EXFO FLS-2600B User Manual

FLS-2600B

Tunable Laser Source

User Guide

Copyright © 2003–2011 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, be it electronically, mechanically, or by any other means such as photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of EXFO Inc. (EXFO).

Information provided by EXFO is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed by EXFO for its use nor for any infringements of patents or other rights of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any patent rights of EXFO.

EXFO’s Commerce And Government Entities (CAGE) code under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is 0L8C3.

The information contained in this publication is subject to change without notice.

Trademarks

EXFO’s trademarks have been identified as such. However, the presence or absence of such identification does not affect the legal status of any trademark.

Units of Measurement

Units of measurement in this publication conform to SI standards and practices.

Version number: 3.0.0

ii FLS-2600B

Contents

Certification Information ....................................................................................................... vi

1 Introducing the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source ...................................... 1

General Information ...............................................................................................................1

RS-232 Connector Pinout ........................................................................................................3

Typical Applications ................................................................................................................4

Conventions ............................................................................................................................5

2 Safety Information ....................................................................................... 7

Laser Safety Information .........................................................................................................7

Electrical Safety Information ...................................................................................................8

3 Getting Started with Your Tunable Laser Source ..................................... 11

Turning on the Unit ..............................................................................................................11

Positioning Your Unit Using the Support Stands ...................................................................13

4 Setting Standard Parameters .................................................................... 15

Setting the Display Intensity .................................................................................................15

Turning the Sound On or Off ................................................................................................16

Switching between Normal and High-Resolution (HR) Modes ..............................................17

Adjusting Decimals Using the Fine-Tune Feature ...................................................................17

Selecting the Display Unit .....................................................................................................18

Selecting a Wavelength ........................................................................................................19

Setting the Power .................................................................................................................21

Adding Items to Lists ............................................................................................................22

Deleting Items from Lists ......................................................................................................23

Using the Monitor Output ....................................................................................................24

Saving and Recalling Configurations .....................................................................................25

Reverting to Factory Settings ................................................................................................27

5 Setting Sweep Parameters ........................................................................ 29

Setting the Start and End Wavelengths ................................................................................29

Selecting the Sweep Mode ...................................................................................................30

Setting the Sweep Step ........................................................................................................31

Setting the Pauses ................................................................................................................32

Setting the Sweep Speed ......................................................................................................33

Selecting the Incoming Trigger Option .................................................................................35

Setting the Cycle Options .....................................................................................................36

Setting the Sweep Direction .................................................................................................37

Tunable Laser Source iii

Contents

6 Operating your Tunable Laser Source .......................................................39

Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers ...............................................................................39

Installing the EXFO Universal Interface (EUI) .........................................................................41

Activating/Deactivating Light Emission .................................................................................42

Starting a Sweep ..................................................................................................................43

7 Maintenance ................................................................................................45

Cleaning Fixed Connectors ....................................................................................................46

Cleaning EUI Connectors ......................................................................................................48

Replacing the Fuse ................................................................................................................50

Software Upgrades ...............................................................................................................51

Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength .....................................................................54

Recalibrating the Unit ...........................................................................................................56

Recycling and Disposal (Applies to European Union Only) ....................................................56

8 Troubleshooting ..........................................................................................57

Solving Common Problems ...................................................................................................57

Contacting the Technical Support Group ..............................................................................58

Transportation ......................................................................................................................59

9 Warranty ......................................................................................................61

General Information .............................................................................................................61

Liability .................................................................................................................................62

Exclusions .............................................................................................................................63

Certification ..........................................................................................................................63

Service and Repairs ...............................................................................................................64

EXFO Service Centers Worldwide ..........................................................................................65

A Technical Specifications ..............................................................................67

B Trigger Option Theory ................................................................................69

Trigger Option in Continuous Mode .....................................................................................69

Trigger Option in Stepped Mode ..........................................................................................70

iv FLS-2600B

Contents

C Remote Control .......................................................................................... 71

Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control ...........................................................................71

Setting the GPIB Primary Address .........................................................................................72

Changing the Baud Rate for RS-232 .....................................................................................73

Changing the Flow Control for RS-232 .................................................................................74

Communication Parameters ..................................................................................................75

Standard Status Data Structure ............................................................................................76

SCPI Commands ....................................................................................................................80

General Commands ..............................................................................................................82

Specific Commands ..............................................................................................................90

Programming Commands ...................................................................................................118

Other Commands ...............................................................................................................126

Quick Reference Command Tree .........................................................................................128

Error Messages ...................................................................................................................134

SCPI Management Errors (System Errors) ............................................................................135

FLS-2600B Error and Warning Messages .............................................................................137

GPIB Troubleshooting .........................................................................................................141

Index .............................................................................................................. 143

Tunable Laser Source v

Certification Information

FCC Information

Electronic test equipment is exempt from Part 15 compliance (FCC) in the United States. However, compliance verification tests are systematically performed on most EXFO equipment.

 Information

Electronic test equipment is subject to the EMC Directive in the European Union. The IEC 61326-1 standard prescribes both emission and immunity requirements for laboratory, measurement, and control equipment. This unit has undergone extensive testing according to the European Union Directive and Standards.

CSA Information

This unit is certified by the CSA (certificate number 162451) and was evaluated according to applicable CSA standards (as confirmed by cCSAus mark) as well as applicable IEC standards for use in Canada, the United States, and other countries.

IMPORTANT

Use of shielded remote I/O cables, with properly grounded shields and metal connectors, is recommended in order to reduce radio frequency interference that may emanate from these cables.

vi FLS-2600B

Certification Information

Application of Council Directive(s): 2006/95/EC - The Low Voltage Directive 2004/108/EC - The EMC Directive 93/68/EEC - CE Marking And their amendments

0DQXIDFWXUHU¶V1DPH EXFO Inc. EXFO Europe 0DQXIDFWXUHU¶V$GGUHVV 400 Godin Avenue Omega Enterprise Park

Quebec, Quebec Electron Way, Canada, G1M 2K2 Chandlers Ford, (418) 683-0211 Hampshire, SO53 4SE, UNITED KINGDOM

Equipment Type/Environment: Test & Measurement / Industrial Trade Name/Model No.: Tunable Laser Source / FLS-2600B

Standard(s) to which Conformity is Declared:

EN 61010-1:2001 Edition 2.0

Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use ± Part 1: General requirements

EN 61326-1:2006

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use ± EMC requirements ± Part 1: General requirements

EN 60825-1:2007 Edition 2.0

Safety of laser products ± Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the equipment specified above conforms to the above Directive and Standards.

Manufacturer

Signature:

Full Name:

Stephen Bull, E. Eng

Position:

Vice-President Research and Development

Address:

400 Godin Avenue, Quebec (Quebec), Canada, G1M 2K2

Date:

February 03, 2009

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Tunable Laser Source vii

1 Introducing the FLS-2600B

FLS-2600B TUNABLE LASER SOURCE

Power on/off

On/Off

Mode

/List

Power

List

Add

Del.

Set Sweep

Start

Stop

Trig In Trig Out Monitor

Output

Setup

Sweep

Fine tune

ENTER

Display

Source on/off

Power control

Access to Sweep menu

Monitor output port

Add to

 List

button

Switches between  and

 List

Fine-Tuning button

Sweep Start button

Trigger Out SMA connector

Sweep Stop button

Trigger In SMA connector

Main output port

Delete from  List button

Access to Setup menu

Switches between Normal and High-Resolution modes

Selection dial

Active LED

Enter button

Tunable Laser Source

General Information

The FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source addresses the testing requirements for dense WDM component testing in the C- and L-bands.

Tunable Laser Source 1

Introducing the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source

GPIB port Serial port

(RS-232 DTE)

Fuse holder

Power inlet

Ground

General Information

2 FLS-2600B

Introducing the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source

1234 5

6789

RS-232 Connector Pinout

The RS-232 connector (serial port) at the back of the FLS-2600B uses a DTE pinout configuration.

Pin Description Direction

2Receive (Rc) Input

3Transmit (Tx)Output

5 Signal ground (Gnd) —

The source has a medium coherence length that avoids problems such as connector-induced interference and it is relatively immune to vibration. Its linewidth is made up of several longitudinal modes that are present simultaneously, resulting in no mode-hop-related measurement problems. It also features a high-accuracy encoder for consistency in your results.

Tunable Laser Source 3

Your module may also feature the possibility to enable or disable the automatic level control (ALC).

The FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source supports local control (via its front panel) and remote control (through GPIB or RS-232 using SCPI commands or the provided LabVIEW drivers).

Introducing the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source

Typic a l Ap pl ic ation s

Typical Applications

You can use your tunable laser source to perform several tasks, such as the following:

 characterizing filters, multiplexers, Bragg gratings, and other DWDM

components

 checking wavelength-dependent gain, noise contribution and

saturation properties

 determining the spectral sensitivity of receivers and detectors

 performing high-loss tests on passive components

4 FLS-2600B

Introducing the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source

Conventions

Before using the product described in this manual, you should understand the following conventions:

WARNING

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury. Do not proceed unless you understand and meet the required conditions.

CAUTION

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury. Do not proceed unless you understand and meet the required conditions.

CAUTION

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in component damage. Do not proceed unless you understand and meet the required conditions.

IMPORTANT

Refers to information about this product you should not overlook.

Tunable Laser Source 5

2 Safety Information

Laser Safety Information

While handling optical fibers, laser radiation may be encountered at source output ports and fiber ends. Avoid long-term exposure to laser radiation.

WARNING

Do not install or terminate fibers while a light source is active. Never look directly into a live fiber and ensure that your eyes are protected at all times.

WARNING

Use of controls, adjustments and procedures for operation and maintenance other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure or impair the protection provided by this unit.

Your instrument is a Class 1M laser product in compliance with standards IEC 60825-1 and 21 CFR 1040.10. Invisible laser radiation may be encountered at the output port.

The product is safe under reasonably foreseeable conditions of operation but it may be hazardous if you use optics within a diverging or collimated beam. Do not view directly with optical instruments.

Tunable Laser Source 7

Safety Information

Electrical Safety Information

The following safety precautions must be observed while operating and servicing the unit. Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific indications elsewhere in this manual violates safety standards of intended use of the unit. EXFO assumes no liability for the user’s failure to comply with these requirements.

 This unit is intended for indoor use only.

 Only fuses with the required rated current and specified type (IEC,

250 V, 2 A, fast blow, 0.197 in x 0.787 in/5 mm x 20 mm) may be used for replacement. Do not use repaired fuses or short-circuited fuse holders.

 The power cable of the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source is the most

effective method to turn off the unit if a problem should occur.

 Capacitors inside the unit may be charged, even if the unit has been

disconnected from its electrical supply.

 Before turning on the unit, all grounding terminals, extensions cords,

and devices connected to it should also be connected to a protective ground via a ground socket. Any interruption of the protective grounding is a potential shock hazard and may cause personal injury.

 Whenever the ground protection is impaired, the unit is not to be used,

and must be secured against any accidental or unintended operation.

 Unit covers cannot be removed during operation.

 Any adjustments, maintenance, and repair of opened units under

voltage should be avoided and carried out only by skilled personnel aware of the hazards involved. Do not attempt internal service or adjustment unless a person qualified to perform first aid is present. Do not replace any components while power cable is connected.

8 FLS-2600B

Safety Information

Electrical Safety Information

 The unit must be positioned so as not to block the ventilation holes

located on each side of the unit and to allow easy disconnection of the power cord if any problem should occur.

 Operation of any electrical instrument around flammable gases or

fumes constitutes a major safety hazard.

Power Cable

This unit uses a three-wire power cable, which complies with international safety standards. This cable serves as a ground when connected to an appropriate AC power receptacle. The type of power cable supplied with each unit is determined according to the country of destination.

Only qualified electricians should connect a new plug if needed. The color coding used in the electrical cable depends on the cable. New plugs should meet the local safety requirements and include the following features:

 adequate load-carrying capacity

 ground connection

 cable clamp

Tunable Laser Source 9

Safety Information

Electrical Safety Information

To avoid electrical shock, do not operate the unit if there are signs of damage to any part of the outer surface (covers, panels, etc.).

To avoid serious injury, you must observe the following precautions before turning on the unit.

 If the unit is to be powered via an auto-transformer for voltage

reduction, the common terminal must be connected to the grounded power-source pole.

 Insert the plug into a power outlet with a protective ground

contact. Do not use an extension cord without a protective conductor.

 Before turning on the unit, you must connect the protective

ground terminal of the unit to a protective conductor using the unit power cord.

 Do not tamper with the protective ground terminal.

WARNING

Equipment Ratings

Relative humidity 0 % to 80 % non-condensing

Maximum operation altitude 2000 m (6150 ft)

Pollution degree 2

Overvoltage category II

Power su p p ly ra ti ng

100 V to 240 V (50 Hz/60 Hz)

maximum 2 A

a. Measured in 0 °C to 31 °C (32 °F to 87.8 °F) range decreasing linearly to 50 % at 40 °C

(104 °F).

b. Not exceeding ± 10 % of the nominal voltage.

10 FLS-2600B

3 Getting Started with Your

Tunable Laser Source

Turning on the Unit

Before turning on the FLS-2600B, please read the Safety Information on page 7.

To turn the unit on and off, use the red button in the lower left-hand corner of the front panel. The source is not active upon startup. To activate it, see Activating/Deactivating Light Emission on page 42.

Upon startup, the unit beeps twice, performs a self-test, and then enters the main menu with the same settings that were active when it was shut down. When the unit is turned off, the following items remain in a storage device called non-volatile memory:

 current power setting

 current wavelength setting

 current mode (normal/high resolution)

 current display mode (wavelength/power)

 current Setup menu settings

 shortlisted wavelengths (up to 100)

 sweep parameters

 saved sweep configurations (up to five)

Note: The power cord is the most effective disconnecting device. To ensure that

the unit is completely turned off, disconnect the power cord.

Tunable Laser Source 11

Getting Started with Your Tunable Laser Source

DURATION

Sweep

Setup

START

 STOP 

MODE

STEP PAUSE

CYCLE REVERSE TRIGGER

UNIT REMOTE

DEVICE

DIMMER

SAVE RECALL

SPEED

BAUD

FLOW

ADJUST

SOUND

Turning on the Unit

Some internal mechanisms can sometimes take several seconds to adjust, depending on the operation.

The front panel control provides access to the following options:

 source activation/deactivation

 Normal or High-Resolution mode

 wavelength editing

 shortlisted wavelengths

 power editing

 shortlisted wavelength addition or deletion

 start and stop sweep

The blue buttons to the right of the display give access to single-level menus: Sweep and Setup. Unless a sweep is under way, these menus can always be accessed, even while the source is active. The following diagram shows these two menus and their items.

To move between the menu items, turn the selection dial. To exit a menu, press the button that gave access to it (Sweep or Setup). The FLS-2600B will return to its previous state.

Note: The unit will beep whenever the FLS-2600B does not allow an operation.

12 FLS-2600B

Getting Started with Your Tunable Laser Source

Pos ition ing Your U nit Using the Support Stands

Positioning Your Unit Using the Support Stands

To change the orientation of your unit, you can use the support stands located on the bottom front part of the casing. Simply pull them down until they lock into place.

Tunable Laser Source 13

4 Setting Standard Parameters

Edit

Setting the Display Intensity

You might want to set the display intensity of your unit, or turn the display off.

To change the display intensity:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until DIMMER is displayed.

The current dimmer status appears.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial until you see the desired display intensity (LO, HI, OFF, or Auto. OFF), then press ENTER.

Setting the dimmer to OFF turns off the display. Press any key to turn the display back on.

Setting the dimmer to Auto. OFF also turns off the display. Press any key to turn the display back on. However, after five seconds, the display will automatically turn off again.

5. To e x i t the Setup menu, press Setup.

Tunable Laser Source 15

Setting Standard Parameters

Edit

Turning the Sound On or Off

To turn the sound on your unit on or off:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until SOUND is displayed. The current

sound status appears.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial until you reach the state you want (on or off), then press ENTER.

To exi t the Setup menu, press Setup.

16 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters

Switching between Normal and High-Resolution (HR) Modes

In HR mode, the laser linewidth is reduced by a factor of 20 %. Typically, at 1550 nm, the Normal mode will produce a 1.6 GHz FWHM linewidth, while the HR mode will produce a 1.4 GHz FWHM linewith. The tuning range (or power at extreme wavelength) might be smaller in HR mode than in Normal mode.

To select the operation mode:

Press the mode control button on the front panel.

Adjusting Decimals Using the Fine-Tune Feature

You can select values for your testing needs in two different ways:

Fine-tune and Coarse. If you press the Fine-tune button on the front panel, Fine-tune appears on the display and you will be able to set the decimals.

