Simple python-based GUI for data acquisition from a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM).

Currently the connected instrument is a RIGOL DSA815TG, however the modular format means that other types of vector analysers can also be adapted.

Prequisites:

• Anaconda/Miniconda must be installed on the local computer.
• A version of a VISA driver, such as NI VISA or RS VISA, etc.

Option 1: Double click on the script install.bat. Wait for script to finish.

Option 2: Use the environment.yml file to create a local Conda environment in the ./.venv folder from the command line:

conda env create -f environment.yml -p ./venv

Option 3: If for any reason you want to install everything manually:

conda create -p ./.venv python=3.9
conda activate ./.venv
conda install numpy nomkl matplotlib-base pyvisa

It has been tested using python3.9, but other versions should work fine.

You should be good to go by double clicking QCMGUI.bat.

Once started by clicking QCMGUI.bat or by manually activating the Conda environment and running python QCMGUI, the GUI should start.

1. Connected VISA instruments are shown in the top drop-down. Select the Network Analyser and click [Connect]. Check output to confirm connection.
2. Select the frequency range of interest in the setup row. Then click on [Prime]. Check output and Analyser display to confirm correct settings.
3. Start reading data by clicking [Read Start]. The graphs should now show a full frequency scan (top) and the measured maximum frequency (bottom).
4. Start recording data by clicking [Record Start]. Full frequency sweeps (top graph) are saved in ./current_data/traces/ while individual resonance frequencies (bottom graph) are saved in ./current_data/markers.csv
5. To finalize, click [Record Stop], [Read Stop] and then exit program normally.