Time Tagger Series
Streaming time-to-digitalconverters
The new standard in Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC).
The Time Tagger Series provides endless capabilities for single-photon counting and you unleash them with no efforts. Whether you use the Time Taggers' powerful software or derive from extensive code examples in Python, Matlab, LabVIEW, or C#/C++ - you get your experiments up and running within minutes.
Key features:
- antibunching
- coincidence counting
- laser scanning microscopy
- multidimensional histograms
- supports SNSPDs, APDs, SPADs, PMTs, SiPMs
Frequency Stability Analysis made easy.
Are you looking for a versatile frequency counter or Continuous Time Interval Analyzer (CTIA)? Do you perform Allan Deviation, Modified Allan Deviation, or Hadamard Deviation measurements? Or do you test synchronization of 1 PPS signals? The Time Tagger Series lets you do this easier than ever.
Key features:
- ADEV 4E-13 at 1 s, TDEV 1E-13 at 1 ms
- realtime ADEV, MDEV, HDEV, phase and frequency error measurements
- up to 160 inputs simultaneously
- input frequencies from 1 kHz to 700 MHz
- easy 1 PPS testing and logging
- log and post process your raw data
Take Dynamic Light Scattering to the next level.
Unsurpassed timing resolution paired with unlimited logarithmic histograms on a multitude of detectors. That's the Time Tagger's capabilities for dynamic light scattering.
Key features:
- measure simultaneously at up to 20 different scattering angles
- remove intensity spikes on-the-fly and in post processing with advanced data filtering tools
- calculate particle size distributions with Cumulants and CONTIN analysis
- resolve down to picoseconds
Time Tagger Lab
Implement your ideas within minutes
What makes our Time Taggers unique is their powerful software engine that offers effortless data processing capabilities. You will implement your measurement ideas within minutes - promised.
Maximum flexibility
Run measurements independently using any combinations of your input channels. You can take data simultaneously from independent physical setups and run multiple measurements on the same channels at the same time.
High timing resolution
The low instrument jitter down to 1.5 ps RMS (3.5 ps FWHM) combined with exceptionally short dead time down to 1.5 ns makes sure that you achieve the highest timing resolution for your application.
High data transfer rate
To transfer to the computer, use USB 3.0 or SFP+ (up to 90 and 300 MTags/s, respectively) and process huge amounts of events on-the-fly. The SFP+ and QSFP+ can also serve to transfer to a secondary FPGA (300 and 1200 MTags/s). Check our FPGA reference design to get started.
Versatile on-board event filter
A unique onboard event filter enables you to increase the effective time tag rate way beyond the streaming bandwidth by filtering out unneeded time tags right on the hardware.
Native software libraries
Run your measurements in your preferred programming language with our included native software libraries, covering Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, C#, and C++.
Unlimited network capabilities
You can use the Time Tagger’s software engine to cast your Time Tag Streams into a network. On client computers you can fire up virtual Time Taggers and work with them as if they were physically attached to your computer, providing the full measurement and data processing capabilities of a hardware Time Tagger.
Low latency output generation
For fast-feedback, low-latency experiments, the Time Tagger X (TTX) offers 2 direct programmable outputs (< 100 ns latency). For endless processing capabilities, transfer to a secondary FPGA (< 10 μs latency) via SFP+ and QSFP+ (300 and 1200 MTags/s) and set up your custom closed-loop system.
Hardware Options
Time Tagger 20
Compact.
USB powered.
34 ps
RMS jitter
9 MTags/s
USB 2.0 to PC
8
input channels
Time Tagger Ultra
Flexible.
Powerful.
Performance
8 ps
RMS jitter
Value
42 ps
RMS jitter
90 MTags/s
USB 3.0 to PC
min 4 and up to 18
input channels
Over-the-air upgrades
Additional input channels
Extend your Time Tagger Ultra with additional input channels, up to 18 input channels total.
Value to Perfomance
Upgrade your Time Tagger Ultra "Value" to a Time Tagger Ultra "Performance" and obtain 8 ps RMS jitter.
High Resolution option
Activate a High Resolution mode that provides 3, 4, or 6 ps RMS jitter, with a total of 2, 4, or 8 input channels. Available for the "Performance" edition.
Time Tagger X
X-treme resolution.
X-treme interfaces.
2 ps
RMS jitter
90 MTags/s and 1.2 GTags/s
data transfer rate USB 3.0 to PC and QSFP+ to FPGA
min 4 and up to 20
input channels
Over-the-air upgrades
Additional input channels
Extend your Time Tagger X with additional input channels, up to 20 input channels total.
High Resolution option
Activate a faster data transfer rate license to transfer directly to your PC up to 300 MTags/s.
Synchronizer
Large scale systems.
Combined into one.
0.8 ppb
clock stability over 24h
combine up to 8
Time Tagger Ultra and Time Tagger X
up to 160
input channels total
Rack mount kit
Leverage the benefits of rack mount kit with two synchronized Time Tagger Ultra.
