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FASTFLIGHT®-2
Digital Signal Averager
with 4 GSa/s (250 ps per point) Sampling Rate |
LabVIEW
Driver now available! |
FASTFLIGHT-2®
is a completely new version of our popular FASTFLIGHT-P®
Digital Signal Averager, designed specifically for demanding data
acquisition tasks in time-of-flight mass spectrometry, especially when
this is is run as the second stage after liquid or gas chromatogram
separation. In such LC/TOF-MS and GC/TOF-MS applications, FASTFLIGHT-2''s
dedicated architecture outperforms alternative solutions using fast
oscilloscopes, general purpose plug-in data acquisition cards or
time-to-digital converters.
Its unprecedented 250 ps resolution accurately defines the
spectral details on the narrowest peaks. Moreover, the built-in hardware
averager and fast USB-2 data link to the controlling PC deliver sustained
acquisition rates at an exceptionally high 100 averaged spectra per second
in the chromatograph/TOF-MS mode. These and other unique features mean
that if you want your users to get the best out of the TOF-MS systems you
provide, then you should use the best available data acquisition system.
Look no further - you have found it in FASTFLIGHT-2
| Key
product features include: |
|
|
- 250 ps interleaved and 500 ps real-time sampling
intervals
allow
resolution
of the narrowest
spectral peaks
- Sustained
TOF-MS rates up to 100 averaged spectra/s, in the
Chromatograph/TOF-MS mode, for ultra-fast chromatographs
- Automatic
correlated noise suppression to less than 0.004% of full scale
for a 25,000:1 concentration range
- Spectrum
lengths from 10 to 3000 µs
cover even the extremes in TOF-MS
- Automatic data compression by factors of up to 400:1 to
greatly reduce file size
- External
trigger input allows use as drop-in replacement for fast
oscilloscopes
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- Simple
cable connection to the USB-2 port on the controlling PC, with
no need to find scarce space inside it
- Rapid Protocol Port allows data acquisition parameters to be
changed within 10 µs, which is ideal for taking rapid,
multi-mode chromatographs
- Precision Enhancer achieves 12-bit resolution with an 8-bit
sampling ADC
- System
includes Windows software
for control, acquisition, display and data analysis
- Complete
with programmer’s
toolkit using ActiveX Controls for developing custom
application software in most popular programming languages
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FASTFLIGHT-2 consists of a compact benchtop unit designed to
be operated from a personal computer via the industry-standard USB-2
port, and a full applications software package, designed for Windows
2000/XP. This gives access to all the unit's controls, and graphically
displays acquired spectra, as well as allowing live or post acquisition
chromatogram (spectra vs. time) analysis. OEM users can integrate
control and readout into their own instrument software suites using the
supplied ActiveX controls, which are compatible with virtually all
popular programming languages.
Unlike most fast oscilloscopes or general purpose plug-in data
acquisition cards, FASTFLIGHT-2 uses a hardware averager to build
the running linear average of scans as they are acquired,
rather than post acquisition. In conjunction with an extra output buffer
for the averaged spectrum, which allows this to be transferred to the
host computer while the next spectra is being taken, this gives an end
of scan deadtime of less than 1 µs. This feature is the key figure
of merit when comparing the unit with other instruments, which often
require significant times - up to milliseconds in some cases - after
each sweep in order to perform the averaging process. Because of this
low deadtime, the overall data throughput rate can be very high,
allowing higher repetition rates and shorter experiment times than are
possible when using other methods.
Unlike its predecessor, FASTFLIGHT-2 has an external trigger
input similar to that on an oscilloscope, allowing each scan to be
initiated by an external signal. But it also offers a trigger output,
which can be used when the system is capable of being externally
triggered, to give even lower sample timing jitter.
The analog signal input has a bandwidth of greater than 500 MHz
to accurately maintain peak shape through to the 8-bit flash ADC, chosen
for its excellent differential and integral non-linearity
specifications. The ADC runs at a rate of 2 GSa/s (500 ps per
point) in normal mode, but can also be used at 250 ps/point when in
the interleaved mode. In this latter case the instrument must act as the
source of system trigger.
Duet Operation
Using
the clock inputs and outputs, two FASTFLIGHT-2 units
can be run in a Duet mode, in which both run from the same master timing
source, but with the analog signal input of one being amplified so that
it is ten times larger than that of the other (using an external
preamplifier, such as the model 9326).
