Digital Delay Generator - Uses

Uses

A delay generator can also be used to delay and gate high speed photodetectors in high speed imaging applications. (see reference on high speed photography below)

Digital delay generators are usually the heart of the timing for larger systems and experiments. Users generally create a GUI, graphical user interface to provide a single control to the entire system or experiment. Digital delay generator manufacturers have added remote programming schemes that facilitate the creation of such GUIs. Industry standards such as GPIB, RS232, USB and ethernet are available from a variety of manufacturers.

Experimental fluid dynamics uses digital delay generators in its investigations of fluid flow. The field of PIV, particle image velocimetry, encompasses several subsets which would use digital delay generators as the main component of its timing where multiple lasers may be triggered. Multiple channels may trigger multiple lasers. One is also able to multiplex the timing of several channels onto one channel in order to trigger or even gate the same device multiple times. A single channel may trigger a laser or gate a camera with its multiple, multiplexed pulses. Another useful setup is to have one channel drive flash lamps a preset number of times, followed by a single Q-switch, followed by a delay and gate for the data acquisition or imaging system.

Negative delay is available with digital delay generators that can select some other channel as a reference . This would be useful for applications where an event must occur in advance of the reference. An example would be to allow for the opening of a shutter prior to the reference.