Computer automated data acquisition and control for measurement of scintillation materials and scintillating fibers

Scintillation materials and scintillating fibers being developed for potential use as tracking detectors at the SCC (Superconducting Super Collider) are discussed. These fibers will need high scintillation efficiency, short decay time constants, and good transmission characteristics. The authors discuss the combined use of the Apple Macintosh family of microcomputers and custom-built and commercially available hardware and software used at Notre Dame to aid in determining suitable materials and production characteristics for long scintillating fibers or capillaries. This system includes the use of a Hitachi model F-2000 Fluorescence Spectrophotometer, LeCroy 3001 qVt multichannel analyzer, LeCroy 8901A CAMAC to GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus) interface, LeCroy 4604 scaler, and a Centent CN0170 microstepping motor controller. The software for the system, written primarily in Microsoft QuickBASIC, is discussed in detail. The potential use of a DigiKrom 240 monochromater for understanding attenuation as a function of wavelength and for reflection coefficient measurements is also discussed