How to understand the sound parameters so that it can be reproduced in Matlab

I am reading a paper called "Mouse Auditory Brainstem Response Testing".

In order to make the experiment myself I would like to create the stimulus sound using matlab.

When describing the sound (in the procedure description), the authors write:

"TDT BioSigIII system, produces and records stimuli for 20 ms duration and 31 Hz. For click stimulus, in which the mouse is presented with a wide spectrum click (0.1 ms) in decreasing levels between 90 dB and 10 dB, each new stimulus is recorded 5 dB SPL down from the previous. Each point of measurement is recorded and averaged 510 times and analyzed."

But, I don't understand what is the role of the following given data:

1. "20 ms" duration: Is it the duration of one square cycle?

2. "31 Hz:" is it the frequency of the square wave? If it is, then one cycle

should be around 32 ms and not 20 ms.

3. "wide spectrum click (0.1 ms)": what does it mean to take a wide spectrum of 0.1 ms? isn't spectrum is a range of frequencies and not a time interval?

My question is:

what is the time interval between one click to another.

What is the duration of one square step or the duration of one cycle?

what is the role of the 0.1 ms in all this?

I attach a figure of mice responses to the sound hoping it will help to understand what is the given sound.

Thanks a lot for any help

[Image Analyst]

I think you questions are best answered by the author of this paper, since they are not MATLAB programming questions at all.

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Not a full answer, but attached is code I use to create a sound file. I think you can figure out how to change the parameters to get what you want.