national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries Class Reference

A National Instruments device that can count and control microvave generators. More...

Inheritance diagram for national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries:

Collaboration diagram for national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries:

Public Member Functions
def	on_activate (self)
	Starts up the NI Card at activation.
def	on_deactivate (self)
	Shut down the NI card.
def	get_constraints (self)
	Get hardware limits of NI device. More...
def	set_up_clock (self, clock_frequency=None, clock_channel=None, scanner=False, idle=False)
	Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing. More...
def	set_up_counter (self, counter_channels=None, sources=None, clock_channel=None, counter_buffer=None)
	Configures the actual counter with a given clock. More...
def	get_counter_channels (self)
	Returns the list of counter channel names. More...
def	get_counter (self, samples=None)
	Returns the current counts per second of the counter. More...
def	close_counter (self, scanner=False)
	Closes the counter or scanner and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	close_clock (self, scanner=False)
	Closes the clock and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	reset_hardware (self)
	Resets the NI hardware, so the connection is lost and other programs can access it. More...
def	get_scanner_axes (self)
	Scanner axes depends on how many channels tha analog output task has.
def	get_scanner_count_channels (self)
	Return list of counter channels.
def	get_position_range (self)
	Returns the physical range of the scanner. More...
def	set_position_range (self, myrange=None)
	Sets the physical range of the scanner. More...
def	set_voltage_range (self, myrange=None)
	Sets the voltage range of the NI Card. More...
def	set_up_scanner_clock (self, clock_frequency=None, clock_channel=None)
	Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing. More...
def	set_up_scanner (self, counter_channels=None, sources=None, clock_channel=None, scanner_ao_channels=None)
	Configures the actual scanner with a given clock. More...
def	scanner_set_position (self, x=None, y=None, z=None, a=None)
	Move stage to x, y, z, a (where a is the fourth voltage channel). More...
def	get_scanner_position (self)
	Get the current position of the scanner hardware. More...
def	scan_line (self, line_path=None, pixel_clock=False)
	Scans a line and return the counts on that line. More...
def	close_scanner (self)
	Closes the scanner and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	close_scanner_clock (self)
	Closes the clock and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	set_up_odmr_clock (self, clock_frequency=None, clock_channel=None)
	Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing. More...
def	set_up_odmr (self, counter_channel=None, photon_source=None, clock_channel=None, odmr_trigger_channel=None)
	Configures the actual counter with a given clock. More...
def	set_odmr_length (self, length=100)
	Sets up the trigger sequence for the ODMR and the triggered microwave. More...
def	count_odmr (self, length=100)
	Sweeps the microwave and returns the counts on that sweep. More...
def	close_odmr (self)
	Closes the odmr and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	get_odmr_channels (self)
def	close_odmr_clock (self)
	Closes the odmr and cleans up afterwards. More...
def	get_status (self)
	Receives the current status of the Fast Counter and outputs it as return value. More...
def	set_up_gated_counter (self, buffer_length, read_available_samples=False)
	Initializes and starts task for external gated photon counting. More...
def	start_gated_counter (self)
	Actually start the preconfigured counter task. More...
def	get_gated_counts (self, samples=None, timeout=None, read_available_samples=False)
	Returns latest count samples acquired by gated photon counting. More...
def	stop_gated_counter (self)
	Actually start the preconfigured counter task. More...
def	close_gated_counter (self)
	Clear tasks, so that counters are not in use any more. More...
def	digital_channel_switch (self, channel_name, mode=True)
Public Member Functions inherited from core.module.BaseMixin
def	__init__ (self, manager, name, config=None, callbacks=None, kwargs)
	Initialise Base class object and set up its state machine. More...
def	log (self)
	Returns a logger object.
def	is_module_threaded (self)
	Returns whether the module shall be started in a thread.
def	on_activate (self)
	Method called when module is activated. More...
def	on_deactivate (self)
	Method called when module is deactivated. More...
def	getStatusVariables (self)
	Return a dict of variable names and their content representing the module state for saving. More...
def	setStatusVariables (self, variableDict)
	Give a module a dict of variable names and their content representing the module state. More...
def	getConfiguration (self)
	Return the configration dictionary for this module. More...
def	get_connector (self, connector_name)
	Return module connected to the given named connector. More...
Public Member Functions inherited from core.module.ModuleMeta
def	__new__ (cls, name, bases, attrs)
	Collect declared Connectors, ConfigOptions and StatusVars into dictionaries. More...

Public Attributes
	digital_out_task
	digital_data
	digital_read
	digital_samples_channel
Public Attributes inherited from core.module.BaseMixin
	module_state
	connectors

Detailed Description

A National Instruments device that can count and control microvave generators.

!!!!!! NI USB 63XX, NI PCIe 63XX and NI PXIe 63XX DEVICES ONLY !!!!!!

