tool-for-data-acquisition-on-acoustic-chopping-frequency-using-a-computer-sound-card
Computer tool developed at LESO-PB in 2011.
Authors: Mario Geiger, André Kostro, Andreas Schüler
Download (freeware)
The objectives of PCSC-Lock-in are:
- low cost data acquisition
- reproduction of lock-in amplifier performance
The application simulates a lock-in system with an algorithm described in the attached documentation (in French). Sound cards typically have 24bit ADC, providing a good resolution. The two channels of the sound card stereo input are used to synchronously acquire the signal and the reference.
A preamp with maximum 5Vpp on the output can be assembled by an operational amplifier, some resistors and some capacitors. Then this preamp has to be connected to the sound card.
PCSC-Lock-in was developed on Ubuntu. This software is simple to compile. Only two libraries are required, Qt for GUI and ALSA for sound card.