Specifications
| Timing Precision | Time Tagger 20 | Time Tagger Ultra | Time Tagger X |
| RMS jitter (typical) | 34 ps | 8 ps (Performance) 42 ps (Value) | 2 ps |
| RMS jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 3 / 4 / 6 ps (2 / 4 / 8 HighRes channels) | 1.5 ps (5 HighRes channels) |
| FWHM jitter (typical) | 80 ps | 19 ps (Performance) 100 ps (Value) | 4.7 ps |
| FWHM jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 7 / 10 / 14 ps (2/4/8 HighRes channels) | 3.5 ps (5 HighRes channels) |
| digital resolution | 1 ps | 1 ps | 1 ps |
| Processing Capabilities | |||
| input channels | 8 | 4 to 18 | 4 to 20 |
| dead time | 6 ns | 2.1 ns | 1.5 ns |
| data rate (USB to PC) | 9 MTags/s | 90 MTags/s | 90 MTags/s |
| data rate (SFP+ to PC) | - | - | up to 300 MTags/s |
| data rate (SFP+, QSFP+ to FPGA) | - | - | 300 MTags/s, 1200 MTags/s |
| burst memory | 8 MTags | 512 MTags | 512 MTags |
| maximum input frequency | 167 MHz | 475 MHz | 700 MHz |
| Input Signals | |||
| input impedance | 50 Ω | 50 Ω | 50 Ω / 1M Ω |
| input signal range | -0.3 to 5 V | -5 to 5 V | -3 to 3 V |
| recommended input signal range | 0 to 3 V | -3 to 3 V | -1.5 to 1.5 V |
| trigger level range | 0 to 2.5 V | -2.5 to 2.5 V | -1 to 1 V |
| minimum pulse width | 1000 ps | 500 ps | 350 ps |
| minimum pulse height | 100 mV | 100 mV | 100 mV |
| External Clock Input | |||
| frequency | - | 10 MHz or 500 MHz | 10 MHz or 500 MHz |
| coupling | - | AC, 50 Ω | AC, 50 Ω |
| amplitude | - | 1 to 3 Vpp | 0.5 to 4 Vpp |
| General Parameters | |||
| data interface | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0, SFP+, QSFP+ |
| size (L x W x H) in mm | 145 x 100 x 50 | 190 x 140 x 60 | 380 x 480 x 90 (2U) |
| Time Tagger 20 | Time Tagger Ultra | Time Tagger X |
| Timing Precision | ||
| RMS jitter (typical) | ||
| 34 ps | 8 ps (Performance) 42 ps (Value) | 2 ps |
| RMS jitter (typical, HighRes) | ||
| - | 3 / 4 / 6 ps (2 / 4 / 8 HighRes channels) | 1.5 ps (5 HighRes channels) |
| FWHM jitter (typical) | ||
| 80 ps | 19 ps (Performance) 100 ps (Value) | 4.7 ps |
| FWHM jitter (typical, HighRes) | ||
| - | 7 / 10 / 14 ps (2/4/8 HighRes channels) | 3.5 ps (5 HighRes channels) |
| digital resolution | ||
| 1 ps | 1 ps | 1 ps |
| Processing Capabilities | ||
| input channels | ||
| 8 | 4 to 18 | 4 to 20 |
| dead time | ||
| 6 ns | 2.1 ns | 1.5 ns |
| data rate (USB to PC) | ||
| 9 MTags/s | 90 MTags/s | 90 MTags/s |
| data rate (SFP+ to PC) | ||
| - | - | up to 300 MTags/s |
| data rate (SFP+, QSFP+ to FPGA) | ||
| - | - | 300 MTags/s, 1200 MTags/s |
| burst memory | ||
| 8 MTags | 512 MTags | 512 MTags |
| maximum input frequency | ||
| 167 MHz | 475 MHz | 700 MHz |
| Input Signals | ||
| input impedance | ||
| 50 Ω | 50 Ω | 50 Ω / 1M Ω |
| input signal range | ||
| -0.3 to 5 V | -5 to 5 V | -3 to 3 V |
| recommended input signal range | ||
| 0 to 3 V | -3 to 3 V | -1.5 to 1.5 V |
| trigger level range | ||
| 0 to 2.5 V | -2.5 to 2.5 V | -1 to 1 V |
| minimum pulse width | ||
| 1000 ps | 500 ps | 350 ps |
| minimum pulse height | ||
| 100 mV | 100 mV | 100 mV |
| External Clock Input | ||
| frequency | ||
| - | 10 MHz or 500 MHz | 10 MHz or 500 MHz |
| coupling | ||
| - | AC, 50 Ω | AC, 50 Ω |
| amplitude | ||
| - | 1 to 3 Vpp | 0.5 to 4 Vpp |
| General Parameters | ||
| data interface | ||
| USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0, SFP+, QSFP+ |
| size (L x W x H) in mm | ||
| 145 x 100 x 50 | 190 x 140 x 60 | 380 x 480 x 90 (2U) |
Instrument response
1 MHz square wave, 1 Vpp, 1 ns rise, applied to two input channels, trigger 50%. The standard deviation of the distribution measures the jitter of two input channels. The RMS jitter of each individual channel is σ/√2. The FWHM jitter of each channel is 2.35σ/√2.
RMS jitter
The plots show the RMS jitter obtained from instrument response measurements with all pairs of the first 8 input channels.
Time Tagger 20
Time Tagger Ultra
Time Tagger X
"Implement new research ideas more quickly"
Prof. Dirk Englund
Time Tagger 20 is enabling dramatically faster and more parallel digital data acquisition for my group. Its unique streaming architecture allows us to implement novel experiments with rather small coding efforts, thereby enabling us to implement our new research ideas very quickly.
""
Prof. Jason Smith
We have been very impressed with Time Tagger's specifications, unrivalled flexibility of use and excellent value for money. Swabian Instruments deserve considerable recognition not only for this innovative product, but for their user-oriented approach, and for their desire to develop instrumentation that will help to accelerate this field of research.