BNMR

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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 *
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 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.