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BNMR and BNQR Experiments at TRIUMF

This is the main page of the documentation for the Data Acquisition System (DAQ) for the BetaNMR (BNMR) and BetaNQR (BNQR) experiments at TRIUMF

Introduction

The Data Acquisition System is based on the MIDAS data acquisition package.

There are two separate beamlines, BNMR and BNQR, each with its own experimental setup :

• bnmr running on the BNMR high-voltage platform
• bnqr running on the BNQR high-voltage platform

Each experimental setup has its own #Hardware Components (i.e. a VME crate containing DAQ modules). Each runs as a separate MIDAS experiment named bnmr or bnqr. DAQ software specific to these experiments (MIDAS clients) run the experiments - see #Software Components. Experimenters control the experiment using the MIDAS Web Server (mhttpd).

Beam Control

The main TRIUMF EPICS Control System is used to control the beam, which can be switched to either experiment's beamline. There are two Beam Modes that the experiments can be run in:

single channel mode

where the beam is sent to one beamline (channel) only, either BNMR or BNQR. Only one of the DAQ systems bnmr or bnqr is active.

dual channel mode

where the beam is switched between the two beamlines (channels) BNMR and BNQR at regular intervals. Both DAQ systems bnmr and bnqr are active.

Environment

For both experiments, two types of environment are defined (cf MUSR experiments):

• Integral (Type 1)
• Time Differential or TD (Type 2)
• Combination of the above two types

See #Experimental (PPG) Modes.

Experimental (PPG) Modes

A number of different experimental modes are defined for each of Type 1 (Integral) and Type 2 (TD) #Environments. These allow different experimental modes to be run (e.g. Frequency scan, Na Cell scan). The modes used in recent years are shown in a brighter colour. These modes correspond to different programs downloaded into the PPG (i.e. to different pulse sequences) so are also known as PPG Modes. To understand what each experimental mode does, consult the appropriate timing diagram listed below and see experimental (PPG) modes.

Table 1 INTEGRAL and TIME DIFFERENTIAL Experimental (PPG) Modes

Table 1a: Type 1 Integral Modes Mode Name Mode Parameters Timing Figure Scalers 10 Same as 1f Freq 1f 1f NaCell 1n 1n The following modes are no longer used: 1a 1a 1a 1b 1b 1b Laser 1d Same as 1n Camp 1c Same as 1f Fast * 1g Not available LCR ** 1j Not available *Combination of Modes 20 and 1f **Combination of Modes 20 and 1c

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Table 1b: Type 2 Differential Modes Mode Name Mode Parameters Timing Figure SLR 20 20 2e 2e 2e Alpha 2h * same as 20 The following modes are no longer used: 2a 2a 2a 2b 2b 2b 2c 2c 2c 2d 2d same as 1b * Supported by BNQR experiment only; SIS3820 Scaler required for this mode this is a spacer a

Any of these modes may be run in single channel mode. Only Type 2 modes may be run in dual channel mode.

Hardware Components

DAQ hardware components for each DAQ system (BNMR/BNQR) include the following VME modules:

Table 2: VME Modules for each Experiment

Module	Description	VME Base Address	BNMR	BNQR	Manual
SIS3801 version E	multichannel scaler A	0x2800	yes	no	SIS3801
SIS3801 version E	multichannel scaler B	0x1800	yes	yes *
SIS3820	multichannel scaler B	0x38000000	no	yes *	SIS3820
PPG (Pulseblaster)	Pulse Programmer	0x8000	yes	yes	PPG Spincore Pulseblaster
PSM	Pol Synthesizer module (RF)	0xC00000	no	yes	PSM AD9857 Quadrature Digital Upconverter Programming Guides: PSM / PSMII
PSMII	Pol Synthesizer module II (RF)	0xC00000	yes	no
NIMIO32	Input/Output Register	0x100000	yes	yes	NIMIO32
MVME162	68040 board, cpu runs CAMP (VxWorks)		bnmrvw	polvw
VMIC	cpu runs frontend (Linux)		lxbnmr	lxbnqr
VFS	PSM replacement	not yet in use			Pol Synth III (VSF)

* Currently (July 2017) BNQR crate contains both SIS3801E and SIS3820. Latest version supports Alpha Mode which requires the SIS3820. The SIS3801E will be removed from the crate shortly.

