Extension cables
The camera is delivered with a 10m video cable and a 3m exposure controller cable.
We can offer 10m extensions for both the video and controller cables, and these extensions can be chained to produce 20m or more lengths.
Even longer distances can be obtained with the wired or wireless remote control
and wireless video transmitters, which also allow programming of exposures. (click photos to enlarge).
USB-2 Computer Interface
Cameras are delivered with a USB-2 computer interface and software to view the image on any Windows PC,
where it can be treated and recorded using the
AMCap video capture software.
Additional computer interfaces and software licenses can be provided to route camera images
to several computers. RoboRealm & VLC software also makes the image available via a web browser.
(click photos to enlarge).
We also supply multi-channel computer interfaces.
Philips 7" TFT video monitor
Instead of a computer, you can use any TV screen with composite video input.
We can supply the
Philips 7" TFT video monitor, by far the best we have tested -
strong, and beautifully made, with a standard 100V-240V/12V transformer (supplied).
Just plug in the video and power cables to see the neutron image at approximately
real size, integrated over exposure time.
A simple video splitter can be used to take the same image to your computer.
(US and EU compatible, click photos to enlarge)
Peltier Cooling Option
CCDs when warm generate electronic noise called "dark current" which shows up with long exposures
as bright pixels. For some applications, such as neutron
beam alignment, a few bright pixels are only a cosmetic defect.
The left image above shows such "hot pixels" with a long high-gain exposure from an unmodified camera;
the right image, from a camera cooled by 25C using a Peltier cooler, heat-sink and fan,
shows few hot pixels.
NeutronOptics offers the Peltier Cooling option for existing and future cameras (US & EU compatible).
The photo on the left shows the cooler together with an optional wireless exposure controller on the compact camera
with the CCD hood removed. An optional wireless video transmitter is shown alongside.
(click photos to enlarge).
Cooling becomes particularly important for very long exposures. The images above show a 3 minute high-gain exposure with
an uncooled camera (above left) compared to the same exposure with a cooled camera (above right);
only a few isolated hot pixels remain after cooling, and these can easily be removed with the
Despeckle filter (left).
Note the faint glow in the upper left corner due to infrared radiation from the CCD amplifiers;
this can be eliminated by the
Process/Subtract Background... filter.
Wired Remote Control
The camera comes with its own 16-pin wired controller on a 3m cable, which can be used with 10m extensions.
Much longer distances (40m or more) can be obtained with the optional "wired" controller, which uses ordinary 2-wire RJ11 telephone cable. This is also an advantage if the controller cable must exit an instrument tank, or if the similar wireless remote control (below) cannot be used.
A 30g wired receiver is plugged into the camera in place of the existing controller, which is then replaced by the alternative hand-held remote controller (left). Exposures of 0.0005 secs to 90 mins can be set, and once set the remote controller, which runs on batteries, can be disconnected; the previous settings will then be used whenever the camera is powered on (US & EU compatible).
This optional "wired" controller, as well as the similar "wireless" controller (below), include an RS232 port and cable to
allow them to be controlled by a computer using simple batch files or the MS-Windows hyper-terminal software. This is described
in the wired/wireless controller manual.
Wireless Remote Control
This is a modification of the optional wired controller, to provide completely wireless operation. A 30g 1mW receiver
is plugged into the camera in place of the existing controller, which is replaced by a hand-held remote transmitter (left).
Exposures of 0.0005 secs to 90 mins can be set, and once set the remote transmitter, which runs
on batteries, can be switched off; the previous settings will then be used whenever the camera is powered on (US & EU compatible).
For details, see the wired/wireless controller manual. (click photos to enlarge).
Wireless Video Transmitter
The supplied co-axial video cable is 10m long, and 10m extensions can be ordered.
Alternatively, a wireless video transmitter with its associated receiver transmits the camera image over distances of 100m or more,
even through walls. The photo shows a miniature wireless video transmitter (blue) and receiver alongside
the 100x60 mm camera, with also a wireless controller receiver on top (black).
This transmitter operates on 16-channels near 1.2 GHz
or 12-channels near 2.4GHz at 700 mW.
Lower power transmitters are also available if required to satisfy local regulations.
The wireless channel can be changed at the press of a button, and additional transmitters or receivers can be purchased separately.
Before ordering, please check the radio frequencies and power permitted in your environment.
Protective Hood
The exposed CCD unit of version-2 can be broken from the camera body if it is subjected to a shock.
With version-3 NeutronOptics provides a simple aluminium hood to cover the CCD unit;
it is bolted onto the existing 4mm screws in the front and back of the body, and is available as an
optional extra for version-2 of the camera (click photos to enlarge).
Translator to move the camera into the beam
The scintillator will eventually be destroyed if left permanently in the neutron beam, so the
idea is to use a simple remotely controlled compressed air translator to move the camera
into the beam only when required. This would be similar to translators used for beam shutters,
but less powerful since the cameras weigh <1 Kg and need be translated by only ~125mm.
FESTO AG anti-rotation translators eg DNC-32-125-PPV-A-Q-V3
are recommended.
Replacement CCD units and scintillators
Even though the CCD unit is isolated from the beam by a mirror, like all electronic equipment, it will eventually be degraded by neutron and especially gamma background, and should be shielded if possible. Radiation damage will show up as white noise pixels. If necessary, the CCD unit can be replaced without opening the camera simply by loosening the 3 small screws holding it at its base.The light output of the neutron scintillator will fall by 30% after an integrated flux of 1014.n.cm-2
(i.e. after more than 100 days in a constant 107.n.cm-2.s-1 neutron beam).
The scintillator should therefore last several years of normal operation, but if necessary the scintillator can be replaced
by opening the camera.