Digital Video Data Acquisition/Analysis for Existing ESDIAD Apparatus

Abstract

In most ESDIAD (Electron Stimulated Desorption, Ion Angular Distributions) instruments [1] the ion angular distributions are displayed on a phosphor screen, and data acquisition is accomplished using photographic techniques. In this paper, we discuss the advantages of digital imaging, and describe a digital video system we have recently assembled for this purpose. The advantages of digital data acquisition and analysis include greater sensitivity, convenient data storage, and improved data analysis. Digital data analysis includes the generation of line, contour, and perspective plots of the ESDIAD data (Fig. 1), which make identification and quantification of ESDIAD features practical. The system uses readily available video and computer equipment, requires no vacuum modifications, can be used at more than one experimental station, and can be adapted to do two-dimensional photometric measurements (photographic negatives [2], etc.).