Applications

41017 November 19, 1996 InterScience, Inc. Diagnostics which provide high spatially and temporally resolved measurements are essential in assessing the performance of present day experiments in controlled nuclear fusion research. Several of these diagnostics rely on high-resolution spectrometers to measure the spectral characteristics of the plasma light, which can then be used to determine plasma properties. This project will develop a high-performance data acquisition and processing system to improve the time response and accuracy of the digital recording of this spectral information. The digital recorder, which will be initially configured for operation with a high-speed, 512 by 512 pixel back-illuminated CCD (BCCD) array, has been shown to have a 6-fold increase in photoelectrons detected per pixel and a signal to noise ratio five times greater than previously available. The spectral signal will be converted to digital format immediately after the BCCD array - maintaining its high signal-to-noise ratio. Real-time compression can then be performed on the digital data, allowing the data to be written to RAM memory or directly to a mass storage device. The system design can either be incorporated into a standard PC or be placed in an embedded PC-architecture for stand-alone operation. Anticipated Results/Potential. Commercial Applications as described by the awardee: The combination of high-temporal and high-spectral response, that the BCCD array adds to the spectrometer recorder, should position the recorder an order of magnitude ahead of any spectrometer system currently available. These characteristics have multiple applications in the areas of chemical reactions, explosives and combustion processes.