Swabian Instruments
Time Tagger Series
Streaming time-to-digital converters
Time Tagger Series
Streaming time-to-digital converters

The new standard in Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC).
- antibunching
- coincidence counting
- laser scanning microscopy
- multidimensional histograms
- supports SPADs, PMTs, SNSPDs, SiPMs




Frequency Stability Analysis made easy.
- Allan Devation 8E-13 at 1 s
- realtime ADEV, MDEV, HDEV, phase and
- up to 18 inputs simultaneously
- 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 18 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




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 measurments 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 2.0 ps RMS (4.7 ps FWHM) combined with exceptionally short dead time down to 1.5 ns
makes sure that you achieve the highest timing resoltion for your application.
High data rate
The high data transfer rate of 70 M tags / s to your computer over USB 3.0 enables you to process huge amounts of events on the fly.
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 librariesRun your measurements in your preferred programming language with our included native software libraries, covering Python, MATLAB,
LabVIEW, C#, C++, and even Mathematica.
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 FPGA output
The Time Tagger X introduces a low latency FPGA interface with 300 M tags / s bandwidth to transfer your time tags into your own FPGA,
enabling endless processing capabilities. Get started immediately with your own FPGA project with our free FPGA reference designs.
Hardware Options

Specifications
| Timing Precision | Time Tagger 20 | Time Tagger Ultra | Time Tagger X |
| RMS jitter (typical) | 34 ps | 8 ps (Performance) 42 ps (Value) | 2.0 ps |
| RMS jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 3 / 4 / 6 ps | - |
| FWHM jitter (typical) | 80 ps | 19 ps (Performance) 100 ps (Value) | 4.7 ps |
| FWHM jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 7 / 10 / 14 ps | - |
| digital resolution | 1 ps | 1 ps | 1 ps |
| Processing Capabilities | |||
| input channels | 8 | 4 to 18 | 4 to 18 |
| dead time | 6 ns | 2.1 ns | 1.5 ns |
| data transfer rate (to PC) | 8.5 M tags/s | 70 M tags/s | 70 M tags/s |
| data transfer rate (FPGA link) | - | - | 300 M tags/s |
| burst memory | 8 M tags | 512 M tags | 512 M tags |
| 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 to 3 V | -3 to 3 V | -1.5 to 1.5 V |
| maximum input (no damage) | -0.3 to 5 V | -5 to 5 V | -3 to 3 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+ |
| size (L x W x H) in mm | 145 x 100 x 50 | 190 x 140 x 60 | 380 x 480 x 90 (2U) |
Typical Performance

Time Tagger Series
Streaming time-to-digital converters

The new standard in Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC).
- antibunching
- coincidence counting
- laser scanning microscopy
- multidimensional histograms
- supports SPADs, PMTs, SNSPDs, SiPMs




Frequency Stability Analysis made easy.
- Allan Devation 8E-13 at 1 s
- realtime ADEV, MDEV, HDEV, phase and
- up to 18 inputs simultaneously
- 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 18 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




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 measurments 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 2.0 ps RMS (4.7 ps FWHM) combined with exceptionally short dead time down to 1.5 ns
makes sure that you achieve the highest timing resoltion for your application.
High data rate
The high data transfer rate of 70 M tags / s to your computer over USB 3.0 enables you to process huge amounts of events on the fly.
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 librariesRun your measurements in your preferred programming language with our included native software libraries, covering Python, MATLAB,
LabVIEW, C#, C++, and even Mathematica.
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 FPGA output
The Time Tagger X introduces a low latency FPGA interface with 300 M tags / s bandwidth to transfer your time tags into your own FPGA,
enabling endless processing capabilities. Get started immediately with your own FPGA project with our free FPGA reference designs.
Hardware Options

Specifications
| Timing Precision | Time Tagger 20 | Time Tagger Ultra | Time Tagger X |
| RMS jitter (typical) | 34 ps | 8 ps (Performance) 42 ps (Value) | 2.0 ps |
| RMS jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 3 / 4 / 6 ps | - |
| FWHM jitter (typical) | 80 ps | 19 ps (Performance) 100 ps (Value) | 4.7 ps |
| FWHM jitter (typical, HighRes) | - | 7 / 10 / 14 ps | - |
| digital resolution | 1 ps | 1 ps | 1 ps |
| Processing Capabilities | |||
| input channels | 8 | 4 to 18 | 4 to 18 |
| dead time | 6 ns | 2.1 ns | 1.5 ns |
| data transfer rate (to PC) | 8.5 M tags/s | 70 M tags/s | 70 M tags/s |
| data transfer rate (FPGA link) | - | - | 300 M tags/s |
| burst memory | 8 M tags | 512 M tags | 512 M tags |
| 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 to 3 V | -3 to 3 V | -1.5 to 1.5 V |
| maximum input (no damage) | -0.3 to 5 V | -5 to 5 V | -3 to 3 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+ |
| size (L x W x H) in mm | 145 x 100 x 50 | 190 x 140 x 60 | 380 x 480 x 90 (2U) |
Typical Performance