If Fine-tune does not appear on the display, you are in Coarse mode and can only adjust the numbers before the decimal point with the selection dial.

Note: The Fine-tune feature applies to every numerical edition function with a

decimal point except in the Adjust submenu of the Setup menu. See Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength on page 54 for more information.

Tunable Laser Source 17

Setting Standard Parameters

Selecting the Display Unit

It is possible to select the display unit with which you want to work.

To select the display unit:

1. Press Setup.

2. The menu displays UNIT right away. Press ENTER to edit the units.

3. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the

desired unit (nm or THz).

4. Press ENTER to validate your choice and Setup to exit the Setup menu.

The selection affects all relevant wavelength settings, including those in the Sweep.

18 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters

Normal



Fine-tune

dBm

Selecting a Wavelength

There are several ways to select a wavelength for testing.

Entering a Wavelength Directly

To select a wavelength, make sure you are in Wavelength Edition mode. To se l ect t h e Wavelength Edition mode, press the front panel, so that



appears on the upper left-hand corner of the display.

 /

List button on the

To select a specific wavelength, turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired wavelength. The module will then set the wavelength according to your selection.

If the set power cannot be maintained at the selected wavelength (especially at extreme wavelengths), the displayed power value will flash, a message appears in the status bar, and the power is no longer in constant power mode. The output power stability and level will be the natural laser emission.

To stop the power display from flashing and have the power regulation work again, set the wavelength at an interval where the displayed power can be reached, or decrease the power.

Tunable Laser Source 19

Setting Standard Parameters

Normal

 list

Selecting a Wavelength

Retrieving a Wavelength from a Stored List

To select a wavelength from the list of wavelengths already saved in the internal memory:

1. Ensure that you are in Wavelength List Edition mode. To select this

mode, press the appears on the upper left-hand corner of the display.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired listed wavelength.

/

List button on the front panel so thatList

The list number corresponding to your wavelength selection will appear for a few seconds, then the current power setting will reappear.

To add a wavelength to the list, see Adding Items to Lists on page 22.

20 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters

Normal

Fine-tune

Power

dBm

Setting the Power

To set the output power, you must be in Power Edition mode. To select the Power Edition mode, press the Power button on the front panel, so that Power appears in the left part of the display.

To select a specific power value, turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired power value. The source will then send the command to set the power according to your selection.

Note: If the set power cannot be maintained at the selected wavelength

(especially at extreme wavelengths), the displayed power value will flash and you will no longer be in Constant Power mode. The output power stability and level will be the natural laser emission. To stop the power display from flashing and have the power regulation work again, set the wavelengths at an interval where the displayed power can be reached or select a lower power for your wavelength. For more information on how to set a specific wavelength, see Entering a Wavelength Directly on page 19.

Your source can either be in Normal Power mode (where the ALC is enabled), or in Max. Power mode (where the ALC is disabled).

To ch a nge t h e Automatic Level Control status, press on the Power/Pmax. button. If you see Power on the left side of the display, you are in Normal Pow er mode. If you see Max. Power on the right side of the display, you are in Max. Power mode. Once you have selected Max. Power, the unit reverts to  or  List mode, according to the one you used last.

Tunable Laser Source 21

Setting Standard Parameters



Adding Items to Lists

You can add items to the current list of wavelengths.

To add items:

1. Make sure you are in Wavelength Edition mode (

the Wavelength Edition mode, see Selecting a Wavelength on page 19.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired wavelength.

3. Press the Add button on the front panel.



mode). To select

To indicate that the new wavelength was saved, a number between 1 and 100, stating the wavelength’s rank in the list, as well as the ADD  mention, will appear. If the list is full, the display will indicate FULL, and you will hear a beep. You will need to delete some wavelengths before adding more to the list.

The new wavelength is always added to the end of the list, regardless of its value, using the next available list number. This means that your entries will not be in ascending or descending numerical order if not entered as such. To create an ascending list of wavelengths, enter your values beginning with the lowest and finishing with the highest. To create a descending list of wavelengths, simply enter your values from highest to lowest.

22 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters



Deleting Items from Lists

You can delete items from the current list of wavelengths.

To d el e te it e ms :

1. Make sure you are in Wavelength List Edition mode (

To se l ect t h e Wavelength List Edition mode, see Retrieving a Wavelength from a Stored List on page 20.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until you reach the desired listed wavelength.

3. Press the Del button on the front panel.



List mode).

To indicate that the wavelength was deleted, a number between 1 and 100, stating the wavelength’s rank in the list, as well as the DEL appear. If the list is empty, the display will indicate EMPTY, and you will hear a beep.

Note: Deleting a wavelength will shift the ranking of the other entries.

For example, if you delete entry number 3 in a list of five items, number 4 will become 3 and number 5 will become 4.

Tunable Laser Source 23



mention will

Setting Standard Parameters

Using the Monitor Output

The monitor output of the FLS-2600B, located on the front of the unit, is mainly used to monitor the wavelength of the emitted signal with a wavelength meter. The power available through the monitor corresponds to approximately 10 % of the total power output, even though neither this fraction nor the power stability emitted are guaranteed.

You cannot deactivate the monitor output.

IMPORTANT

24 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters

Saving and Recalling Configurations

Once you have set the FLS-2600B Tunable Laser Source parameters, you can save your custom configuration and recall it at any time. You can also recall the factory-defined settings.

Note: You can save or recall up to five configurations.

Saved parameters are

 Start wavelength of the sweep

 End wavelength of the sweep

 Number of sweeps (1-99 or loop)

 Sweep speed (Continuous mode)

 Sweep duration (Continuous mode)

 Step size (Step-by-Step mode)

 Pause length (Step-by-Step mode)

 Reverse status (ON/OFF)

 Trigger status (ON/OFF)

Tunable Laser Source 25

Setting Standard Parameters

Edit

Saving and Recalling Configurations

To save or recall a sweep configuration:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until SAVE or RECALL is displayed,

depending on the action you want to perform.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower left-hand corner of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the desired number where you want to save your configuration.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

26 FLS-2600B

Setting Standard Parameters

Reverting to Factory Settings

Turning on the unit and pressing ENTER at the same time until it beeps three times will reset the unit to the following default values:

Parameters Reset Value or State

Edit mode (/ list)|(Power) 

Source mode (Normal|HR) Normal

Lambda unit (nm|THz) nm

Fine-tune (Active|Inactive) Active

Lambda 1550.000 nm

Power 0.0 d Bm

Lambda list Empty

Lambda list index (0-100) 1

Sweep program (1-5) 1

Dimmer status (Hi, Low, Off, Auto. Off) Hi

Key sound (On|Off) Off

Sweep range 1540.000 nm to 1560.000 nm

Sweep mode Continuous

Speed 10.000 nm/s

Step 10.000 nm

Pause 1000 ms (1 second)

Cycles (1-99 or Loop) Loop

Reverse (Active|Inactive) Inactive

Trigger (Active|Inactive) Inactive

GPIB Address

RS-232/GPIB

a. This setting will only change with a local reset.

Tunable Laser Source 27

GPIB

5 Setting Sweep Parameters



Fine-tune

Edit

Your tunable laser source allows you to perform automatic wavelength scans according to user-defined parameters. You can perform a continuous sweep (the source will make one or several continuous passes), or you can perform a step-by-step sweep (the signal wavelength changes according to preset increments or steps).

Setting the Start and End Wavelengths

The wavelength scans and their lengths (or duration) depend on the start and end wavelengths you set.

To set the wavelengths for your scans:

1. Press Sweep. You will be in the START 



menu.

2. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

3. Tu r n t h e se l e cti o n dia l clockwise or counterclockwise until the desired wavelength is displayed.

4. Press ENTER. You can select a wavelength at a resolution of 0.001 nm.

5. To e x i t the Sweep menu, press Sweep.

Tunable Laser Source 29

Turn the dial clockwise or counterclockwise until EXIT is displayed, then press ENTER.

Setting Sweep Parameters

Edit

Selecting the Sweep Mode

To set the end wavelength, repeat the process, but after pressing on Sweep, turn the selection dial clockwise until

Note: The start and end wavelengths of the sweep can be set in ascending or

descending order, with a minimum value of 1.0 nm. The sweep will be performed accordingly.



STOP  is displayed.

Selecting the Sweep Mode

You can select the sweep mode you want to perform in the Sweep menu. The source will use either the Continuous or Stepped mode.

