KSOOTrace Dialog boxes and windows
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Comment dialog
Full scan window
Signal interface setup dialog
Signal settings dialog
Spectrometer
acquisition settings dialog
Spectrometer trace
settings dialog
Trace selection window
Trace selection settings dialog
Spectrometer acquisition settings dialog
Menu selection = 'Settings / Spectrometer acquisition...'
Example A
Example B
Integration time (ms)
Sets the integration time of each scan. The maximum scan rate for the HR2000 and
USB2000 spectrometers is about 50 ms. However, the integration time can be set
to any value between 5 and 65535 ms.
Scans to average
If the integration time (above) of an HR2000 or USB2000 spectrometer is set to a
value that fully exploits the dynamic range of the CCD sensor, the effective
signal-to-noise ratio (S:N) is ~275:1. The S:N can be improved by averaging
multiple scans; the increase in the S:N being the square root of the number of
samples. For example, a S:N of ~2750:1 could be achieved by averaging 100
spectra at the full dynamic range of the sensor.
An additional improvement in S:N can be achieved through pixel boxcar averaging.
Since the improvements in S:N achieved through averaging scans (time-based) and
pixel boxcar smoothing (spatially-based) are not correlated, the overall
improvement in S:N achieved is the product of the two methods.
Within KSOOTrace, boxcar averaging can be applied to scan traces using the ±:
parameter within the Spectrometer trace
settings dialog.
Averaging of
scans is an irreversible process, in the sense that only the averaged scan is
stored by the program. Conversely, different levels of boxcar smoothing can be
applied to the stored data, to achieve the optimum balance between spatial
resolution and S:N.
Interval time (s)
This is the interval between the start of two consecutive data points. In
Example A, the 'Zero interval' has been checked. Consequently, data are
collected at the maximum rate that can be achieved at the current settings for
the integration time and number of scans to average (1 x 100 ms). In Example B,
a data point is taken every 60 s, with each data point representing 5 scans of
100 ms each.
Light synch offset (ms)
This can be used to trigger the opening of a shutter just before the start of a
scan sequence (as in Example B), or to trigger a flash lamp during each
integration.
Spectrometer trace settings dialog
Menu selection = 'Settings / Spectrometer traces...'
This dialog is available once a file has been attached to the spectrometer and/or some data have been collected. Since the program saves a full scan at each time point, it is possible to change these settings at any time (including during data acquisition). This is a modeless dialog. Any open Scan trace windows are updated when the 'Update' button is pressed or when one of the 'Use:' boxes is checked or unchecked.
Shortest available (nm):
Longest available (nm):
The range of wavelengths available for scan traces.
Use:
Effectively, these are on/off switches for each of the four available trace
wavelengths and reference wavelengths.
Requested (nm)
Centre:
The wavelength required and the reference wavelength to be subtracted.
±:
Defines the range of wavelengths to be averaged for each trace and reference
wavelength. If set to zero, only the single pixel with the closest wavelength to
that set in 'Centre:' is used.
Start:
End:
The range of values requested.
Show calculated values
Popup menu item. When selected, the dialog expands to show the view below.
Closest (nm)
Centre:
Start:
End:
These values are the closest available using the attached spectrometer.
Hide calculated values
Accessed by clicking the right mouse button within the dialog. When selected
from the popup menu,
the dialog shrinks to hide the 'Closest (nm)' values.
Signal settings dialog
Menu selection = 'Settings / Signal...'
Signal interface setup dialog
Menu selection = 'Settings / Signal interface...'
Full scan window
Menu selection = 'View / Live scan'
Trace selection window
Menu selection = 'View / Data plot'
Show selection settings
Launches the Trace selection settings
dialog.
Add comment
Edit comment
Both options launch the Comment dialog. Add
comment launches an empty dialog. Edit comment launches the nearest,
existing comment.
Delete comment
This option launches the message dialog shown below.
Arithmetic functions
This option launches the
Trace selection settings dialog
Accessed through the popup from the Trace selection dialog / Show selection settings
when x-axis = time
Width
Height
The width and height of the Trace selection window in screen pixels.
Time
start
Time end
The time span of the trace selection. Both values can be edited by the user,
providing the 'Auto range' and 'Add new points' check boxes are unchecked.
Auto range
If checked, the full timescale of all traces is shown and the 'Time start' and
'Time end' values cannot be edited.
Add new points
If checked, the 'Time end' values cannot be edited.
Visible:
These check boxes determine which of the traces associated with the Trace
selection window are displayed.
Low:
High:
The low and high values of the y-scale for each trace. These values cannot be
edited if the 'Auto:' checkbox is checked.
Auto:
When checked, the y-scale represents the limits of the associated trace.
When x-axis = wavelength
Scan selection start (nm)
Scan selection end (nm)
The limits of the scan. All other aspects of this dialog are the same as for
when
Comment dialog
Accessed through the popup from the Trace selection dialog / Add comment
Time-stamp when the OK button is pressed
If this is not checked, the time-stamp is placed at the time point where the
mouse was clicked to launch the popup / dialog. Comments are shown as a
small yellow square above the trace plot.