Low-cost Discrete Off-the-shelf Components 1MHz Analogue Lock-in Amplifier for Fast Detection of Organic Compounds through Pulsed Lasers. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Marcellis, Andrea; Palange, Elia; Liberatore, Nicola; Mengali, Sandro
• Is Part Of: Procedia engineering. Volume 168(2016)
• Page Start: 1714
• Page End: 1716
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: Analogue Lock-In Amplifier -- Fast Detection -- Chemical and Organic Compounds -- Pulsed Laser System; Engineering -- Congresses; Engineering -- Periodicals; Engineering; Conference proceedings; Periodicals; 620.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.497
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1877-7058

Abstract

Abstract: We report on a low-cost analogue Lock-In Amplifier (LIA) designed to measure amplitude variations of 100 ns pulsed signals at operating frequencies f 0 up to 1MHz. The fabricated prototype PCB, implemented through discrete off-the-shelf components, allowed to validate the solution and to perform circuit testing and characterisations. The LIA architecture is simple and based on the classic phase-sensitive synchronous demodulation technique including two different amplification stages together with suitable filtering blocks that allow setting the instrument gain, sensitivity and resolution. With respect to conventional LIAs typically working at lower operating frequencies, the reported solution provides also high-speed DC output of about 1ms. By employing short voltage pulses, the LIA is capable to detect fast and small variations of the signal amplitude envisaging its use in sensor applications to measure reduced variations of chemical and physical phenomena through high-speed systems with very small time constants.