See National Instruments X Series Documentation for details.

stable Kay Jahnke, Alexander Stark

Example config for copy-paste:

nicard_6343: module 'national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries' photon_sources:

• '/Dev1/PFI8'

  - '/Dev1/PFI9'

clock_channel '/Dev1/Ctr0' default_clock_frequency 100 # optional, in Hz counter_channels:

• '/Dev1/Ctr1' counter_ai_channels:
• '/Dev1/AI0' default_scanner_clock_frequency 100 # optional, in Hz scanner_clock_channel '/Dev1/Ctr2' pixel_clock_channel '/Dev1/PFI6' scanner_ao_channels:
• '/Dev1/AO0'
• '/Dev1/AO1'
• '/Dev1/AO2'
• '/Dev1/AO3' scanner_ai_channels:
• '/Dev1/AI1' scanner_counter_channels:
• '/Dev1/Ctr3' scanner_voltage_ranges:
• [-10, 10]
• [-10, 10]
• [-10, 10]
• [-10, 10] scanner_position_ranges:
• [0e-6, 200e-6]
• [0e-6, 200e-6]
• [-100e-6, 100e-6]
• [-10, 10]

odmr_trigger_channel '/Dev1/PFI7'

gate_in_channel '/Dev1/PFI9' default_samples_number 50 max_counts 3e7 read_write_timeout 10 counting_edge_rising True

Member Function Documentation

close_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_clock	(		self,
			scanner = False
	)

Closes the clock and cleans up afterwards.

Parameters

bool	scanner: specifies if the counter- or scanner- function should be used to close the device. True = scanner False = counter

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_counter	(		self,
			scanner = False
	)

Closes the counter or scanner and cleans up afterwards.

Parameters

bool	scanner: specifies if the counter- or scanner- function will be excecuted to close the device. True = scanner False = counter

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_gated_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_gated_counter

(

self

)

Clear tasks, so that counters are not in use any more.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_odmr()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_odmr

(

self

)

Closes the odmr and cleans up afterwards.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_odmr_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_odmr_clock

(

self

)

Closes the odmr and cleans up afterwards.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_scanner()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_scanner

(

self

)

Closes the scanner and cleans up afterwards.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

close_scanner_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.close_scanner_clock

(

self

)

Closes the clock and cleans up afterwards.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

count_odmr()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.count_odmr	(		self,
			length = 100
	)

Sweeps the microwave and returns the counts on that sweep.

Parameters

int	length: length of microwave sweep in pixel

Returns

float[]: the photon counts per second

get_constraints()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_constraints

(

self

)

Get hardware limits of NI device.

Returns

SlowCounterConstraints: constraints class for slow counter

FIXME ask hardware for limits when module is loaded

get_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_counter	(		self,
			samples = None
	)

Returns the current counts per second of the counter.

Parameters

int	samples: if defined, number of samples to read in one go. How many samples are read per readout cycle. The readout frequency was defined in the counter setup. That sets also the length of the readout array.

Returns

float [samples]: array with entries as photon counts per second

get_counter_channels()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_counter_channels

(

self

)

Returns the list of counter channel names.

Returns

tuple(str): channel names

Most methods calling this might just care about the number of channels, though.

get_gated_counts()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_gated_counts	(		self,
			samples = None,
			timeout = None,
			read_available_samples = False
	)

Returns latest count samples acquired by gated photon counting.

Parameters

int	samples: if defined, number of samples to read in one go. How many samples are read per readout cycle. The readout frequency was defined in the counter setup. That sets also the length of the readout array.
int	timeout: Maximal timeout for the read process. Since nidaq waits for all samples to be acquired, make sure this is long enough.
bool	read_available_samples : if False, NiDaq waits for the sample you asked for to be in the buffer before, True it returns what is in buffer until 'samples' is full.

get_position_range()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_position_range

(

self

)

Returns the physical range of the scanner.

Returns

float [4][2]: array of 4 ranges with an array containing lower and upper limit. The unit of the scan range is meters.

get_scanner_position()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_scanner_position

(

self

)

Get the current position of the scanner hardware.

Returns

float[]: current position in (x, y, z, a).

get_status()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.get_status

(

self

)

Receives the current status of the Fast Counter and outputs it as return value.

0 = unconfigured 1 = idle 2 = running 3 = paused -1 = error state

reset_hardware()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.reset_hardware

(

self

)

Resets the NI hardware, so the connection is lost and other programs can access it.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

scan_line()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.scan_line	(		self,
			line_path = None,
			pixel_clock = False
	)

Scans a line and return the counts on that line.

Parameters

float[c][m]	line_path: array of c-tuples defining the voltage points (m = samples per line)
bool	pixel_clock: whether we need to output a pixel clock for this line

Returns

float[m][n]: m (samples per line) n-channel photon counts per second

The input array looks for a xy scan of 5x5 points at the position z=-2 like the following: [ [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], [1, 1, 1, 1, 1], [-2, -2, -2, -2] ] n is the number of scanner axes, which can vary. Typical values are 2 for galvo scanners, 3 for xyz scanners and 4 for xyz scanners with a special function on the a axis.

scanner_set_position()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.scanner_set_position	(		self,
			x = None,
			y = None,
			z = None,
			a = None
	)

Move stage to x, y, z, a (where a is the fourth voltage channel).