To set the sweep mode you want to use:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the bottom left-hand

corner of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise until the desired mode is displayed: Continuous (Cont.) or Step-by-Step (Step).

5. Press ENTER to confirm your choice, and then Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

The sweeps will now be performed according to the mode you have selected.



MODE is displayed.

30 FLS-2600B

Setting Sweep Parameters

Edit

Setting the Sweep Step

You can set the size of the step (in nm or THz) for your step-by-step sweep.

Your tunable laser source unit was designed to give a constant step value using nm as units. When steps are given in THz, the selected step value represents the average value of the steps during the sweep, since an interval in nm does not always have the save equivalent value in THz according to the wavelength bandwidth you have selected.

To set the step:

1. Make sure you have selected the step-by-step sweeping mode (as seen

in Selecting the Sweep Mode on page 30).

2. Press Sweep.

3. Turn the selection dial clockwise until STEP is displayed.

4. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the

display.

5. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the desired size for the step.

Tunable Laser Source 31

Setting Sweep Parameters

Setting the Pauses

6. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the menu.

Turn the dial clockwise or counterclockwise until EXIT is displayed, then press ENTER.

Note: If the sweep wavelength range is not a multiple of the step value selected,

the stop wavelength will be truncated to the nearest possible value, thus reducing the range.

Setting the Pauses

You can set a time interval or pauses between steps. First, make sure you have selected the Step-by-Step sweep mode. For more information, see Selecting the Sweep Mode on page 30.

To set the length of the pauses between the steps:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until PAUSE is displayed.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in bottom left-hand

corner of the display.

32 FLS-2600B

Setting Sweep Parameters

Fine-tune

Edit

m/s/ms

Setting the Sweep Speed

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the desired length of time for the pause. The pause range goes from

0.050 to 60.000 seconds.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

Setting the Sweep Speed

You can change the sweep speed when you are in Continuous mode. For more information on setting the mode to Continuous, see Selecting the Sweep Mode on page 30.

To change the speed:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until SPEED is displayed.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the bottom left-hand

corner of the display.

Tunable Laser Source 33

Setting Sweep Parameters

Fine-tune

Edit nm/s

Setting the Sweep Speed

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the desired speed of the sweep.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

Note: Setting the speed will automatically determine the duration of one pass

according to the selected range.

Your FLS-2600B unit was designed to give a constant speed value using nm as units. When the speed is given in a THz environment, the selected speed value represents the average value during the sweep, since an interval in nm does not always have the same equivalent value in THz according to the wavelength bandwidth you have selected.

Note: You cannot edit the duration of the scan. It will be automatically calculated

according to the speed and wavelength range.

To add or delete steps from the lists, see Adding Items to Lists on page 22 and Deleting Items from Lists on page 23.

34 FLS-2600B

Setting Sweep Parameters

Edit

Selecting the Incoming Trigger Option

The incoming trigger option allows you to synchronize your sweeps with signals from other units.

To switch the incoming trigger option on or off:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until TRIGGER is displayed.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the

display.

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to turn the Trigger option on or off.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

For more information about the trigger option on your tunable laser source, see Trigger Option Theory on page 69.

Tunable Laser Source 35

Setting Sweep Parameters

Edit

Setting the Cycle Options

The cycle options allow you to specify settings in both continuous and stepped sweep modes.

You can set a specific number of cycles for the sweep to perform.

To set the number of cycles:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until CYCLES is displayed.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the bottom left-hand

corner of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to select the desired number of sweep cycles. You can select a number from 1 to 99. You can also select Continuous cycling by turning the selection dial counterclockwise until you pass 1. The display will then indicate Loop.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

36 FLS-2600B

Setting Sweep Parameters

Edit

Setting the Sweep Direction

The sweep can be either unidirectional, meaning that it will only go in one direction, or bidirectional, sweeping back and forth. This is set through the Reverse feature of your FLS-2600B.

To set the direction of the sweep:

1. Press Sweep.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until REVERSE is displayed.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the bottom left-hand

corner of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial clockwise or counterclockwise to turn the Reverse option on or off.

5. Press ENTER to validate your choice, and Sweep to exit the Sweep menu.

Tunable Laser Source 37

6 Operating your Tunable Laser

Source

Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers

IMPORTANT

To ensure maximum power and to avoid erroneous readings:

 Always inspect fiber ends and make sure that they are clean as

explained below before inserting them into the port. EXFO is not responsible for damage or errors caused by bad fiber cleaning or handling.

 Ensure that your patchcord has appropriate connectors. Joining

mismatched connectors will damage the ferrules.

To connect the fiber-optic cable to the port:

1. Inspect the fiber using a fiber inspection microscope. If the fiber is

clean, proceed to connecting it to the port. If the fiber is dirty, clean it as explained below.

2. Clean the fiber ends as follows:

2a. Gently wipe the fiber end with a lint-free swab dipped in isopropyl

alcohol.

2b. Use compressed air to dry completely.

2c. Visually inspect the fiber end to ensure its cleanliness.

Tunable Laser Source 39

Operating your Tunable Laser Source

Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers

3. Carefully align the connector and port to prevent the fiber end from touching the outside of the port or rubbing against other surfaces.

If your connector features a key, ensure that it is fully fitted into the port’s corresponding notch.

4. Push the connector in so that the fiber-optic cable is firmly in place, thus ensuring adequate contact.

If your connector features a screwsleeve, tighten the connector enough to firmly maintain the fiber in place. Do not overtighten, as this will damage the fiber and the port.

Note: If your fiber-optic cable is not properly aligned and/or connected, you will

notice heavy loss and reflection.

40 FLS-2600B

Operating your Tunable Laser Source

Bare metal

(or blue border)

indicates UPC

option

Green border indicates APC

option

2 3 4

Installing the EXFO Universal Interface (EUI)

The EUI fixed baseplate is available for connectors with angled (APC) or non-angled (UPC) polishing. A green border around the baseplate indicates that it is for APC-type connectors.

To install an EUI connector adapter onto the EUI baseplate:

1. Hold the EUI connector adapter so the dust cap opens downwards.

2. Close the dust cap in order to hold the connector adapter more firmly.

3. Insert the connector adapter into the baseplate.

4. While pushing firmly, turn the connector adapter clockwise on the

baseplate to lock it in place.

Tunable Laser Source 41

Operating your Tunable Laser Source

Activating/Deactivating Light Emission

Before turning on the Tunable Laser Source, please read the Safety Information on page 7.

If the source has been exposed to extreme conditions or if you feel that a calibration would help you achieve better results, you can perform an offset calibration as described in Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength on page 54.

To activate or deactivate the light emission:

1. Press the On/Off button. The Source init. marker appears on the

display.

2. The Active LED lights up on the module front panel to indicate that the source is active at the wavelength, output power, and mode currently selected.

3. To deactivate the source, press On/Off again.

The Active LED usually lights up immediately, but the laser power is ramped to its maximum in about five seconds. If an error occured with the power prior to the source initialization, the active LED can take up to three seconds to light up.

IMPORTANT

To obtain optimum stability, a laser source should be allowed to warm up for 60 minutes.

42 FLS-2600B

Operating your Tunable Laser Source

Starting a Sweep

After setting your sweep parameters as explained in Setting Sweep Parameters on page 29 and that your source is turned on, you are ready to

start your sweep.

To start the sweep, press the Start button on the front panel. The system will perform the sweep according to the settings you have entered.

To stop the sweep before it is completed, press the Stop button on the front panel.

Note: You can stop the sweep at any time. Turning the laser on or off will also

stop the sweep.

Tunable Laser Source 43

7 Maintenance

To help ensure long, trouble-free operation:

 Always inspect fiber-optic connectors before using them and clean

them if necessary.

 Keep the unit free of dust.

 Clean the unit casing and front panel with a cloth slightly dampened

with water.

 Store unit at room temperature in a clean and dry area. Keep the unit

out of direct sunlight.

 Avoid high humidity or significant temperature fluctuations.

 Avoid unnecessary shocks and vibrations.

 If any liquids are spilled on or into the unit, turn off the power

immediately, disconnect from any external power source, remove the batteries and let the unit dry completely.

Use of controls, adjustments, and procedures for operation and maintenance other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

WARNING

Tunable Laser Source 45

Maintenance

Cleaning Fixed Connectors

Regular cleaning of connectors will help maintain optimum performance. Do not try to disassemble the unit. Doing so would break the connector.

To clean fixed connectors:

1. Fold a lint-free wiping cloth in four to form a square.

2. Moisten the center of the lint-free wiping cloth with only one drop of

isopropyl alcohol.

