What is a trigger? (Light spectrum term)

Triggering is a feature that can be applied to many Ocean Optics spectrometers and is related to general spectroscopic processes. Type 1: An event (key press or pulsed laser) outside the sampling system can trigger the spectrometer to start the data acquisition process. This trigger is Ocean Optics' "external trigger". Another trigger is to introduce an external device (such as a lamp) to the spectrometer to instruct the spectrometer to immediately acquire data. This is known as "external event triggering".

The following are the five trigger modes applied to the Ocean Optics spectrometer:

1. External hardware edge trigger

The spectrometer sets the integration time. When there is a sharp voltage rise on the input pin of the trigger, the spectrometer begins to acquire the signal. This trigger is whenever a signal is generated, the spectrometer starts to acquire a spectral signal (if multiple acquisition processes are set). You can use this trigger mode when you are using a pulsed excitation signal or light source, when you are doing laser fluorescence or phosphorescence, when you want to synchronize your acquisition process with an external signal

2. External hardware level trigger

The spectrometer sets the integration time. When the spectrometer receives the trigger voltage signal, it starts to collect data, and when the signal disappears, it stops collecting spectral data. You can trigger in this way when you need a continuous acquisition of spectra (in special cases), such as when the sample reaches a certain state that you want to measure.

3. External software trigger

The integration time is set in the software. When the software receives the trigger signal, a spectrum is transmitted to the data acquisition system, and triggering occurs during the process. You can use this trigger mode when you apply a continuous indicator light source, and the intensity of the light source changes continuously before the trigger, during the trigger, and after the penalty.

4. External synchronous trigger

The spectrometer starts collecting data after receiving an external signal, and ends collecting data when receiving the signal again. When the signal is received for the second time, the first acquisition is ended, and the second acquisition data is started at the same time. In this case, there is no need to set the integration time, because the trigger can initiate start or stop. You can use this trigger mode when you need to synchronize your spectral scan with an external signal, when you use an internal amplifier or with a chopper

5. Normal/random/continuous

The spectrometer collects data continuously and can be used when there is no external requirement.