Nuclear Instrumentation Module
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Nuclear Instrumentation Module (NIM) standard defines mechanical and electrical specifications for electronics modules used in experimental
particle In the Outline of physical science, physical sciences, a particle (or corpuscule in older texts) is a small wikt:local, localized physical body, object which can be described by several physical property, physical or chemical property, chemical ...
and
nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: * Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space *Nuclear ...
physics. The concept of
module Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of modularity. They may also refer to: Computing and engineering * Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components * Mo ...
s in
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...
systems offers enormous advantages in flexibility, interchange of instruments, reduced design effort, ease in updating and maintaining the instruments. The NIM standard is one of the first (and perhaps the simplest) such standard. First defined by the
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission The United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by U.S. Congress to foster and control the peacetime development of atomic science and technology. President ...
's report TID-20893 in 1968–1969, NIM was most recently revised in 1990 (DOE/ER-0457T). It provides a common footprint for electronic modules (amplifiers,
ADC ADC may refer to: Science and medicine * ADC (gene), a human gene * AIDS dementia complex, neurological disorder associated with HIV and AIDS * Allyl diglycol carbonate or CR-39, a polymer * Antibody-drug conjugate, a type of anticancer treatm ...
s, DACs, discriminators, etc.), which plug into a larger chassis ( NIM crate, or NIM bin). The crate must supply ±12 and ±24
volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defi ...
s DC power to the modules via a
backplane A backplane (or "backplane system") is a group of electrical connectors in parallel with each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors, forming a computer bus. It is used as a back ...
; the standard also specifies ±6 V DC and 220 V or 110 V AC pins, but not all NIM bins provide them. Mechanically, NIM modules must have a minimum standard width of 1.35 in (34 mm), a maximum faceplate height of 8.7 in (221 mm) and depth of 9.7 in (246 mm). They can, however, also be built in multiples of this standard width, that is, double-width, triple-width etc.W. R. Leo, ''Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments - A How-to Approach''. 1994 The NIM standard also specifies cabling, connectors, impedances and levels for
logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...
signals. The fast logic standard (commonly known as NIM logic) is a current-based logic, negative "true" (at −16 mA into 50 ohms = −0.8 volts) and 0 mA for "false"; an ECL-based logic is also specified. Apart from the above mentioned mechanical/physical and electrical specifications/restrictions, the individual is free to design their module in any way desired, thus allowing for new developments and improvements for efficiency or looks/aesthetics. NIM modules cannot communicate with each other through the crate backplane; this is a feature of later standards such as CAMAC and
VMEbus VMEbus (Versa Module Europa or Versa Module Eurocard bus) is a computer bus standard, originally developed for the Motorola 68000 line of CPUs, but later widely used for many applications and standardized by the IEC as ANSI/IEEE 1014-1987. I ...
. As a consequence, NIM-based ADC modules are nowadays uncommon in nuclear and particle physics. NIM is still widely used for amplifiers, discriminators, nuclear pulse generators and other logic modules that do not require digital data communication but benefit from a backplane connector that is better suited for high power use.


Standard Pin Assignments

{, class="wikitable" , + NIM standard module connector pin assignments (required by DOE/ER-0457T) ! Pin # !! Function !! Pin # !! Function , - , 1 , , Reserved 3 V, 2 , , Reserved ˆ’3 V, - , 3 , , Spare bus , 4 , , Reserved bus , - , 5 , , Coaxial , 6 , , Coaxial , - , 7 , , Coaxial , 8 , , 200 V DC , - , 9 , , Spare , 10 , , +6 V , - , 11 , , −6 V , 12 , , Reserved bus , - , 13 , , Spare , 14 , , Spare , - , 15 , , Reserved , 16 , , +12 V , - , 17 , , −12 V , 18 , , Spare bus , - , 19 , , Reserved bus , 20 , , Spare , - , 21 , , Spare , 22 , , Reserved , - , 23 , , Reserved , 24 , , Reserved , - , 25 , , Reserved , 26 , , Spare , - , 27 , , Spare , 28 , , +24 V , - , 29 , , −24 V , 30 , , Spare bus , - , 31 , , Spare , 32 , , Spare , - , 33 , , 117 V AC (hot) , 34 , , Power return Gnd , - , 35 , , Reset (scaler) , 36 , , Gate , - , 37 , , Reset (aux) , 38 , , Coaxial , - , 39 , , Coaxial , 40 , , Coaxial , - , 41 , , 117 V AC (neutral) , 42 , , High-quality Gnd , - , G , , Gnd guide pin , , , ,


See also

*
BNC connector The BNC connector (initialism of "Bayonet Neill–Concelman") is a miniature quick connect/disconnect radio frequency connector used for coaxial cable. It is designed to maintain the same characteristic impedance of the cable, with 50 ohm and ...
s for analog and logic signals *
Computer Automated Measurement and Control Computer-Aided Measurement And Control (CAMAC) is a standard bus and modular-crate electronics standard for data acquisition and control used in particle detectors for nuclear and particle physics and in industry. The bus allows data exchange bet ...
(CAMAC) *
Data acquisition Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real-world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition systems, abbreviated by the acro ...
*
LEMO LEMO is an electronic and fiber optic connector manufacturer, based in Écublens, Switzerland. It is known for producing the push-pull connectors. LEMO connectors are used in medical, industrial, audio/visual, telecommunications, military, sc ...
connectors, for higher density modules *
Nuclear electronics Nuclear electronics is a subfield of electronics concerned with the design and use of high-speed electronic systems for nuclear physics and elementary particle physics research, and for industrial and medical use. Essential elements of such systems ...
*
RG-58 RG-58/U is a type of coaxial cable often used for low-power signal and RF connections. The cable has a characteristic impedance of either 50 or 52  Ω. "RG" was originally a unit indicator for bulk RF cable in the U.S. military's Joint Elect ...
50 ohm
coaxial cable Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ) is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting shield, with the two separated by a dielectric ( insulating material); many coaxial cables also have a p ...
for timing and logic signals * RG-62 93 ohm
coaxial cable Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ) is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting shield, with the two separated by a dielectric ( insulating material); many coaxial cables also have a p ...
for
spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets the electromagnetic spectra that result from the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter as a function of the wavelength or frequency of the radiation. Matter wa ...
signals *
VMEbus VMEbus (Versa Module Europa or Versa Module Eurocard bus) is a computer bus standard, originally developed for the Motorola 68000 line of CPUs, but later widely used for many applications and standardized by the IEC as ANSI/IEEE 1014-1987. I ...


References

Experimental particle physics