The names of the VMIC running the frontend and MVME162 (the CAMP host) for each experiment are shown in Table 2 above.

The connections between the DAQ VME Modules are shown in BNMR DAQ Hardware Connections.

Software Components

The DAQ system is based on the MIDAS package. Data acquisition software to run the bnmr and bnqr experiments has been written to run under MIDAS. This includes the frontend, custom logger etc. This software is mostly common to both experiments (differences between the two experiments are handled with ifdefs).

The experiment is controlled using the MIDAS webserver (mhttpd). Due to the large number of experimental parameters required, Midas custom pages have been written for the experimenters to control and monitor their experiment.

The custom logger (mdarc/midbnmr) saves the data into MUSR MUD format files, and the MUSR CAMP slow control system is used for slow controls. Analysis is done by physica.

The DAQ software components are started by the script start-all and stopped by the script kill-all. These include standard MIDAS utilities (e.g. mhttpd, mlogger, mserver) as well as components specific to the bnmr and bnqr experiments.

The main DAQ software components specific to the bnmr and bnqr experiments are

Table 3: DAQ Software Components

Component		Host		Experiment	Purpose
Name	Type	Name	Type
febnmr_vmic	Midas frontend	lxbnmr	#VMIC	bnmr	the frontend sets up, reads out hardware modules, sends histograms. The frontend code for both experiments is identical.
febnqr_vmic		lxbnqr		bnqr
rf_config	Midas Client	isdaq01	Midas Host PC	both	check PPG parameters, download program to PPG
mdarc					custom data logger saves data in MUD format
midbnmr					converts MIDAS format saved data files to save in MUD format
mheader					sends out CAMP and EPICS slow-control data to be saved in the MUD data file
fe_epics					sends experimental data to EPICS (can be read by control-room)
autorun					automatic run controller
cleanup					cleans up and archives any saved run files that were not properly archived. Run by user occasionally as needed.
scripts		isdaq01	MIDAS host PC	both	scripts perform important functions e.g. kill-all, start-all. Scripts run at the begin and end of each run send information to the elog, check the CAMP logged variables etc.
perlscripts		isdaq01		both	various perlscripts control changing experimental mode, checking and maintaining run numbering, etc.
camp	camp server	bnmrvw	MVME162	bnmr	MUSR slow control system
		polvw		bnqr
	camp client	isdaq01	Midas Host PC	both
physica		isdaq01	Midas Host PC	both	data analyser
lcrplot					plot data

Each of the DAQ components is described in more detail (click on the appropriate link in Table 3). The perlscripts use the MIDAS utility odbedit to communicate with the ODB, and may be run by one of the MIDAS clients, or by a (custom)script button on a MIDAS web page.

DAQ Summary

The VMIC front end computer

• runs the frontend code which
  • controls PSM,PPG, VMEIO, Scaler modules
  • acquires data from SIS MCS (scaler) module(s), builds histograms
  • uses channel access to control EPICS variable(s) (e.g. helicity)
  • periodically sends the data out into the data buffer

The host computer (isdaq01)

• runs all other software components which
  • acquire the data from the data buffer
  • log the data
  • monitor the experiment
  • start/stop runs

Nomenclature

In this document, " bnmr or bnqr " may be written as " bn[mq]r "

For example, directories :

/home/bnmr/online/bnmr spc and spc /home/bnqr/online/bnqr

are referred to by shortcuts such as

space /home/bn[nm]r/online/b[nm]r spc and spc ~/online/b[nm]r

Alternatively, these directories may be written as

• /home/<experiment>/online/<beamline>
• /home/<expt>/online/<beamline>
• ~/online/<beamline>

where <experiment> <expt> and <beamline> are bnmr or bnqr.