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d.i.y. Handheld Multichannel Analyzer (MCA) based on 16F877 PIC Microcontroller and LCD

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Ionizing Radiation Detection, MCA/PHA, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Radio-Isotope Identification 2 Comments

Isotope gama spectra obtained with d.i.y. multichannel analyzer (MCA)

Some time ago I was developing a medical instrument which required histogramming, which got me in the mood to retake my own PIC MCA project(http://home.comcast.net/~prutchi/index_files/scint.htm ).   I used the variable RAM in the microcontroller (16F877), so I limited the number of channels to 95 and let the histogram run until some channel reaches 240 counts (the highest 8-bit number that yields an integer when divided by 8 which is also divisible by the 30 pixel height of the LCD). The firmware then displays the spectrum as a bar with a maximum height of 30 pixels for each one of the 95 channels.

Click here for complete how-to construction instructions in pdf format.

Click here for a pdf of the schematic diagram for the front-end of the MCA

diy Multichannel Analyzer (MCA) prototype by David Prutchi PhD

 

Please visit www.prutchi.com and www.diyPhysics.com for other cutting-edge d.i.y. projects, and remember to check out our new d.i.y. Quantum Physics book:


 

« Prototyping PCB for d.i.y. Photomultiplier (PMT) Amplifier/Processor
Open-Source Handheld Gamma Spectrometer on Yahoo Group GammaSpectrometry »

2 thoughts on “d.i.y. Handheld Multichannel Analyzer (MCA) based on 16F877 PIC Microcontroller and LCD”

  1. David Holman says:
    February 10, 2012 at 1:56 am

    Hi,
    Is 240 really the largest 8-bit number divisible by 8? I would think it’s 248.

    – David

    • admin says:
      February 10, 2012 at 7:17 am

      Thank you David!
      I should have further qualified that statement to incorporate the 30 pixel height of the display. I have modified the portion in parenthesis to “the highest 8-bit number that yields an integer when divided by 8 which is also divisible by the 30 pixel height of the LCD.”
      Cheers,
      David

Comments are closed.

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    • Chapter 2 – Light as Particles (9)
    • Chapter 3 – Atoms and Radioactvity (27)
    • Chapter 4 – The Priciple of Quantum Physics (3)
    • Chapter 5 – Wave-Particle Duality (13)
    • Chapter 6 – The Uncertainty Principle (2)
    • Chapter 7 – Schrödinger's Wave Equation (7)
    • Chapter 8 – Entanglement (18)
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    • Attenuation of Radiation (2)
    • Bell's Inequality Test (8)
    • Compton Scattering (8)
    • Doppler Effect (2)
    • e/m Measurement (3)
    • Emission Spectrometry (2)
    • Entanglement (12)
    • Glow Discharge (1)
    • Ionizing Radiation Detection (18)
    • Maltese Cross CRT (1)
    • Plasma Physics (1)
    • QKD (3)
    • Quantum Dots (1)
    • Quantum Random Number Generation (3)
    • Quantum Tunneling (2)
    • Radio-Isotope Identification (7)
    • Relativistic Time Dilation (1)
    • Rutherford Alpha-Particle Scattering (1)
    • Single-Electron Experiments (1)
    • Single-Photon Experiments (22)
    • Single-Slit Diffraction (1)
    • Two-Slit Interference (4)
    • β-Particle Magnetic Deflection (2)
  • Instrumentation (76)
    • CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter (7)
    • Electron-Beam Tube (4)
    • Entangled-Photon Source (6)
    • Gunnplexer Transceiver (2)
    • High-Voltage Power Supply (9)
    • Lasers (2)
    • Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (1)
    • Marx Generators (3)
    • MCA/PHA (10)
    • Photomultipliers (14)
    • Photon/Coincidence Counter (4)
    • PMT/Scintillation Processor (7)
    • Polarimetric Imaging (4)
    • Polymeric Radiation Detector (1)
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      • Atomic Clock (2)
      • GPS-Disciplined (1)
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