Ocean Optics has enhanced its USB2000+ spectrometer with new triggering functions, which are designed to provide precise timing and synchronisation between the spectrometer and other devices.
Four low-jitter trigger modes and normal (free-running spectral acquisition) operating modes are now possible.
The USB2000+ can be triggered so that sending the spectrometer a pulse causes it to do something such as a turn off or on a light, activate a pulse in a pulsed light source, or start or end spectral acquisition in the spectrometer.
For example, in the USB2000+ External Triggering mode, an event outside the sampling system (such as a button push, lever activation or laser) electronically pulses the spectrometer's trigger pin and starts acquisition of the spectra with microsecond accuracy.
The USB2000+ has an onboard programmable high-speed FPGA controller, 22-pin connector and eight user-programmable digital I/Os.
Available operating modes are Normal (spectrometer continuously acquires spectra) and the four trigger modes, which are detailed below.
External Software Trigger - while the spectrometer is in free-running mode, data collected in the period up to the triggering event is transferred to software.
External Hardware Level Trigger - the spectrometer waits for a sharp rise in voltage on the trigger input pin, and then acquires spectra until the voltage is removed.
External Synchronous Trigger - spectrometer acquires data from an external trigger event (such as a push button) until the next time the trigger is activated, at which time the spectrometer ceases spectral acquisition and begins a new acquisition.
Integration time cannot be set, and is the effective period between triggers.
External Hardware Edge Trigger - the spectrometer waits for a sharp rise in voltage on the trigger input pin, and then acquires one spectrum.
One spectrum will be acquired for each trigger, unless an acquisition is already in progress.