SPE SPE file format

Extensions: .spe

Some CCD camera software produces images in the Princeton Instruments SPE file format. This plugin supports reading such files.

Parameters for reading

char_encodingstr

Character encoding used to decode strings in the metadata. Defaults to “latin1”.

check_filesizebool

The number of frames in the file is stored in the file header. However, this number may be wrong for certain software. If this is True (default), derive the number of frames also from the file size and raise a warning if the two values do not match.

Metadata for reading

ROIslist of dict

Regions of interest used for recording images. Each dict has the “top_left” key containing x and y coordinates of the top left corner, the “bottom_right” key with x and y coordinates of the bottom right corner, and the “bin” key with number of binned pixels in x and y directions.

commentslist of str

The SPE format allows for 5 comment strings of 80 characters each.

controller_versionint

Hardware version

logic_outputint

Definition of output BNC

amp_hi_cap_low_noiseint

Amp switching mode

modeint

Timing mode

exp_secfloat

Alternative exposure in seconds

datestr

Date string

detector_tempfloat

Detector temperature

detector_typeint

CCD / diode array type

st_diodeint

Trigger diode

delay_timefloat

Used with async mode

shutter_controlint

Normal, disabled open, or disabled closed

absorb_livebool

on / off

absorb_modeint

Reference strip or file

can_do_virtual_chipbool

True or False whether chip can do virtual chip

threshold_min_livebool

on / off

threshold_min_valfloat

Threshold minimum value

threshold_max_livebool

on / off

threshold_max_valfloat

Threshold maximum value

time_localstr

Experiment local time

time_utcstr

Experiment UTC time

adc_offsetint

ADC offset

adc_rateint

ADC rate

adc_typeint

ADC type

adc_resolutionint

ADC resolution

adc_bit_adjustint

ADC bit adjust

gainint

gain

sw_versionstr

Version of software which created this file

spare_4bytes

Reserved space

readout_timefloat

Experiment readout time

typestr

Controller type

clockspeed_usfloat

Vertical clock speed in microseconds

readout_mode{“full frame”, “frame transfer”, “kinetics”, “”}

Readout mode. Empty string means that this was not set by the Software.

window_sizeint

Window size for Kinetics mode

file_header_verfloat

File header version

chip_size[int, int]

x and y dimensions of the camera chip

virt_chip_size[int, int]

Virtual chip x and y dimensions

pre_pixels[int, int]

Pre pixels in x and y dimensions

post_pixels[int, int],

Post pixels in x and y dimensions

geometriclist of {“rotate”, “reverse”, “flip”}

Geometric operations