Recommendations for a delay generator

[tuvtuv]

We are doing research here at the university on conformers of organic molecules using pulsed lasers, molecular beam, and a desorption laser.
All this devices are synced using delay generators, one is homebuilt, and the other is DG535 (made by Stanford Research Systems), the DG535 is synced using the clock of the homebuilt delay generator).

Our problem is that we now wish to use DG535 automatically using labview, but the device seems to fail, deleting all its settings upon few communication tries. so - we now wish to buy a new delay generator, but for a lower price (used DG535 costs 1200$ on ebay), is there a cheaper option? i will remark that the 60ps delay jitter of the DG535 is beyond our need, we can do with 10ns jitter.

so is there a cheap (few hundreds of dollars) delay generator with at least 3 channels capable of less than 10/20ns jitter?

thanks in advance

[LaserSteve]

Former lab laser field service tech here. My bet is the DG535 is retaining its settings and your dealing with a Labview issue.

Labview VIs are notorious for changing settings, often due to a user missing a connection in the graphical editor.

Have you talked with SRS about this, their tech support has always been first rate.

The two standards in the nanosecond laser  industry are SRS and Quantum Composers.

Steve

[LaserSteve]

The only OEM delay boards I can think of are from Highland Technology.

Steve

[Someone]

so is there a cheap (few hundreds of dollars) delay generator with at least 3 channels capable of less than 10/20ns jitter?

These sorts of figures are trivial with an FPGA, but then its back around to building your own and the cost/time tradeoff.

[tuvtuv]

Former lab laser field service tech here. My bet is the DG535 is retaining its settings and your dealing with a Labview issue.

Labview VIs are notorious for changing settings, often due to a user missing a connection in the graphical editor.

Have you talked with SRS about this, their tech support has always been first rate.

The two standards in the nanosecond laser  industry are SRS and Quantum Composers.

Steve

i have used labview's gpib terminal not a fancy graphical interface... but maybe i should contact SRS, maybe it's a known issue with a solution

so is there a cheap (few hundreds of dollars) delay generator with at least 3 channels capable of less than 10/20ns jitter?

These sorts of figures are trivial with an FPGA, but then its back around to building your own and the cost/time tradeoff.

this is the same answer i got from our department's electrical engineer, but im afraid that it might be too time consuming for us to build one, building interface, board design, debugging, its might not be worth the time as we need to concentrate on the research itself

The only OEM delay boards I can think of are from Highland Technology.

Steve

thanks for the advice! i've asked them for a price quote