Electronics and Software
The Nuclear Physics Group's team of computer software and electronics engineers develops and gives advice on data acquisition and electronics systems in support of the UK nuclear physics experimental programmes.
Electronics
The NPG has many years experience in the design of Nuclear Physics experimental systems for a wide range of detector types and sizes.
The group’s expertise is founded on whole-system design from detector through front-end electronics and mechanics to data acquisition and control. Our close links with experienced physicists, software and mechanical engineers in the NPG are the key to our system design capability.
Data acquisition and software systems
The NPG has led and co-ordinated the development of a highly modular, and evolving, data acquisition system now known as MIDAS (Multi-Instance Data Acquisition System) using state of the art software techniques.
This software system and its graphical user interface has been selected for several projects and laboratories. The electronics used by these project can only be controlled and adjusted via the computer interface which is available through this easy to use and comprehensive interface.
MIDAS is also used as a basis for several other data acquisition systems now in use by the nuclear physics community. In addition it is used by the MEIS facility at Daresbury.
The NPG can provide:
- extensive facilities for data acquisition which can be extended with the user's requirements.
- support for data analysis software both within the MIDAS framework and separate from it.
- support and maintenance of electronics and software systems.
- assistance in the specification and implementation of UNIX workstation clusters.
- installation of new releases of the UNIX operating systems in such systems and emergency assistance when required.
We also give general technical advice and support in the provision and operation of computing facilities and collaborate in the provision of data analysis programs for the user community.
Contacts
Mr I Lazarus - Electronics
Dr V Pucknell - Software