OLIA: An open-source digital lock-in amplifier

Andrew J. Harvie; Andrew J. Harvie; John C. de Mello

doi:10.3389/fsens.2023.1102176

Frontiers in Sensors (Mar 2023)

OLIA: An open-source digital lock-in amplifier

Andrew J. Harvie,
Andrew J. Harvie,
John C. de Mello

Affiliations

Andrew J. Harvie: Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
Andrew J. Harvie: School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
John C. de Mello: Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsens.2023.1102176
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4

Abstract

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The Open Lock-In Amplifier (OLIA) is a microcontroller-based digital lock-in amplifier built from a small number of inexpensive and easily sourced electronic components. Despite its small credit card-sized form-factor and low build-cost of around US$35, OLIA is a capable instrument that offers many features associated with far costlier commercial devices. Key features include dual-phase lock-in detection at multiple harmonic frequencies up to 50 kHz, internal and external reference modes, adjustable levels of input gain, a choice between low-pass filtering and synchronous filtering, noise estimation, and a comprehensive programming interface for remote software control. OLIA comes with an optional optical breakout board that allows noise-tolerant optical detection down to the 40-pW level. OLIA and its breakout board are released here as open hardware, with technical diagrams, full parts-lists, and source-code for the firmware.

Published in Frontiers in Sensors

ISSN: 2673-5067 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology: Biotechnology
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sensors

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