NUCLEONIX

A High-Resolution
8K MCA with USB Interface&
AnuSpect-Gamma Spectroscopy software
TYPE : MC 1001
Technical Data

FEATURES :
 Excellent MCA performance in terms of
resolution, INL, DNL, etc.
 Universal connectivity to a wide range of PCs
and laptops
 Unlike ISA / PCI cards, it stands outside a PC
 DNL: + or - 1% (with 1K conversion Gain)
 INL : + or - 0.05% F.S (with 1K Conversion
Gain)
 Power requirement: 5V, ~500 mA through USB
cable directly (No external power supply
required).
 Latested MCA data acquisition & analysis
software, Anuspect-Gamma Spectroscopy
software is offered from (BARC, Mumbai) with
this MCA.

Anuspect is a versatile software package for acquisition, analysis and display of gamma spectrometry data. It delivers on-screen
exhaustive analysis and calibration of gamma spectra obtained from any gamma detector, supported by visually effective and
user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). A Multi-Channel Analyzer (MCA) is an important part of nuclear spectroscopy system.
The major requirement of MCA is for nuclear pulse height analysis in energy spectroscopy. The USB-MCA presented here,
incorporates state of art technologies like FPGA, USB bus interface and precision analog electronics to meet the stringent system
requirements in nuclear pulse spectroscopy. The resolution supported by the USB-MCA ranges from 256 channels to 8K channels
selectable via software, making it suitable for all spectroscopy applications from low resolution (e.g. NaI-PMT) to high resolution
(e.g.-Ge) systems.
The USB bus interface of the MCA provides an excellent connectivity with most of the new PCs and lap-top computers. The
Anuspect software provided with the USB-MCA, seamlessly integrates with the hardware, featuring a range of standard functions
required for analysis and acquisition.

Thus USB-MCA, along with external HP-Ge detector, spectroscopy amplifier and HV supply, forms a complete system for high-
resolution spectroscopy applications.

USB MCA along with external NaI detector linear amplifier / spectroscopy and HV supply for a complete system for low
resolution spectroscopy application.

SPECIFICATIONS

Hardware features:  Pulse processing time: 7 s including  MCA Input: Uni/Bipolar,

ADC conversion time of 5 s. Gaussian/TTL/tail pulses ranges
 MCA resolution: 256, 512, 1K,  Pile up rejection: Active high TTL input 0-10V
2K, 4K and 8K channels. from spectroscopy amplifier  Power requirement: 5V, ~500 mA
 Spectrum memory: 128K bytes  DNL: + or - 1% (with 1K Conversion through USB cable directly (No
single port SRAM. Gain) external power supply required).
 Max counts / channel: 31 bit (2  INL : + or - 0.05% F.S. (With
Giga counts). 1KConversion Gain)

