Q Imaging Rolera Thunder User Manual

Summary of Rolera Thunder

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    U s e r m a n u a l digital imaging made easy.

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    Rolera thunder user manual i user manual for rolera thunder.

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    Rolera thunder user manual ii rolera thunder user manual applicability this document applies to the rolera thunder camera. For the latest updates, please visit www . Qimaging . Com notice of copyright copyright© 2011 quantitative imaging corporation. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication of ...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Rolera thunder user manual iii table of contents chapter 1 overview ............................................................................................................... 1 introduction ............................................................................................................

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    Rolera thunder user manual iv new hardware found dialog box does not appear (windows 2000/xp) ......................... 22 images not displayed ........................................................................................................ 23 camera running too warm ...........................

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    Rolera thunder user manual v this page intentionally left blank.

  • Page 8: Chapter 1

    Rolera thunder users manual 1 chapter 1 overview introduction the qimaging® rolera thunder camera employs an advanced ccd technology called "impact ionization" to achieve charge multiplication gain above the read noise. As a result, the cameras offer unparalleled sensitivity even at high frame rates...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 2 figure 1. Comparison of traditional ccd and rolera thunder ccd array structures the rolera thunder also offers a non-multiplication readout similar to the one available in traditional ccd cameras. This makes these more versatile cameras that can be used for standard imag...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 3 figure 3. Firewire interface card about this manual the rolera thunder user manual is divided into five chapters. It is suggested that you read the entire manual before operating the camera in order to ensure proper use. The chapter contents are briefly described below. ...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 4 • use caution when triggering high-current switching devices (such as an arc lamp) near your system. The ccd can be permanently damaged by transient voltage spikes. If electrically noisy devices are present, an isolated, conditioned power line or dedicated isolation tran...

  • Page 12: Chapter 2

    Rolera thunder user manual 5 chapter 2 system installation carefully review the precautions section in the previous chapter before performing any of the procedures outlined here. Again, use only a rolera thunder data cable and a rolera thunder firewire interface card with your rolera thunder camera....

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    Rolera thunder user manual 6 host computer requirements the host computer (pc) for your rolera thunder camera must have the following: • windows® 7, vista, or xp (sp3 or later) operating system • 2 ghz core 2 duo (or greater) • 2 gb ram (or greater) • cd-rom drive • at least one unused traditional p...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 7 installing the firewire interface card you will be using a rolera thunder firewire interface card to allow the camera to communicate with your computer. Before installing the interface card, refer to the ‘release notes’ files on the cd-rom and to the software installatio...

  • Page 16: Chapter 3

    Rolera thunder user manual 9 chapter 3 operating features introduction the features described in this section are identical in all rolera thunder cameras unless otherwise stated. On-chip multiplication gain as explained previously, the rolera thunder uses a unique ccd capable of multiplying the char...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 10 non-overlap mode non-overlap mode allows you to expose the array for the exposure time specified in the software and is similar in performance to a normal, full-frame device. The operational sequence for this mode is: 1. Clearing the ccd, 2. Exposing for the specified e...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 11 figure 8. Required settings for non-overlap mode operation example: non-overlap mode operation in non-overlap mode is illustrated in the timing diagram below. In this example, the exposure time is 10 ms and the readout time is 34.8ms. The total time to take 3 frames is ...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 12 overlap mode (simultaneous exposure-readout) overlap mode is extremely useful in applications requiring continuous imaging (100% duty cycle). Once a frame is exposed and transferred into the frame transfer area, the next exposure immediately starts and continues until t...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 13 in overlap mode when exposure time n ) taken to capture n frames is given by: t n = (t r × n) + t exp where t n = total time taken to capture a sequence of n frames t r = readout time for one frame n = total number of frames in a sequence t exp = exposure time figure 11...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 14 triggered operation the rolera thunder camera offers several methods of integration with external trigger sources, such as delay generators or laser pre-triggers. Each camera has a 10-pin, hirose hr10a i/o connector (pinout functions are described in chapter 5) on the b...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 15 strobe mode in strobe mode, each frame in a sequence requires a trigger. Each frame is exposed for the length of time entered into the software and is then read out. If a trigger arrives during the exposure-readout of the previous frame, it is ignored (see figure 15). F...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 16 conversion gain apart from multiplication gain, which actually multiplies the number of electrons generated in each pixel, the rolera thunder also has three (3) conversion gains. Conversion gain simply quantifies how the resulting electrons are converted into adu (analo...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 17 rolera thunder features the rolera thunder has incorporated a calibration routine which allows the camera to adjust voltages of the adc offsets such that the electron multiplication gain input given to the camera reflects the actual gain provided by the device. Settings...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 18 dual-readout port operation the rolera thunder is configured with software-selectable dual-readout amplifiers, also referred to as "ports", shown in the next figure. The two amplifiers are listed below. Port #1: on-chip multiplication amplifier port #2: traditional or n...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 19 note: as the user interface may be different, please refer to your software manual for specific information on readout amplifier/port selection. On-chip multiplication amplifier (port #1): operation of multiplication gain in the rolera thunder is different from the prev...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 20 a slower readout speed can be used when better noise performance is needed at the expense of frame rate. On the other hand, increased frame readout rate can be achieved by one or more of the following: • higher readout speed, • sub-region selection, • binning. For more ...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 21 application settings summary the table below summarizes typical rolera thunder settings for two types of applications and is provided as a setup aid. Actual settings will vary based on the exact nature of your experiment design. Application readout amplifier (port) read...

  • Page 29: Chapter 4

    Rolera thunder user manual 22 chapter 4 troubleshooting if you have any difficulty while troubleshooting, or do not see your camera system’s symptoms listed here, contact qimaging customer service. System does not boot normally if your operating system does not boot normally after you have installed...

  • Page 31: Chapter 5

    Rolera thunder user manual 24 chapter 5 basic specifications camera weight: 6.5 lbs. (2.8 kg) ccd specifications and orientation window uv grade fused-silica broadband mgf 2 anti-reflective coating on both surfaces ccd array ccd e2v ccd97-00 ccd process back illuminated resolution 512 x 512 pixel si...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 25 connectors figure 21. Rolera thunder rear panel the following connectors are located on the back of the camera. • connector: type 1, 6 pin ieee-1394a (firewire). • power connector: 5-pin, lemo connector for camera power. • i/o connector: hirose hr10a-10r-10s, 10-pin con...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 26 i/o connector pinout the i/o (input/output status) connector provides information about trigger function, dac, and ttl signals. Inputs must be at least 3.15 v for a high and less than 0.9 v for a low. The numbers on the i/o connector diagram correspond to the numbers gi...

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    Rolera thunder user manual 27 power supply specifications and dimensions voltage input: 100-240 v~ @ 47-63 hz current input: 3.0 a voltage output: +12 vdc maximum power output: 96 w power supply weight: 2 lb (0.9 kg) supply cable length: 10 ft. / 3.048 m note: ce certification applies to the rolera ...

  • Page 35: Index

    Rolera thunder user manual 28 index b bias (offset), 10 binning, 17, 21 bulb mode, 16 c cleaning exterior camera surfaces, 4 imaging window, 4 c-mount, 8 adjusting, 8 computer (host), 6 conversion gain, 20 customer service, ii d data connector, 7, 28 declaration of conformity rolera thunder, v digit...

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    57-481-001 rev a1.

  • Page 37: Digital Imaging Made Easy

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