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Chapter 5 Operation 45
45
Experiment Setup Timing tab (Acquisition|Experiment Setup…):
Timing Mode: Free Run
Shutter Control: Normal
Safe Mode vs. Fast Mode: Fast Mode
General tab (Display|Layout…): Select Horizontal and Vertical Cross
Sections.
Acquiring Data
If you are using WinView/32 and the computer monitor for focusing, select Focus from
the Acquisition menu. Successive images will be sent to the monitor as quickly as they
are acquired. Since no X-ray source is being used, the acquired images will be of the
camera's dark charge. As the CCD temperature decreases, the image will get darker as the
dark charge decreases. Signal changes may be more easily seen on the cross-section
views.
Figure 17 shows the kind of image data you might see in WinView. The horizontal and
vertical cross sections have been turned on via the General tab card (Display|Layout).
Figure 17. Example of WinView Data Acquired from First Light Procedure
Because the time to acquire and read out an image varies directly with the size of the
CCD, the observed frame rate will vary greatly depending on the CCD installed. With a
short exposure time, it is not uncommon for the frame readout time to be significantly
longer than the exposure time: for a Fairchild 4096x4096 array, a full frame readout at
1 MHz takes approximately 17 seconds.
This completes First Light. If the system functioned as described, you can be reasonably sure
it has arrived in good working order. In addition, you should have a basic understanding of
how the system hardware is used. A recommended procedure for powering down the camera
is provided in the next section. Other topics, which could be quite important in certain
situations, are discussed in the following chapters. See the appropriate application software
manual for information on using the software to control the system.