Back Up to the index Onward


  1. pre-sample: distribution of ADC values for channel 54 taken just before the event occurred.
  2. post-sample: distribution of ADC values for for the same channel, taken 400 nsec later, just after the event. Note the widths of the pre- and post-samples are 34 channels.
  3. post-pre difference: note the width is 18 channels, which is less than the pre- and post-sample widths.
    --> Low-frequency noise (slow on the scale of 400 ns) moves the pre- and post-samples in unison. This noise is removed by the subtraction. Still, the remaining smearing is too broad to separate the pedestal (actually the difference between pre- and post- pedestals, therefore sitting at exactly 0.0) from the signal, expected in channel 50.
  4. chip-by-chip subtraction: From staring at the raw data, it seemed channels moved up or down in groups of 8 channels. Apparently, noise is injected on the ADC chip-by-chip level. To remove this noise, take the average of the signals on a chip (except for the most extreme value, and subtract this from each value. Now the signal stands out. Width is 8.3 channels.