How to start

Configuration files

Configuration files are essential for SpecMan4EPR. After the first run, the default shell configuration file is created. However, without device and pulse configurations, the program can work as a data viewer only. SpecMan4EPR package contains demonstration configuration, which may help one to study basic functionality of the program. This configurations emulates pulse EPR spectrometer. This text describes how to configure SpecMan4EPR using this demonstration configuration.

The demonstration configurations use so-called dummy devices. Dummy devices are not connected to any hardware but emulate real devices functionality. Demo configuration contains four devices typical for an EPR spectrometer: pulse generator (PB), radio frequency synthesizer (RFGen), digitizer (DIGITIZER) and field controller (Field). Pulse generator has channels that generate pulse sequences. Time trace with pulse sequence produced by pulse generator can be monitored on the Scope when corresponding device properties (In_Ch0 - In_Ch15) are assigned to acquisition streams. The digitizer emulates an ADC or transient digitizer and returns a sinus waveform or random number sequence. Radio frequency synthesizer and field controller help to emulate ENDOR and field sweep experiments. This way typical pulse EPR experiments can be tested.

At first step the directory, where program will search for the configuration files, has to be set in the 'Directories' page of Options dialog. Select . The typical location of configuration files is a 'SpecMan/cfg' directory. Select the directory or type the path to the field 'Configuration files path' and press 'Ok' button. Now the configuration can be loaded from File/Load Config menu. If 'Load configuration' dialog has no entries then configuration files path is not properly configured or there is no configuration files in the directory. Configuration files have '*.cfg' or '*cfp' extensions.

Select 'Demo configuration' and press 'Ok' button. The configuration will be loaded and the caption of the main window will change to SpecMan4EPR [Demo configuration]'. Now the connected devices can be inspected. Open the Device configuration dialog (Config/Device Config). One can see four devices: PulseGen, RFGen, ADC, Field. By selecting the name of device the brief description of driver can be seen. The configuration keys of devices are visible in the right panel. The expanded branch of the device provide information on its properties and pulse channels. Some of the properties are specific for dummy devices and some of them are configurable so one can create the functional dummy device configuration.

The pulse configuration is loaded together with device configuration. Open the Pulse configuration dialog (Config/Pulse Config) to browse the settings.

The examples of PPL programs are supplied with the program. Call the configuration dialog ( Config/Options... menu, 'Directories' page) and set the Templates path. The typical location of the template files is a 'SpecMan/tpl' directory. Now the templates can be loaded from File/New Exp menu. If 'Experiment template' dialog has no entries then templates files path is not properly configured or there is no template files in the directory. Template files have '*.tpl' extensions. The directory structure is supported by this dialog thus templates can be organized in folders.

SpecMan is ready to run.

Experiment files

After loading of the configuration files the experiment has to be created or loaded. The indicator of a correctly configured experiment are the buttons in the Experiment Control Panel. When experiment is configured incorrectly the list of mistakes is displayed in this panel. First 3 letters of every line in the list point to the panel where mistake occurred. Immediately after loading of the program two mistakes appear: 'a' assignment failed and 'RepTime' syntax error. First one indicates that channel a is not assigned to any acquisition device (right click on 'a' line in Exp panel/Edit variable) and second tells that RepTime variable value string has error (type 1 ms).

The simpler way towards the understanding of the SpecMan4EPR functionality is to load a predefined experiments (templates). Templates can be loaded from File/New Exp menu. Load ESEEM/2 pulse ESEEM experiment. Errors in Experiment Control Panel will disappear and buttons appear. Press Run button.

Some Exercises

Press 'Infinite repetitions button' to observe the experiment continuously running. Press Run button - experiment will start. The sinus or random data will appear on the screen. Experiments which utilize the fast recorder (trace is bigger than 1) shows the transient data in the scope window (Window/Scope ). Hint: double click on the scope to have proper scaling factor. Press 'Finish Scan' button and wait till experiment finish (The alternative is to press the 'Run' button again to terminate experiment.).

Load 2 pulse ESEEM experiments (ESEEM folder). Press the 'Tune' button. Open the scope. Two pulse sequence taken from one of the pulse channels will be visible. Change the slider position of X axis to see the evolution. Press the 'Tune' button again to stop. Go to ppl page. Add one more pulse by copying 'mwpulse t180, phase(1) wait tau' between the last wait command and the detect commands. Press 'Compile' button. Press the 'Tune' button and observe the new pulse. Change the scope trigger position (exp page) from 0 to 1. Observe the shift of the scope trigger on the scope. Stop the program by pressing the 'Tune' button again.