Flashing The Detector

In order to take charge data, the detector needs to be neutralized. This means that the detector needs to be flashed.

1. Make sure all of the boards are set up and powered properly.
2. Depending on which detector is being tested, there may be multiple LEDs that need to be flashed. Choose a board that has LEDs to be flashed and select its address in the detector control vi. Run the vi.
3. Go to the “Heat, Flash, Snap, and Zap” tab.
4. Select how which LEDs are to be flashed (i.e. LED 1 only, LED2 only, or LEDS 1&2).
5. Set Flash Mode for “Flash Continuous”.
6. Select the current for the LEDs to -0.6 mA.
7. Set the flash duration to 100 us and the flash off time to be 5000 us.
8. Click the button under “LED Flash Control” to begin flashing the detector.
9. Stop the vi by pressing the “Stop” button at the top of the program. If you have LEDs on another dib to flash, switch to a new board address and re-run the program. You can keep the same flash settings as above except for which LEDs to be flashed. These may differ between dibs.
10. Monitor the temperature of the tower as the LEDs are flashed. De- pending on how many LEDs you are flashing, you may see an increase of a few hundred mK. However, the temperature should stabilize at some point. Make sure this happens and note what temperature this is.
11. If this is the first time the detector is being flashed during the run, you want to bake the detector by flashing it overnight.
12. When you are done flashing the detector, run the detector control vi and de-press the “Flash” button. If flashing LEDs on multiple dibs, stop the vi, switch the board address, and click the “Flash” button twice: once to make it look like it’s on, and then another time so that you actually turn off the LED. Doing this should result in an immediate decrease in the tower temperature. Before continuing on to take data or other measurements, wait for the temperature to return to base temperature and stabilize.