Alcohol may leave traces if used abundantly. Avoid contact between the tip of the bottle and the wiping cloth, and do not use bottles that distribute too much alcohol at a time.

3. Gently wipe the connector threads three times with the folded and moistened section of the wiping cloth.

IMPORTANT

Isopropyl alcohol takes approximately ten seconds to evaporate. Since isopropyl alcohol is not absolutely pure, evaporation will leave microscopic residue. Make sure you dry the surfaces before evaporation occurs.

4. With a dry lint-free wiping cloth, gently wipe the same surfaces three times with a rotating movement.

5. Throw out the wiping cloths after one use.

6. Moisten a cleaning tip (2.5 mm tip) with only one drop of isopropyl

alcohol.

46 FLS-2600B

Maintenance

Cleaning Fixed Connectors

IMPORTANT

Alcohol may leave traces if used abundantly. Avoid contact between the tip of the bottle and the cleaning tip, and do not use bottles that distribute too much alcohol at a time.

7. Slowly insert the cleaning tip into the connector until it reaches the ferrule inside (a slow clockwise rotating movement may help).

8. Gently turn the cleaning tip one full turn.

9. Continue to turn as you withdraw the cleaning tip.

10. Repeat steps 7 to 9, but this time with a dry cleaning tip (2.5 mm tip

provided by EXFO).

Note: Make sure you don’t touch the soft end of the cleaning tip and verify the

cleanliness of the cotton tip.

11. Throw out the cleaning tips after one use.

Tunable Laser Source 47

Maintenance

Push

Tur n

Pull

Cleaning EUI Connectors

Regular cleaning of EUI connectors will help maintain optimum performance. There is no need to disassemble the unit.

If any damage occurs to internal connectors, the module casing will have to be opened and a new calibration will be required.

To clean EUI connectors:

1. Remove the EUI from the instrument to expose the connector

baseplate and ferrule.

IMPORTANT

2. Moisten a 2.5 mm cleaning tip with one drop of isopropyl alcohol (alcohol may leave traces if used abundantly).

3. Slowly insert the cleaning tip into the EUI adapter until it comes out on the other side (a slow clockwise rotating movement may help).

4. Gently turn the cleaning tip one full turn, then continue to turn as you withdraw it.

48 FLS-2600B

Cleaning EUI Connectors

5. Repeat steps 3 to 4 with a dry cleaning tip.

Note: Make sure you don’t touch the soft end of the cleaning tip.

6. Clean the ferrule in the connector port as follows:

6a. Deposit one drop of isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free wiping cloth.

IMPORTANT

Isopropyl alcohol may leave residues if used abundantly or left to evaporate (about 10 seconds).

Avoid contact between the tip of the bottle and the wiping cloth, and dry the surface quickly.

6b. Gently wipe the connector and ferrule.

6c. With a dry lint-free wiping cloth, gently wipe the same surfaces to

ensure that the connector and ferrule are perfectly dry.

6d. Verify connector surface with a portable fiber-optic microscope

(for example, EXFO’s FOMS) or fiber inspection probe (for example, EXFO’s FIP).

Maintenance

WARNING

Verifying the surface of the connector WHILE THE UNIT IS ACTIVE WILL result in permanent eye damage.

7. Put the EUI back onto the instrument (push and turn clockwise).

8. Throw out cleaning tips and wiping cloths after one use.

Tunable Laser Source 49

Maintenance

Replacing the Fuse

The FLS-2600B contains two fuses of type IEC, 250 V, 2 A, fast blow

0.197 in x 0.787 in/5 mm x 20 mm. The fuse holder is located at the back of

the FLS-2600B, just beside the power inlet.

To replace the fuses:

1. Unplug the power cord from the FLS-2600B.

2. Pull the fuse holder out of the FLS-2600B.

3. Check and replace the fuses if necessary.

Employer uniquement avec

Use only with a 250V fuse

un fusible de 250V

4. Make sure the fuses are placed firmly in the holder prior to its reinsertion.

5. Firmly push the holder into place.

50 FLS-2600B

Maintenance

Software Upgrades

To upgrade the FLS-2600B embedded software using a diskette, you must connect your FLS-2600B to a computer through a null modem cable.

Note: Software upgrades may be performed in DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95,

Windows 98 or Windows 2000. If problems occur, please contact EXFO.

IMPORTANT

When using a notebook computer to upgrade the FLS-2600B software, you should perform the upgrade in a DOS environment.

Proceed with the software upgrade only if the version indicated on the diskette is greater than the software version currently installed in your unit. To check the software version currently installed on your unit, see the information displayed at startup.

Tunable Laser Source 51

Maintenance

Software Upgrades

To perform a software upgrade:

1. Turn off the FLS-2600B.

2. If it is not already done, turn on the computer.

3. On the hard disk of your computer, create a directory named "Tes t"

4. Insert the upgrade diskette into the computer’s floppy disk drive and

5. Connect one end of a null modem cable to the FLS-2600B RS-232 serial

6. If the software upgrade is performed in Windows 98, you have to

(C:\Test).

copy the *.hex file into the new directory (if necessary, unzip the file).

port and the other end to an unused communication port on your computer (ex. COM2).

restart your computer in DOS mode before starting the upgrade program. Otherwise, simply exit to DOS.

 From C:\Te st directory, type LO0006.exe /c:2 /F:C:\Test\*.hex,

which can be decoded as follows: 2 represents the serial port number. In this case, it means COM2.

 There is a space between LO0006.exe and /.

 There is a space between c:2 and /F.

 * represents the name of the file. Do not type *.hex, but rather the

actual name of the file you copied to your hard disk.

7. Press Enter.

52 FLS-2600B

Maintenance

Software Upgrades

8. When the Waiting for device handshake message appears, turn on the FLS-2600B. The FLS-2600B screen will remain off; the unit will beep once and the update program will start automatically. A progress bar on the computer screen will indicate the status of the software upgrade.

9. Once the software upgrade is complete, the Reboot device for self-test message will appear. If the software upgrade was performed in Windows 2000, the following error message will be displayed: LO0006

NTVDM has encountered a System Error. The parameter is incorrect. Select “Close” to terminate the application. Click Close to hide the

dialog box.

10. You must turn the FLS-2600B off, and then on again, to use the upgraded software. During self-test execution, the FLS-2600B should display the new software version number.

Tunable Laser Source 53

Maintenance

Edit

Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength

It is possible to introduce an offset in your Tunable Laser Source to correct a wavelength deviation as measured by a reference wavelength meter.

Note: A calibrated wavelength meter is required to perform a user calibration on

your unit.

To adjust your module at a certain wavelength:

1. Turn your Tunable Laser Source on.

2. Press Setup.

3. Turn the selection dial until ADJUST  is displayed. The default

pre-selected wavelength appears.

4. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

5. Connect your FLS-2600B to a calibrated wavelength meter.

6. Turn the selection dial until you reach the wavelength value read on

the wavelength meter, then press ENTER to validate it.

Note: The Fine-tune feature is not available in this submenu.

54 FLS-2600B

Maintenance

Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength

7. To ex it th e Setup menu, press Setup.

Note: The difference between the pre-selected wavelength and the measured

wavelength cannot be greater than ± 0.200 nm or ± 0.0250 THz.

This user-performed calibration feature can help you achieve better absolute wavelength accuracy if, for example, you feel that conditions outside the unit may have affected the calibration.

The difference between the pre-selected wavelength and the measured wavelength cannot be greater than ± 0.200 nm. If the difference between the measured and preselected wavelengths is greater than ± 0.200 nm (for example, if you have entered the wrong value), an error message will be generated.

IMPORTANT

Note that the offset introduced into the Tunable Laser Source with this software feature cannot be disabled. To correct for a handling error during the procedure, you must repeat the steps described above with a calibrated wavelength meter.

Tunable Laser Source 55

Maintenance

Recalibrating the Unit

Manufacturing and service center calibrations are based on the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard, which states that calibration documents must not contain a recommended calibration interval, unless this has been previously agreed upon with the customer.

Validity of specifications depends on operating conditions. For example, the calibration validity period can be longer or shorter depending on the intensity of use, environmental conditions and unit maintenance. You should determine the adequate calibration interval for your unit according to your accuracy requirements.

Under normal use, EXFO recommends calibrating your unit every year.

Recycling and Disposal (Applies to European Union Only)

For complete recycling/disposal information as per European Directive WEEE 2002/96/EC, visit the EXFO Web site at www.exfo.com/recycle.

