A programmable pulse generator, with well known and calibrated pulses is necessary. It will provide 3 independently selectable and programmable channels, simulating the PMTs signals. The pulse duration should range from 100 nanos to 1 micro. At higher amplitude and time duration, the rise time is not an issue. Hz to 1 KHz.
Dotted line shows the preferred falling edge shape, but the triangle shape is acceptable.
The tests have to be higly automatised. The pulse generator and the Local Station controller will be monitored by a PC running Linux. The PC will download into the Local Station controller the specific pieces of software, start the operations in the Local Station controller and send the relevant commands to the pulse generator. The commands to the pulse generator include the amplitude and the width for each of the 3 channels, the pulse period and the number of pulses. When the sequence of pulses is finished, the PC will gather information from the Local Station controller, check that everything is ok, and start a new test, with different values for the pulse generator.