A microcomputer interface for a computer-based nuclear spectroscopy system

A comprehensive nuclear spectroscopy data acquisition and display system, utilizing a microcomputer as an I/0 interface device for a computer-based multichannel analyzer, has been developed. This system consists of, (1) a ND-812-based MCA to acquire pulse-height-analysis data, (2) a microcomputer interface to direct the acquisition, and to send the data to Ball State's VAX 11/780 computing system, and (3) IGL software, which is on the VAX, to graphically analyze the acquired data. In the process of developing this system, hardware modifications were implemented on the ND-812 to make the MCA's communication system compatible with the microcomputer and the VAX. Finally, ND-812 software was transferred from punch paper tape to the microcomputer's storage disk.