SNIPER-GN 4 Detectors

Overview

The SNIPER-GN 4 Detectors is a turn-key Data Acquisition System designed for the simultaneous readout of up to four remote fast neutron detectors. As a member of the CAEN SNIPER-GN family, the system integrates inside a single rugged plastic enclosure a high-performance waveform digitizer, a multi-channel high voltage power supply, an optical-link to USB 3.x adapter and two hot-swappable rechargeable Li-Ion battery packs, providing a complete and portable platform for fast neutron and gamma radiation measurements.

The DAQ is equipped with four LEMO EGG.2B.704.CLL connectors that simultaneously deliver the high voltage bias and receive the analogue pulses generated by 1″x1″ and 2″x2″ stilbene scintillator detectors. Four 7 m detector cables are included, allowing the user to deploy the probes far away from the main acquisition unit and to build distributed detection arrays in field campaigns. LED-based indicators placed near each connector signal when the high voltage output is active.

At the core of the system, the integrated DT5730SB 8-channel 14-bit @ 500 MS/s digitizer performs online Digital Pulse Processing (DPP), enabling Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) for n/γ separation, Pulse Height Analysis and time-stamped list-mode acquisition. The DT5533EN desktop high voltage power supply provides 4 independent negative-polarity channels up to 4 kV / 3 mA (4 W max) with low ripple and programmable ramp rates, while the A4818 USB 3.0 to CONET adapter ensures a high-throughput communication link (up to 80 MB/s) between the digitizer and the laptop PC.

The SNIPER-GN 4 Detectors is delivered with a Windows 11 laptop PC on which the complete CAEN software ecosystem is pre-installed: CoMPASS for multiparametric data acquisition, WaveDump for the recording of very long waveforms (up to 5,242,870 samples, equivalent to about 10.48 ms of continuous sampling at 2 ns), GECO2020 for the control and monitoring of the HV power supply and a dedicated Battery Status Monitor widget for real-time supervision of the battery charge level.

Two 98 Wh rechargeable Li-Ion battery packs (10.8 V, 8.7 Ah) housed in a dedicated compartment grant fully autonomous operation in the field, with hot-swap capability that allows battery exchange in approximately 3 minutes. Thanks to the supplied 12 VDC / 140 W AC/DC adapter, the system can also be operated while charging or used as a permanent fixed station connected to the wall socket. The compact dimensions (400 x 295 x 145 mm³), the weight below 12 kg and the ergonomic handle make the SNIPER-GN 4 Detectors easy to transport and deploy wherever remote, multi-channel neutron and gamma spectroscopy is required.