File Name : NSPL/DOC / DS /MC1001/01

VER_20161231 Page 1 of 3
 NUCLEONIX

8K MCA (USB) Module 8K MCA (USB) Module

System Software features: Energy Calibration: The energy

2. Delete existing nuclide/gamma line
 Ideal software solution for 3. Import new library calibration is computed from a linear
advanced gamma spectroscopy 4. Save library in text format.
application least squares fit of channel number
 User interface panel for setting v/s energy.
Online Analysis Menu: It holds
hardware (MCA) parameters
Efficiency Calibration: This option
 Spectrum display functionality for the spectrum acquisition.
(standard/zoomed, Linear/Log scale) is for calibrating the efficiency of the
 Optimized peak search algorithm spectrometer. With the provided dps
Hardware Setup: MCA hardware
 Nonlinear least-square fit of peaks values at known peaks for a known
with exponential tailed model specifications must be set before online
 Option for automatic addition of nuclide, efficiency is calculated using
acquisition.
peaks at channels with high residue the equation involving dps, cps &
after fit based on user’s criteria. The following options can be set:
 Energy, peak shape and efficiency gamma abundance. Both, log
1. MCA Mode: Pulse Height Analysis
calibration (PHA) or Multi Channel Scaling (MCS) polynomial and power equations are
 Nuclide identification and activity 2. Timer Mode: Live or Clock
calculation supported.
3. MCA Resolution-(25 channels-8K
 Comprehensive report generation channels) Non Linear Least Square Fit:
for analysis results. 4. Setting Baseline, ULD, LLD.
Earlier calibrated shape model will be
File Menu: For spectrum file saving & Peak Search: A standard peak search fitted for all the peaks in the
loading multiple format options have algorithm is implemented for offline spectrum.
been given to the user. Additionally analysis. The peaks are marked on the Activity:
calibration files (* cal), previously spectrum as follows: Compute Activity: This option is for
saved, can be loaded for energy,  Adding & deleting a peak calculating the activity of unknown
shape, efficiency calibration.  Peak info samples if the efficiency calibration is
 Peak report.
Edit Analysis Library: This option is available.
used to create and update nuclide Shape Calibration: This analysis program Report Generation :The various
libraries that are used for qualitative calibrates peak fitting models consisting of reports that are displayed in this
and quantitative analysis of radio polynomial background, Gaussian peak; windows are:
nuclides. optional smoothly joined exponential tail on  Peak Reports
Options are provided for the following low energy side or both high & low sides.  Activity Calculation Report

functions :  Poly background + Gaussian

 Poly background + Gaussian + Low Display: Option related to spectrum
1. Add new nuclide/gamma line
exponential tail display window can be accessed
 Poly background + Gaussian + Low
exponential tail + High exponential tail. from this menu.

Page 2 of 3
 NUCLEONIX

Display Cursor: Checking on this box LLD (volts) : This is used to set lower PC Configuration Requirements :
displays a cursor on the screen. discrimination level of the MCA (Set  Operating system-Windows XP
Information regarding the energy, range : 0.1 to 10 volts) with SP3 or higher
counts and the position of the cursor  ULD (volts) : This is used to ser upper  CPU-Higher than Pentium-4
(channel no.) is displayed on screen level discrimination level of the MCA (set  Memory -2GB RAM
besides the cursor. range : 0.1 to 10 volts)  Graphics Hardware-DirectX9.0C
Zoom In: Select the zoom in option and  Baseline (volts): This is used to set or higher (optional).
a window appears at the top displaying baseline of the MCA (range: -2V to +2V
the area currently zoomed. Drag the volts). Applications:
mouse to select the rectangle of Advantages: The USB-MCA is useful for high
interest. The USB-MCA is designed with state of art resolution pulse height analysis (up
Zoom Out: Exits the zoom mode. technologies to meet the stringent to 8K channels) and high count rate
Grid View: Spectrum view displays requirements of nuclear instrumentation systems (with a typical dead time of
the entire spectrum & peaks and hence offers many distinct advantages 7sec maximum). The hardware
information. ROI view displays including the following: with associated software installed in
information related to select ROI only.  Excellent MCA performance in terms of a pc makes state of art Multi-
PHA Mode features : resolution, DNL, etc. Channel Analyzer system. It is
 Exp. Time : The time for  Universal connectivity to a wide range of useful for high resolution X-ray and
acquisition in seconds (for PHA PCs and notebook computers. gamma ray spectrometry work in
and MCS both)  Unlike ISA/PCI cards, it stands outside a following areas:
 Timer Mode: Live / clock mode (for PC.  Isotope research
PHA only) (Default: Live).  Simple to install, operate and handle.  Nuclear reactors
 Conversion Gain: This is used to  Low power operation, operates with USB  Accelerators
set conversion gain of the MCA.  Universities
bus power only.
(for PHA only) (Default : 8K)(256
 Other R&D.
channels-8K channels)

PHA spectrum, linearity chart by using LaBr detector PHA spectrum, linearity chart by using NaI detector

Important Note: 8K MCA (USB) module and AnuSpect are offered by Nucleonix systems, based on the
technology received from B.A.R.C., Mumbai.

Head of the Dept. Approved By

Page 3 of 3