56 FLS-2600B

8 Troubleshooting

Solving Common Problems

If you encounter one of the problems listed below, try to solve it first with the given information. In all cases, if the problem persists after performing a recommended action, contact EXFO immediately.

Problem Probable Cause Recommended Action

Source appears unstable. Stabilization time

was insufficient.

Reflection is destabilizing the source.

There was an ambient temperature variation.

Wait at least 60 minutes for optimum stabilization.

Use an optical isolator with your source.

Control ambient temperature.

Tunable Laser Source 57

Troubleshooting

Ver.

Mfg. date

P/N

S/N Made in Canada QST442B

465 Godin Avenue Vanier (Quebec) G1M 3G7 CANADA

**************** A

January 2020

542392-3D

FLS-2600B-XX-XX

Connector code

Fiber type

Contacting the Technical Support Group

To obtain after-sales service or technical support for this product, contact EXFO at one of the following numbers. The Technical Support Group is available to take your calls from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Eastern Time in North America).

For detailed information about technical support, visit the EXFO Web site at

www.exfo.com.

Technical Support Group

400 Godin Avenue Quebec (Quebec) G1M 2K2 CANADA

To accelerate the process, please have information such as the name and the serial number (see the product identification label—an example is shown below), as well as a description of your problem, close at hand.

1 866 683-0155 (USA and Canada) Tel.: 1 418 683-5498 Fax: 1 418 683-9224

support@exfo.com

58 FLS-2600B

Troubleshooting

Transportation

Maintain a temperature range within specifications when transporting the unit. Transportation damage can occur from improper handling. The following steps are recommended to minimize the possibility of damage:

 Pack the unit in its original packing material when shipping.

 Avoid high humidity or large temperature fluctuations.

 Keep the unit out of direct sunlight.

 Avoid unnecessary shocks and vibrations.

Tunable Laser Source 59

9 Warranty

General Information

EXFO Inc. (EXFO) warrants this equipment against defects in material and workmanship for a period oftwo years from the date of original shipment. EXFO also warrants that this equipment will meet applicable specifications under normal use.

During the warranty period, EXFO will, at its discretion, repair, replace, or issue credit for any defective product, as well as verify and adjust the product free of charge should the equipment need to be repaired or if the original calibration is erroneous. If the equipment is sent back for verification of calibration during the warranty period and found to meet all published specifications, EXFO will charge standard calibration fees.

The warranty can become null and void if:

 unit has been tampered with, repaired, or worked upon by

unauthorized individuals or non-EXFO personnel.

 warranty sticker has been removed.

IMPORTANT

 case screws, other than those specified in this guide, have been

removed.

 case has been opened, other than as explained in this guide.

 unit serial number has been altered, erased, or removed.

 unit has been misused, neglected, or damaged by accident.

THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESSED, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL EXFO BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.

Tunable Laser Source 61

Warranty

Liability

EXFO shall not be liable for damages resulting from the use of the product, nor shall be responsible for any failure in the performance of other items to which the product is connected or the operation of any system of which the product may be a part.

EXFO shall not be liable for damages resulting from improper usage or unauthorized modification of the product, its accompanying accessories and software.

62 FLS-2600B

Warranty

Exclusions

EXFO reserves the right to make changes in the design or construction of any of its products at any time without incurring obligation to make any changes whatsoever on units purchased. Accessories, including but not limited to fuses, pilot lamps, batteries and universal interfaces (EUI) used with EXFO products are not covered by this warranty.

This warranty excludes failure resulting from: improper use or installation, normal wear and tear, accident, abuse, neglect, fire, water, lightning or other acts of nature, causes external to the product or other factors beyond the control of EXFO.

IMPORTANT

EXFO will charge a fee for replacing optical connectors that were damaged due to misuse or bad cleaning.

Certification

Exclusions

EXFO certifies that this equipment met its published specifications at the time of shipment from the factory.

Tunable Laser Source 63

Warranty

Service and Repairs

EXFO commits to providing product service and repair for five years following the date of purchase.

To send any equipment for service or repair:

1. Call one of EXFO’s authorized service centers (see EXFO Service

2. If equipment must be returned to EXFO or an authorized service

3. If possible, back up your data before sending the unit for repair.

4. Pack the equipment in its original shipping material. Be sure to include

5. Return the equipment, prepaid, to the address given to you by support

Centers Worldwide on page 65). Support personnel will determine if the equipment requires service, repair, or calibration.

center, support personnel will issue a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number and provide an address for return.

a statement or report fully detailing the defect and the conditions under which it was observed.

personnel. Be sure to write the RMA number on the shipping slip. EXFO

will refuse and return any package that does not bear an RMA number.

Note: A test setup fee will apply to any returned unit that, after test, is found to

meet the applicable specifications.

After repair, the equipment will be returned with a repair report. If the equipment is not under warranty, you will be invoiced for the cost appearing on this report. EXFO will pay return-to-customer shipping costs for equipment under warranty. Shipping insurance is at your expense.

Routine recalibration is not included in any of the warranty plans. Since calibrations/verifications are not covered by the basic or extended warranties, you may elect to purchase FlexCare Calibration/Verification Packages for a definite period of time. Contact an authorized service center (see EXFO Service Centers Worldwide on page 65).

64 FLS-2600B

Warranty

EXFO Service Centers Worldwide

If your product requires servicing, contact your nearest authorized service center.

EXFO Headquarters Service Center

400 Godin Avenue Quebec (Quebec) G1M 2K2 CANADA

EXFO Europe Service Center

Omega Enterprise Park, Electron Way Chandlers Ford, Hampshire S053 4SE ENGLAND

EXFO Telecom Equipment (Shenzhen) Ltd.

3rd Floor, Building 10, Yu Sheng Industrial Park (Gu Shu Crossing), No. 467, National Highway 107, Xixiang, Bao An District, Shenzhen, China, 518126

1 866 683-0155 (USA and Canada) Tel.: 1 418 683-5498 Fax: 1 418 683-9224

quebec.service@exfo.com

Tel.: +44 2380 246810 Fax: +44 2380 246801

europe.service@exfo.com

Tel: +86 (755) 2955 3100 Fax: +86 (755) 2955 3101

beijing.service@exfo.com

Tunable Laser Source 65

A Technical Specifications

WAVELENGTH

Range (nm) 1510 to 1612 Display resolution (pm) 1 Effective spectral linewidth FWHM

(GHz) 1.3 (typical)

Repeatability

(pm) 10 measurements ±2.5 (6 = 5)

Stability

(pm) 1 hour ±6 (6 = 12)

Uncertainty

(pm) ±15

Sweep rate

(nm/s) Maximum 50

Minimum 2

Tuning time

(ms) 75 (typical)

Notes

a. Speciﬁcations are valid at 23 °C ± 1 °C after one-hour warmup time. b. FWHM: full width at half maximum. The speciﬁcation is valid at 1580 nm, where

it corresponds to 12 pm. Given in HR mode. Typical 700 MHz at 1610 nm and 2 GHz at 1520 nm. Linewidth is Gaussian-like and produces a coherence length of about 15 cm when propagating into SMF-28 ﬁber type.

c. Expressed as ± half the difference between the maximum and

minimum values measured. d. User calibration may be required. e. Operating in continuous sweep.

f. 1 nm step, one complete step through GPIB in manual mode with FLS-2600B. g. In normal mode. Operating in high-resolution mode (HR) typically reduces power level

at extreme wavelengths, therefore shortening the tuning range by a few nanometers. h. At connector output of the source. i. In the 1515 nm to 1610 nm range.

SSE: source spontaneous emission

RBW: spectral resolution bandwidth j. ALC: Automatic level (or power) control. k. For 1 dB step 10 % to 90 % response time.

POWER

Output power

g, h

(dBm) From 1515 nm to 1610 nm * 0

From 1510 nm to 1612 nm * —10

Stability

(dB) 15 minutes ±0.005 (6 = 0.01)

1 hour ±0.01 (6 = 0.02)

Repeatability for a wavelength change

(dB) 10 measurements ±0.015 (6 = 0.03)

Signal to SSE

g, i

(dB) From 1515 nm to 1610 nm * 75 (typical) ±1 nm from peak with RBW 0.1 nm From 1550 nm to 1610 nm * 80 (typical) Signal to total SSE (dB) * 45

50 (typical)

INTERNAL VARIABLE ATTENUATOR

Attenuation range (dB) 10 Linearity with attenuation (dB) ±0.3 (typical) Repeatability for speciﬁc wavelength

(dB) ±0.005 (6 = 0.010) (typical)

Response time

(s) 0.5 (typical

)

IMPORTANT

The following technical specifications can change without notice. The information presented in this section is provided as a reference only. To obtain this product’s most recent technical specifications, visit the EXFO Web site at www.exfo.com.

