A miniaturized ASIC-based multichannel scaler instrument

A miniaturized multichannel scaler instrument has been developed to address size and operational constraints for data acquisition in a portable laser-induced luminescence system. The multichannel scaling (MCS) function is implemented as a programmable application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with standard interfaces for control and data-acquisition. The instrument is microcontroller-based with sufficient computing power for data manipulation and algorithmic processing. The unit includes electronics for laser control and amplification and pulse height discrimination of PMT pulses. Modification of the instrument should allow use in nuclear, chemical, and spectroscopy-related applications including Mossbauer experiments. Interfaces are incorporated allowing both computer-controlled and stand-alone operation. Implementation of the MCS function as an ASIC and comparison with conventional implementations are discussed. Full characterization of the MCS is presented including differential nonlinearity, bin dead time, and bandwidth measurements