Ametek / Ortec MCS-PCI Multichannel Scaler Card

The Ametek/Ortec MCS-PCI is a multichannel scaler card for PCI bus systems that transforms a personal computer into a data acquisition instrument for nuclear and physics experiments. It delivers precise timing and counting capabilities with zero dead time between channels, supporting counting rates up to 150 MHz at the fast analog input and 1 MHz at the Single-Channel Analyzer input.

Technical Specifications

• Maximum counting rate: 150 MHz (fast analog input), 1 MHz (SCA input)


• Input pulse width: Minimum 3.5 ns at discriminator threshold


• Dead time: Zero between channels and zero end-of-pass


• Input pulse amplitude requirement: >30 mV to trigger Dwell Time


• Range: 100 ns to 1,300 seconds per channel


• Fine adjustment: 100 ns to 1.3 ms in 20 ns steps; 1.3 ms to 1.3 s in 20 µs steps; 1.3 s to 1,300 s in 20 ms steps


• Accuracy: ±100 ppm over operating temperature range


• External dwell time supported with 100 ns minimum per channel Channel Configuration


• Selectable channels per scan: 4 to 65,536 (65,536 with ramp output inactive; 4 to 32,768 with ramp output active)


• Memory: 65,536 channels total Fast Analog Input


• Amplitude: ±5 V on rear-panel BNC


• Threshold: Computer adjustable from –1.6 V to +3 V in 1.5 mV steps


• Slope selection: Positive or negative triggering, computer controlled


• Input impedance: Selectable 50 Ω or 1,000 Ω, DC-coupled Timing and Control


• Clock accuracy: 100 ppm crystal-controlled


• Trigger: Internal or external start for each pass


• Ramp output: Sawtooth or triangular wave, adjustable start/mid/end points

Key Features

• Dual-port memory allows uninterrupted data access during acquisition


• Single-Channel Analyzer with computer-controlled upper and lower levels


• Flexible input source selection between SCA and discriminator inputs


• Zero dead time architecture for continuous counting without loss


• Auto-clear mode for pre-acquisition data clearing

Typical Applications Nuclear spectroscopy, time-resolved counting experiments, multi-parameter data acquisition, and physics research requiring synchronized multichannel analysis with microsecond-scale timing precision.

Compatibility & Integration PCI bus interface. Operates under Windows 98 or NT version 4 with MCS-32 software control. On-screen displays enable manipulation of all controls and spectral data.