This lowers the system detection limit (which results from the
correlated noise) by a factor of 10 in the unit fed with the larger
signal, resulting in an overall increase of 10 in dynamic range.
| Key
Specifications |
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| Input |
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Impedance |
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50
W |
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Sensitivity |
|
0
to -500 mV FS |
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Offset |
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-0.250 V
to + 0.250 V; resolution 0.03 V |
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Bandwidth |
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>
500 MHz; DC coupled; rise and fall times < 1 ns |
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Input
Protection |
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Max
±2 V DC, or ±10 V for 50 ns and <1% duty
cycle |
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ADC |
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8-bit
binary nominally spans 500 mV at the signal input |
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Precision
Enhancer |
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Extends
the limiting ADC resolution to 12 bits (for input noise <2 mV)
when 256 or more records are averaged. Can be turned on or off. |
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Non-Linearity: |
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(Measured
from 5% to 95% of full scale using a 500 mV, 70 µs ramp,
with the Precision Enhancer on) |
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Differential |
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Within
± 0.10 LSB referred to the 8-bit ADC |
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Integral |
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Within
± 0.4% of full scale |
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Equivalent
Input Noise: |
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(Measured
on 500 ps sampling rate, 500 µs record length) |
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Uncorrelated
with the Trigger |
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<2 mV
rms. |
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Correlated
with the Trigger |
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<0.02 mV
(typically 0.01 mV) rms with Automatic Correlated Noise
Subtraction turned on |
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Automatic
Correlated Noise Subtraction |
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Automatically
assesses the correlated noise in each spectrum and subtracts it
without compromising data throughput rates. Can be turned on or off |
| Sampling
Clock |
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Internal |
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2 GHz
with temperature stability of better than 2 ppm/≥ C |
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10 MHz
Clock Input |
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When
10 MHz signal is present at Clock Input, internal 2 GHz
clock is phase-locked to it. Allows instrument to be synchronized
with a master timing source |
|
10 MHz
Clock Output |
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10 MHz
signal phase-locked to the internal 2 GHz clock to allow
instrument to act as master timing source for a second unit |
| Sampling
Time Per Point |
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500 ps,
1 ns or 2 ns
real-time sampling using one scan per record; 250 ps
interleaved sampling employing two scans per record |
| Spectrum
Length |
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250 ps
sampling |
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10.0 µs
min; 375 µs max |
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500 ps
sampling |
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10.0 µs
min; 750 µs max |
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1 ns
sampling |
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10.0 µs
min; 1.5 ms max |
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2 ns
sampling |
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10.0 µs
min; 3.0 ms max |
| Trigger
Input |
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|
Threshold |
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Adjustable
from –2.5 to +2.5 V in 10 mV steps |
|
Polarity |
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Positive
or Negative |
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Max
input |
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±
5 V DC |
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Min
Pulse Width |
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25 ns |
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Timing
Jitter |
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The
first sampled point in the record is synchronized within ± 250 ps
relative to the leading edge of the Trigger Input for real-time
sampling |
| Trigger
Output |
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Type |
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TTL |
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Impedance |
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50
Ω |
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Pulse
Width |
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64 ns
to 5120 ns |
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Pulse
Polarity |
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Low
to High signifies start of sweep |
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Timing
Jitter |
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Synchronized
to the first sampled point in the scan with a jitter <50 ps
FWHM. The Trigger Output is alternately delayed by 0 and 250 ps
relative to the sampling clock in the 250 ps interleaved
sampling mode. |
| Data
Acquisition Delay (Start Time Offset) |
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0
to 1048.56 µs in 16 ns steps. The record starts after the
selected delay |
| End-of-Scan
Dead Time |
|
0.8 µs |
| End-of-Spectrum
Dead Time |
|
0.8 µs |
| Averaging
Method |
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Linear
summation |
| Number
of Records in Average |
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1
to 65,536 |
| Maximum
Acquisition Time |
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The
number of acquired spectra can be limited by presetting the
maximum time. Selectable in 1-s increments from 1 second to 65,535
seconds (» 18 hr.), or disabled. |
| Spectrum
Time Stamp |
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42
bits in the spectrum header are allocated to recording the
starting time of each spectrum with 10 µs precision |
| Spectrum
Number |
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21
bits in the spectrum header are allocated to recording the
sequential spectrum number |
| Spectral
Data Compression Modes |
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Implemented
in the hardware with no compromise in data throughput |
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Lossless |
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Compression
down to 2/3 the normal 24-bit file size in spectra dominated by
background, and with no loss of original data. |
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Peak-Preserving
and Background-Rejecting |
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Transmits
peaks and adjacent background points. Typically sends the
amplitude of four background points every 200 such points between
peak regions, giving a data compression factor of 10 to 30,
depending on peak density. |
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Peak
Centroid and Net Area |
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Transmits
only the centroid and net area of automatically detected peaks.
