XMOS fast shutter control

[msar]

Version: 1.1
Status: Public release
License: GPL
Download: https://github.com/superSTEM/XMOS-Fast-Shutter-Control

The goal is to control an electrostatic shutter in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Greater control will allow limitation of beam damage, and enable greater spectroscopic capabilities (particularly, enable collection of different energy ranges with different acquisition times for each range.)
The currently implemented features include:

- Output pulse durations as short as 180 ns (or as long as minutes)

- Interleaved output mode using both outputs, for reducing any artifacts in the data from shuttering (use second output to only acquire data after some "safe" amount of time)

- Choice of two external sync signals, for making the shuttering coincide with a camera acquisition
Images:

[wardy]

This sounds like an awesome project - with a great benefit to many! Good luck with it.

[rp181]

Interesting. Where are you to be using a TEM? And being allowed to modify it? :)

[msar]

I'm fortunate enough to be at SuperSTEM Daresbury. Technique development is one of our missions, equally important to simply getting results for users.