Tunable Laser Source 67

Technical Specifications

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Output ﬁber type SMF-28 Operating temperature 10 °C to 40 °C (50 °F to 104 °F) Storage temperature —10 °C to 50 °C (14 °F to 122 °F) Dimensions (H x W x D)

IQS 125 mm x 74 mm x 282 mm (4

/16 in x 2 15/16 in x 11 1/8 in)

FLS 117 mm x 222 mm x 333 mm (4

/8 in x 8 3/4 in x 13 3/8 in)

Weight 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) 3.4 kg (7.4 lb)

Instruments Drivers

LabVIEW™ drivers and SCPI commands

Remote Control

With FLS-2600B: GPIB (IEEE-488.1, IEEE-488.2) and RS-232. With IQS-500 or IQS-600: GPIB (IEEE-488.1, IEEE-488.2), Ethernet and RS-232.

Standard Accessories

User Guide, Certiﬁcate of Compliance and AC power cord

68 FLS-2600B

B Trigger Option Theory

(a) sweep start

(b) second sweep trigger

(d) trig received during the third sweep kept in memory and will trigger the fourth sweep

(e) lost trig

Your Tunable Laser Source features Trigger In and Out connectors. When the trigger option is set to On, the Trigger In will wait for signals. The Trigger Out is always active and emits a signal for each one-way pass (Continuous mode) or step (Stepped mode) the system performs during the sweep.

The synchronization feature uses a TTL, 5 V signal. It is achieved on the signal’s rising edge. The pulse width of the Trigger In signal must be larger than 1 μs. The pulse width of the Trigger Out signal is 8 μs.

Trigger Option in Continuous Mode

The sweep will begin when the first synchronization signal is received at the In port. When a pass (one way) is completed, the system waits for another synchronization signal to move again.

If the synchronization signal arrives before the sweep is completed, it is kept in memory to be used on the next pass. The memory keeps only one synchronization signal on standby; if the system receives more than one signal before the sweep is completed, only the first one will be kept.

Tunable Laser Source 69

Trigger Option Theory

(a) sweep start

(b) second sweep trigger

(d) trig received during the third sweep kept in memory and will trigger the fourth sweep

(e) lost trig

Trigger Option in Stepped Mode

The sweep will begin when you press on Start. The system will position itself at the start wavelength and wait for a synchronization signal. Then, the system will wait for a synchronization signal to go to the next step in the sweep.

If the synchronization signal arrives before the sweep is completed, it is kept in memory to be used on the next step. The memory keeps only one synchronization signal in advance; if the system receives more than one synchronization signal before the step is completed, only the first signal will be kept.

70 FLS-2600B

C Remote Control

Edit

Your Tunable Laser Source can be remotely controlled by either the

 GPIB interface (through a GPIB cable connected to the GPIB port), or

 RS-232 interface (through a serial cable connected to the serial port).

The commands used in both protocols are the same and described in the following pages. When the FLS-2600B is being remotely controlled by GPIB, Remote appears in the upper right-hand corner of the display.

Note: If you have already designed a GPIB program to control a Tunable Laser

Source from EXFO’s IQS Series (IQS-2600B), you can reuse sections for the FLS-2600B.

Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control

To remotely control the FLS-2600B, you need to set a GPIB address or activate the RS-232 port.

To set the remote control mode:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until REMOTE is displayed.

The current setting appears.

Tunable Laser Source 71

Remote Control

Edit

Setting the GPIB Primary Address

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial to enter the setting you wish to work with— GPIB or RS-232.

5. Press ENTER.

6. To ex it th e Setup menu, press Setup.

Setting the GPIB Primary Address

To set the GPIB primary address, you must be in GPIB mode. To select the GPIB mode, see Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control on page 71.

To set the GPIB primary address:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until DEVICE is displayed. The

current address appears.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial to enter the address you wish to work with. You can select a number between 1 and 30.

5. Press ENTER.

To exi t the Setup menu, press Setup.

72 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

Edit

Changing the Baud Rate for RS-232

To change the baud rate for RS-232 transfer, you must be in RS-232 mode. To select RS-232 mode, see Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control on page 71.

To change the baud rate:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until BAUD is displayed. The current

setting appears.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial to enter the rate you wish to work with.

5. Press ENTER.

6. To ex it th e Setup menu, press Setup.

Tunable Laser Source 73

Remote Control

Edit

Changing the Flow Control for RS-232

Handshake controls are software mechanisms controlling data flow along a serial line. The most common requirement is for flow control to match the data transmission rate to a rate the device can process.

The computer and the terminal (in this case, the FLS-2600B) stop each other transmitting by sending a control character (xoff), and cause transmission to restart by sending another control character (xon). This is known as a software handshake.

To change the handshake flow control for RS-232 transfer, you must be in RS-232 mode. To select the RS-232 mode, see Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control on page 71.

To change the flow control:

1. Press Setup.

2. Turn the selection dial clockwise until FLOW is displayed. The current

setting appears.

3. Press ENTER. The Edit marker starts blinking in the lower part of the display.

4. Turn the selection dial to choose the desired setting for the flow: Soft. (xon/xoff) or None.

5. Press ENTER.

6. To ex it th e Setup menu, press Setup.

74 FLS-2600B

Communication Parameters

Note: EOS means “End of String”. EOI means “End or Identify”.

For GPIB Communication

Ter m inat e Read o n EOS Yes

Set EOI with EOS on Writes Yes

Type of compare on EOS 8 bits

EOS byte 0Ah

Sens EOI at end of Writes Yes

GPIB primary address See Setting the FLS-2600B for

Remote Control on page 71

GPIB secondary address None

For RS-232 Communication

Remote Control

EOS bytes 0Ah

Baud rate 1200/2400/4800/9600/

19200 bps

Parity None

Data bits 8 bits

Stop bits 1 bit

Flow control Software (xOn/xOff) or

None

Activation See Setting the FLS-2600B

for Remote Control on page 71

Tunable Laser Source 75

Remote Control

Standard Status Data Structure

The figure on the next page illustrates the four common Status and Enable registers as defined by IEEE 488.2. This diagram is a useful aid in understanding the general commands and how a service request (SRQ) is generated. The four registers are described below:

 Standard Event Status Register (ESR)

Bits Mnemonics Bit Value

7 Power on 128

6Not used 0

5 Command error 32

4Execution error 16

3 Device-dependant error 8

2Query error 4

1Not used 0

0 Operation complete 1

76 FLS-2600B

Standard Status Data Structure

 Standard Event Status Enable Register (ESE)

Bits Mnemonics Bit Value

7 Power on 128

6Not used0

5 Command error 32

4Execution error16

Remote Control

3 Device-dependent

error

2Query error4

1Not used0

0 Operation complete 1

 Status Byte Register (STB)

Bits Mnemonics Bit Value

7Not used0

6 Request service/

Master summary status

5 Event summary bit 32

4 Message available 16

3Not used0

2Error/Event queue4

1Not used0

0Not used0

Tunable Laser Source 77

Remote Control

Standard Status Data Structure

 Service Request Enable Register (SRE)

Bits Mnemonics Bit Value

7Not used0

6Reserved0

5 Event status byte 32

4 Message available 16

3Not used0

2Error/Event queue4

1Not used0

0Not used0

78 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

Standard Status Data Structure

Tunable Laser Source 79

Remote Control

SCPI Commands

An SRQ is forced when a bit in the Status Byte register goes from 0 to 1 and the corresponding SRE Mask bit is set. If an SRQ is forced, the Recoverable Queueing Service (RQS) bit is set to 1 and remains as such until it is read by a serial poll, even if the reason or condition that caused the service request no longer exists. Similarly, if a serial poll reads the RQS, it is reset to 0, whether the condition that caused the service request still exists or not.

SCPI Commands

Command Structure

The GPIB commands follow the guidelines determined by the Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI) consortium. For example, the following command syntax is used to activate or deactivate the source.

OUTP[:STAT]<wsp><boolean>

 OUTP and STAT are keywords defining the function of the command.

 [ ] indicates that a keyword or parameter is optional.

 <wsp> indicates that a space is required ("wsp" stands for "white

space").