Provides an additional factor of 9 data compression relative to
Peak-Preserving and Background-Rejecting compression |
| Maximum
Spectral
Transfer Rate |
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Up
to 100 averaged spectra/s transferred to PC memory and hard disk
for a 50 µs spectrum length and 500 ps
sampling. |
| Chromatograph
Modes |
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Automatic
generation of real-time Chromatograph displays with each point in
the chromatograph linked to the supporting time-of-flight
spectrum. Provides exact time synchronization of the chromatograph
with the TOF-MS when analyzing the output of an LC or GC |
|
Total-Ion
Chromatograph |
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The
hardware computes the sum of the areas above background for all
peaks in each spectrum, and passes that number to the computer via
the spectrum header. The sum is used for the vertical scale in the
chromatograph |
|
Specific-Ion
Chromatograph |
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The
operator selects the boundaries of a specific peak in the spectrum
to generate the Specific-Ion Chromatograph from the net area above
background in that peak. The net area is included in the header
for each spectrum. The Specific-Ion Chromatograph can be generated
during data acquisition or post-acquisition |
| Spectra
per Chromatograph |
|
>18,000.
Limited only by available memory in the supporting PC and the data
storage disk |
| Rapid
Protocol Selection Port |
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8
bit TTL compatible input port. 4 bits are used to select one of 16
predefined acquisition protocols, which are complete
instrument set-ups (including sampling time, record length,
records to average). Changes take effect in real time within 10 µs.
Remaining 4 bits are used to insert one of 16 "tags" in
the spectrum header. These tags can be used to identify unique
acquisition conditions from other parts of the mass spectrometer |
| Operating
Temperature Range |
|
0
to 50° C |
| Power |
|
Separate, external power
supply accepts 90 to 264 V AC at 47 to 63 Hz via
IEC320/C14 input connector; a suitable line power cord is
included. |
| Dimensions |
|
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|
Chassis |
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12.9"
wide x 13.3" deep x 2.9" high
(330 mm wide x 340 mm deep x 74 mm high) |
|
External
Power Supply |
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5.20"
wide ´ 2.29" deep ´
1.18" high
(132 mm wide ´
58 mm deep ´ 30 mm
high) |
| Weight |
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|
Chassis |
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10.9
lb (4.9 kg) |
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External
Power Supply |
|
1 lb
(450 g) |
|
Total
Shipping Weight |
|
13.9 lb (6.3
kg) |
| Software |
|
Full
operating package running under Windows XP/2000 is provided to
enable instrument control and graphical or file representation of
spectra and chromatograms. Complete with ActiveX controls that are
compatible with LabVIEW, C++, Visual Basic and other software
development environments. |
FASTFLIGHT-2
Rear Panel
All instrument
inputs and outputs are mounted on the rear panel. Signal and trigger
connectors are all 50 W BNC
female types.
Accessories
Model 9326-P Fast Preamplifier (includes
power cable suitable for auxiliary power output on rear panel of FASTFLIGHT-2)
RG-58A/U 50 W Coaxial
Cables with BNC Connectors. Four standard lengths are available:
C-25-1 30 cm (1') length
C-25-2 61 cm (2') length
C-25-4 1.2 m (4') length
C-25-8 2.4 m (8') length
FASTFLIGHT is
a registered trademark of AMETEK Advanced Measurement Technology, Inc.
All other trademarks used are the property of their respective owners.
Parts of the design of FASTFLIGHT 2 are covered by US Patents
6028543, 6094627and 5995989 |
is
a trademark of AMETEK, Inc.