User manual

Introduction
ComTec GmbH 1-1
1. Introduction
The MPA-3 Multiparameter System is an ultra fast listmode multichannel data acquisition system
featuring data rates and performance previously not known in commercially available
multiparameter systems.
The MPA-3 system is designed to handle up to 16 external ADCs, multiscalers or time-of-flight
units. The open system technology is capable to easily accommodate future system expansions.
The modular design allows for step by step system upgrades from a minimum of 4 ADC inputs to
a maximum of 16 ports. All setup parameters are fully software controlled. Also, the MPA-3
Multiparameter System is designed to provide highest performance data acquisition it is capable
to perform simple tasks very economically while its most versatile add-on features make it easily
adaptable to a variety of experimental requirements complicated or almost impossible to fulfill
with other systems.
For dependent multiparameter data acquisition coincidence resolving times from low 150ns to
more than 3ms can be selected in steps of 50ns. A programmable timeout counter (also 150ns to
over 3ms) for the maximum time to wait for a conversion being finished after a DEADTIME signal
of the ADC was detected further helps to optimize the data throughput for a specific experiment.
With the MPA-3 multiparameter system, FAST introduces a most flexible and versatile method to
setup coincidence mode data acquisition. Coincident events may be defined as almost any
combination of the 16 ADC ports and also the auxiliary connectors might be involved. Several
different combinations may be defined as coincidence conditions at a time. Besides, it is possible
to define the ADC ports that can actually start a coincidence independently. Thus, random
coincidences and therefore the base level noise in the spectra is further reduced.
Figure 1.1: BASE + 3 Quad ADC Port modules MPA-3 system