ChirpConfig

ChirpConfig stores the complete AWG output waveform definition: the ordered list of frequency-sweep and gap segments for each chirp in a multi-chirp sequence, the inter-chirp interval, the AWG sample rate, and the marker channel definitions. All time quantities are in microseconds; all frequency quantities are in MHz. ChirpConfig is owned by RfConfig as the d_chirpConfig member and is a child HeaderStorage node in the experiment header tree. The user-facing controls for building chirp waveforms are described in Chirp Setup.

The segment list is a two-dimensional structure: a vector of chirps, each containing an ordered vector of ChirpConfig::ChirpSegment records. A segment is either a linear frequency sweep (empty = false) or a silent gap (empty = true). If all chirps share the same segment list, ChirpConfig::allChirpsIdentical() returns true, which allows RfConfig to simplify sweep accounting.

Marker channels

MarkerChannel descriptors define the timing and role of each AWG marker output. Each AWG reports how many physical marker outputs it supports via the BC::Key::AWG::markerCount setting. The waveform generation methods produce output indexed in logical channel order; each AWG driver maps logical bit positions to hardware bit positions as required by its data format.

The MarkerRole classification drives safety validation in the experiment wizard:

Protection — the marker pulse that prevents high-power chirp energy from reaching sensitive amplifiers. The wizard warns when no enabled protection marker fully encloses the gate and chirp windows.
Gate — the amplifier-enable pulse. Enclosed by the protection marker.
Trigger — a general digitizer or instrument trigger.
Custom — any other use; no safety constraints are enforced.

All marker channels use ChirpRelative timing: startTime is the start offset in μs relative to each chirp’s start (negative = before the chirp begins) and endTime is the end offset in μs relative to each chirp’s end (positive = after the chirp ends). The waveform lead time and tail time are computed as the maximum required offsets across all enabled channels.

For guidance on integrating ChirpConfig into a new experiment mode, see Adding an Experiment Mode.

API Reference

class ChirpConfig : public HeaderStorage 

Chirp waveform and marker configuration.

ChirpConfig stores the complete definition of the AWG output waveform: the segment list for each chirp in a multi-chirp sequence, the inter-chirp interval, the AWG sample rate, and the marker channel definitions. All time values are in microseconds; all frequency values are in MHz.

The chirp waveform is a vector of chirp intervals, each containing an ordered list of ChirpSegment records. Segments may be linear-frequency sweeps or silent gaps (empty = true). Each chirp’s total duration is the sum of its segment durations. If all chirps have identical segments, allChirpsIdentical() returns true, which allows RfConfig to optimize sweep accounting.

Marker channels are defined by a QVector<MarkerChannel>; the AWG reports its physical marker count via the BC::Key::AWG::markerCount setting. The waveform generation methods (getMarkerData(), getPackedMarkerData()) produce output indexed by the logical channel order; each AWG driver remaps logical bit positions to physical output positions as required by its hardware data format.