 <Boolean> indicates the command parameter.

 Keywords must be separated by a colon.

80 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

SCPI Commands

To enter commands or queries you must use either the full word for the command, or the three- or four-letter shortcut. Commands are not case-sensitive; however, spelling errors will cancel the command or query.

The command or query can be written using only shortcuts, only full words, or a combination of both.

Other command syntax elements can also be used:

 the comma, which is used to separate values in a command or query.

 the semi-colon, which is used to separate commands or queries, when

you send more than one at a time.

Note: It is recommended that you retrieve the response immediately after

each query.

Tunable Laser Source 81

Remote Control

General Commands

Your tunable laser source recognizes the main commands identified in IEEE 488.2.

Command Function

*CLS Clear status command

*ESE Standard event status enable command

*ESE? Standard event status enable query

*ESR? Standard event status register query

*IDN? Identification query

*LOK Set Remote Lockout programming state (RS-232 only)

*LOK? Remote Lockout programming state query (RS-232 only)

*OPC Operation complete command

*OPC? Operation complete query

*REM? Set Remote programming state (RS-232 only)

*RST Reset command

*SRE Service request enable command

*SRE? Service request enable query

*STB? Read status byte query

*TST? Self-test query

The commands are fully explained hereafter.

82 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

General Commands

*CLS

Description This command sets the contents of the Standard Event Register

(ESR), the Status Byte Register (STB), and the Error Queue (ERR) to zero. This command is commonly used to clear the status registers before enabling SRQ. Note that the output queue, Standard Event Status Enable Register (ESE), and Service Request Enable Register (SRE) are not affected.

Syntax *CLS

*ESE

Description This command is used to set bits in the Standard Event Status

Enable Register (ESE) to a new value (default value is 255). The contents of the ESE register are logically ANDed with the ESR register. A non-zero result will set the Event Summary Bit (ESB) of the Status Byte Register (STB). This command is useful for selecting which events may generate an SRQ.

Syntax *ESE<wsp><value>

Parameter The <value> parameter must be an integer between 0 and 255.

*ESE?

Description This query reads the contents of the Standard Event Status

Enable Register (ESE).

Syntax *ESE?

Response An integer between 0 and 255.

Tunable Laser Source 83

Remote Control

General Commands

Description This query reads the contents of the Standard Event Status

Syntax *ESR?

Response An integer between 0 and 255.

Description This query reads the system identification string.

Syntax *IDN?

Response “EXFO E.-O. Eng. FLS-2600B vx.xx”xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx, where

*ESR?

*IDN?

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx is the serial number and vx.xx is the current product version.

*LOK

Description This command is used to set the Remote Lockout programming

state.

Syntax *LOK<wsp><value>

Parameters The <value> parameter is a boolean value indicating if the

tunable laser source is

“0” or “unlocked”

“1” or “locked”

Note This command can only be used when working with RS-232

communication.

84 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

General Commands

*LOK?

Description This query returns the Remote Lockout programming state.

Syntax *LOK?

Response A boolean value indicating if the tunable laser source is

“0” unlocked

“1” locked

Note This command can only be used when working with RS-232

communication.

*OPC

Description This command will cause the FLS-2600B to generate the

operation complete message in the Standard Event Status Register (ESR) when all pending selected FLS-2600B operations have been completed.

Syntax *OPC

Example *OPC;*IDN?

Tunable Laser Source 85

Remote Control

General Commands

Description This query puts an ASCII “1” in the output queue when the

Syntax *OPC?

Response “1”

Description This command is used to set the Remote programming state.

Syntax *REM<wsp><data>

Parameters The <data> parameter can be “1” to set the Remote

*OPC?

content of the input queue has been processed. This query is useful to prevent another command from processing until the current command is complete.

*REM

programming state to Remote or “0” to set the Remote progamming state to Local.

Note This command can only be used with RS-232 communication.

86 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

General Commands

*RST

Description The *RST command sets the instrument to reset settings

(factory settings stored in ROM). Pending *OPC and *OPC? actions are canceled. The instrument becomes idle. The *RST command clears the Input and Error queues. The following settings remain unchanged:

 Instrument interface address

 Output queue

 Service Request Enable register (SRE)

 Standard Event Status Enable register (ESE)

Syntax *RST

Note For a complete list of default parameters, see Saving and

Recalling Configurations on page 25. This command uses electronic parts that have a limited life

span (non-volatile memory). You must use this command with moderation.

Tunable Laser Source 87

Remote Control

General Commands

Description This command sets bits in the Service Request Enable Register

Syntax *SRE<wsp><value>

Parameter The <value> parameter must be an integer between 0 and 255.

Description This query returns the contents of the Service Request Enable

Syntax *SRE?

Response An integer between 0 and 255.

*SRE

(SRE; initial value is 255), and enables the corresponding bit in the Status Byte Register (STB). The command can be used to select which events can initiate a service request.

*SRE?

*STB?

Description This query returns the contents of the Status Byte Register

(STB).

Syntax *STB?

Response An integer between 0 and 255.

88 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

General Commands

*TST?

Description This query initiates an internal self-test and returns a binary

value indicating the results of the test.

Syntax *TST?

Response An integer indicating the sum of all corresponding errors:

 0: No errors

 1: Interlock

 2: Laser over-current

 4: TEC failure

 8: Flash not present

 16: Flash time-out

 32: EEprom not detected

 64: EEprom check sum

 128: Motor

 256: Mechanic zero not found

 512: Temperature

 1024: FPGA

 2048: Electronic power control

 4096: Sweep

 8192: Memory

Tunable Laser Source 89

Remote Control

Specific Commands

Description This command introduces an offset into the FLS-2600B to

Syntax CAL:WAV<wsp><wavelength>

Parameters The <wavelength> parameter is a value indicating the

Example CAL:WAV 1560.000

Note This function cannot be performed if the application is

CALibration:WAVelength

correct a wavelength deviation as measured by a wavelength meter.

wavelength in nm.

performing a sweep.

The difference between the wavelength and the measured wavelength cannot be greater then ± 0.200 nm or ± 0.0250 THz.

EXFO recommends using 1560 nm as the wavelength parameter.

90 FLS-2600B

Remote Control

Specific Commands

DISPlay:DIMMer

Description This command allows you to set the dimmer state on the

source.

Syntax DISP:DIMM<wsp><state>

Response The <state> parameter is a single digit indicating the state of

the dimmer:

 0 or Off

 1 or Lo

 2 or Hi

 3 or Auto off

You can also use the state name in your command.

EXFO FLS-2600B User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Certification Information

General Information

RS-232 Connector Pinout

Typic a l Ap pl ic ation s

Conventions

2 Safety Information

Laser Safety Information

Electrical Safety Information

Turning on the Unit

Pos ition ing Your U nit Using the Support Stands

4 Setting Standard Parameters

Setting the Display Intensity

Turning the Sound On or Off

Switching between Normal and High-Resolution (HR) Modes

Adjusting Decimals Using the Fine-Tune Feature

Selecting the Display Unit

Selecting a Wavelength

Setting the Power

Adding Items to Lists

Deleting Items from Lists

Using the Monitor Output

Saving and Recalling Configurations

Reverting to Factory Settings

5 Setting Sweep Parameters

Setting the Start and End Wavelengths

Selecting the Sweep Mode

Setting the Sweep Step

Setting the Pauses

Setting the Sweep Speed

Selecting the Incoming Trigger Option

Setting the Cycle Options

Setting the Sweep Direction

Cleaning and Connecting Optical Fibers

Installing the EXFO Universal Interface (EUI)

Activating/Deactivating Light Emission

Starting a Sweep

7 Maintenance

Cleaning Fixed Connectors

Cleaning EUI Connectors

Replacing the Fuse

Software Upgrades

Adjusting Your Unit According to Wavelength

Recalibrating the Unit

Recycling and Disposal (Applies to European Union Only)

8 Troubleshooting

Solving Common Problems

Contacting the Technical Support Group

Transportation

9 Warranty

General Information

Liability

Exclusions

Certification

Service and Repairs

EXFO Service Centers Worldwide

A Technical Specifications

B Trigger Option Theory

Trigger Option in Continuous Mode

Trigger Option in Stepped Mode

C Remote Control

Setting the FLS-2600B for Remote Control

Setting the GPIB Primary Address

Changing the Baud Rate for RS-232

Changing the Flow Control for RS-232

Communication Parameters

Standard Status Data Structure

SCPI Commands

General Commands

Specific Commands