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Site last updated 06 Jun 2008
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The Titan DXP digital x-ray pulse processor

Titan DXP
Digital Pulse
Processor

Advanced high performance digital signal processing (DSP)

Excellent sensitivity for light element x-ray detection

High throughput

Exceptional pulse pile up rejection

Flexible operation - software and hardware control

Multiple output modes for easy integration

The Titan DXP is a self-contained digital pulse processor designed for use with low noise, high performance x-ray detectors. It incorporates both low voltage and variable high voltage power supplies, and performs all of the functions required to both operate and record spectra from a high resolution x-ray spectrometer. Signals from the preamplifier are processed by the DXP and directly digitized and stored in its histogramming memory, effectively combining the functions of the traditional shaping amplifier and analogue to digital converter (ADC).

The Titan DXP uses state of the art sampling ADC, field programmable gate array (FPGA) and digital signal processing (DSP) technology to realize optimum performance, and can be fully computer controlled by means of a standard serial interface. Data may also be read out using a serial interface (whole spectrum) or via a parallel connection (event-by-event), and the Titan DXP may even be used as a replacement for analogue processors using its built in fast digital to analogue converter (DAC) output. The wide energy range of operation (0-80keV) ideally meets customer requirements ranging from quality control x-ray fluorescence and high-speed x-ray mapping to high-resolution microscopy.

To accommodate such a wide range of applications, the Titan DXP has the option of seven different processing times that offer high rate, high throughput data acquisition at one end, to high-resolution spectroscopy at the other. Operating alongside the signal processing electronics are four recognition discriminators (Fast, Medium Fast, Medium Slow, Slow), working in parallel, which have been optimized to rapidly detect x-ray events over the full operating energy range and provide excellent pile-up rejection. The stability of the DXP is guaranteed by the use of a zero strobe. This periodically interrogates the preamplifier waveform in the absence of any x-ray signal and compensates for any movement at the detector output. It has the added benefit of inserting a zero energy peak into the spectrum representing the electronic noise of the detector and processing electronics.