#FIXME: No volts

Parameters

float	x: postion in x-direction (volts)
float	y: postion in y-direction (volts)
float	z: postion in z-direction (volts)
float	a: postion in a-direction (volts)

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_odmr_length()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_odmr_length	(		self,
			length = 100
	)

Sets up the trigger sequence for the ODMR and the triggered microwave.

Parameters

int	length: length of microwave sweep in pixel

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_position_range()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_position_range	(		self,
			myrange = None
	)

Sets the physical range of the scanner.

Parameters

float

[4][2] myrange: array of 4 ranges with an array containing lower and upper limit. The unit of the scan range is meters.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_clock	(		self,
			clock_frequency = None,
			clock_channel = None,
			scanner = False,
			idle = False
	)

Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing.

Parameters

float	clock_frequency: if defined, this sets the frequency of the clock in Hz
string	clock_channel: if defined, this is the physical channel of the clock within the NI card.
bool	scanner: if set to True method will set up a clock function for the scanner, otherwise a clock function for a counter will be set.
bool	idle: set whether idle situation of the counter (where counter is doing nothing) is defined as True = 'Voltage High/Rising Edge' False = 'Voltage Low/Falling Edge'

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_counter	(		self,
			counter_channels = None,
			sources = None,
			clock_channel = None,
			counter_buffer = None
	)

Configures the actual counter with a given clock.

Parameters

list(str)	counter_channels: optional, physical channel of the counter
list(str)	sources: optional, physical channel where the photons are to count from
str	clock_channel: optional, specifies the clock channel for the counter
int	counter_buffer: optional, a buffer of specified integer length, where in each bin the count numbers are saved.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_gated_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_gated_counter	(		self,
			buffer_length,
			read_available_samples = False
	)

Initializes and starts task for external gated photon counting.

Parameters

int	buffer_length: Defines how long the buffer to be filled with samples should be. If buffer is full, program crashes, so use upper bound. Some reference calculated with sample_rate (in Samples/second) divided by Buffer_size: sample_rate/Buffer_size = no rate / 10kS, (0-100S/s) / 10kS (101-10kS/s)/ 1kS, (10k-1MS/s) / 100kS, (>1MS/s) / 1Ms
bool	read_available_samples: if False, NiDaq waits for the sample you asked for to be in the buffer before, if True it returns what is in buffer until 'samples' is full

set_up_odmr()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_odmr	(		self,
			counter_channel = None,
			photon_source = None,
			clock_channel = None,
			odmr_trigger_channel = None
	)

Configures the actual counter with a given clock.

Parameters

string	counter_channel: if defined, this is the physical channel of the counter
string	photon_source: if defined, this is the physical channel where the photons are to count from
string	clock_channel: if defined, this specifies the clock for the counter
string	odmr_trigger_channel: if defined, this specifies the trigger output for the microwave

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_odmr_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_odmr_clock	(		self,
			clock_frequency = None,
			clock_channel = None
	)

Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing.

Parameters

float	clock_frequency: if defined, this sets the frequency of the clock
string	clock_channel: if defined, this is the physical channel of the clock

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_scanner()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_scanner	(		self,
			counter_channels = None,
			sources = None,
			clock_channel = None,
			scanner_ao_channels = None
	)

Configures the actual scanner with a given clock.

The scanner works pretty much like the counter. Here you connect a created clock with a counting task. That can be seen as a gated counting, where the counts where sampled by the underlying clock.

Parameters

list(str)	counter_channels: this is the physical channel of the counter
list(str)	sources: this is the physical channel where the photons are to count from
string	clock_channel: optional, if defined, this specifies the clock for the counter
list(str)	scanner_ao_channels: optional, if defined, this specifies the analog output channels

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_up_scanner_clock()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_up_scanner_clock	(		self,
			clock_frequency = None,
			clock_channel = None
	)

Configures the hardware clock of the NiDAQ card to give the timing.

Parameters

float	clock_frequency: if defined, this sets the frequency of the clock
string	clock_channel: if defined, this is the physical channel of the clock

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

set_voltage_range()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.set_voltage_range	(		self,
			myrange = None
	)

Sets the voltage range of the NI Card.

Parameters

float

[n][2] myrange: array containing lower and upper limit

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

start_gated_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.start_gated_counter

(

self

)

Actually start the preconfigured counter task.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

stop_gated_counter()

def national_instruments_x_series.NationalInstrumentsXSeries.stop_gated_counter

(

self

)

Actually start the preconfigured counter task.

Returns

int: error code (0:OK, -1:error)

---

The documentation for this class was generated from the following file:

• hardware/national_instruments_x_series.py