SpecMan4EPR is a universal spectrometer and imager software designed to integrate 3rd party devices into a single turn-key instrument. SpecMan4EPR can orchestrate practically any collection of devices including custom-made ones. It has a broad area of applications and is currently used for continuous and pulse EPR, ENDOR, ESEEM, ENDOR, ELDOR, and DNP in the range of frequencies from 250 MHz to 244 GHz.

For the most efficient use of experimental time SpecMan4EPR utilizes all relevant capabilities of the connected devices. When supported, the instrumental activity and control are performed directly on hardware.

To maintain versatility SpecMan4EPR stores information about the instrument, instrument configuration, graphic user interface, and experiment in a variety of text-based Configuration Files. Main configuration files are Device Configuration (CFG), Pulse Configuration (CFP), Interface configuration (INI) and Experiment template.

The SpecMan4EPR Experiment is a description of rules and steps to perform an experiment. The experiment procedure can be represented by up to a three-dimensional array of input parameters. Time traces and multiple detection triggers may contribute up to two additional dimensions resulting in a 5D output data array. The experiment rules are defined using experiment axis and variables. Variables encapsulate device settings. Any setting of a real device can be controlled by assigning a value to an arbitrarily named variable. Pulse sequences are parametrized using Pulse Programming Language variables that can be modified in a fashion similar to the variables associated with the device parameters. The PPL Script is executed in every experimental point to generate pulse sequences. Resulting data are acquired in every experimental point in three different fashions: single datum, time trace, and processed time trace. Experiment is edited using the Experiment Editor or loaded from stored templates that have a SpecMan4EPR specific File Format.

Spectrometer and Devices is a collection of devices controlled by SpecMan4EPR. The devices are described in the Device Configuration (CFG). The configuration also defines device-specific settings, ranges of values, safe, start-up, and shut-down values. Device Configuration is assisting user in Spectrometer and Devices configuration.

The general sequence of actions, synchronization of different devices, and error handling is performed by the heart of SpecMan4EPR, the Main Engine.

SpecMan4EPR generates pulse sequences according to the PPL Script, PPL variables and Pulse Configuration (CFP). The most sophisticated part of Main Engine is the Virtual Machine that interprets the PPL Pulse Assembler commands. Pulse and AWG Engine supports user-defined Pulse statement that allows to generate a sequence of pulses on the associated hardware with the single word in the PPL Script. The description of the Pulse statement is loaded from the Pulse Configuration (CFP) created by the Pulse Configurations. Using the Experiment Editor, any PPL variable can be defined as an independent experimental parameter.

Visit the GUI Map to learn about SpecMan4EPR graphic user interface.