ILX Lightwave LDC-3900 User Manual

User’s Guide

Modular Laser Diode Controller

LDC-3900

ILX Lightwave · 31950 Frontage Road · Bozeman, MT, U.S.A. 59715 · U.S. & Canada: 1-800-459-9459 · International Inquiries: 406-556-2481 · Fax [phone]

www.newport.com/ilxlightwave

70011310 October 2015

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

List of Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

List of Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Safety and Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Safety Information and the Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

General Safety Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Safety Symbols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii

Safety Marking Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Returning an Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Claims for Shipping Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Comments, Suggestions, and Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

In the United States: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

In Europe: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

In Japan: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

In China: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

In China: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

Chapter 1 Introduction and Specifications

Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Available Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Line Voltage Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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Chapter 2 Operation

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

AC Power Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Tilt-Foot Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Rack Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Power-Up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

LDC-3900 Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

General Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

TEC Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Conditions Which Will Automatically Shut Off a TEC Output . . . . . . . . . . 14

Laser Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Automatic Laser Shutoff Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

GPIB Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Adjust Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Automatic Set Point Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Output Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

TEC Mode Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

TEC Mode Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

TEC Mode Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

TEC Display Switch Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

TEC Display Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

TEC Display Indicators and Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

TEC Parameter Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

TEC Parameter Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

TEC Parameter Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LIM ITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LIM THI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

CONST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

TEC Channel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

TEC Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Laser Mode Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Laser Mode Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Laser Mode Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Laser Display Switch Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Laser Display Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Laser Display Indicators and Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Laser Parameter Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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Laser Parameter Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Laser Parameter Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

LIM I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

LIM P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

CAL PD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Laser Channel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Laser Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Modulation Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Save and Recall Parameter Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Rear Panel Controls and Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

GPIB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Modulation from Front Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Earth Ground Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

General Operating Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Warm-up and Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

TEC Mode Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Laser Mode Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Simultaneous TEC and Laser Mode Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

TEC Booster Mode Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Chapter 3 Remote Operation

Preparation for Bus Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

ANSI/IEEE-488.2 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Syntax Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

White Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Power-on Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

<nrf value> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

<PROGRAM MESSAGE TERMINATOR> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

<PROGRAM MESSAGE UNIT SEPARATOR> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

<PROGRAM HEADER SEPARATOR> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

<compound command program header> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

<PROGRAM DATA> (Parameters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

<ARBITRARY BLOCK PROGRAM DATA> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

<PROGRAM DATA SEPARATORS> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Default Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

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Getting Started with GPIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Overview of the LDC-3900 Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Using Commands with Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Common Commands and Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

*CAL? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

*CLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

*ESE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

*ESE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

*ESR? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

*IDN? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

*OPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

*OPC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

*PSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

*PSC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

*PUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

*PUD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

*RCL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

*RST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

*SAV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

*SRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

*SRE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

*STB? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

*TST? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

*WAI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Advanced Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Path Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Status Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Event and Condition Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Operation Complete Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Command Timing and Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Output Off Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Input Buffer and Output Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Chapter 4 Command Reference

Command Set Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Substitute Parameter Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Compound Command Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

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Common Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

LDC-3900 Device-Dependent Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Command Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

LDC-3900 Device-Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Chapter 5 Error Messages

Appendix A Steinhart-Hart Equation

The Steinhart-Hart Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Appendix B AD590 and LM335 Sensor Calibration

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

AD590 Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

LM335 Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

One Point Calibration Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Two Point Calibration Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

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List of Figures

Figure 2.1 LDC-3900 Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Figure 2.2 GPIB Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Figure 2.3 Laser Enable Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Figure 2.4 Adjust Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Figure 2.5 Output Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Figure 2.6 Parameter Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Figure 2.7 TEC Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Figure 2.8 TEC Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Figure 2.9 TEC Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Figure 2.10 TEC Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Figure 2.11 Laser Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 2.12 Laser Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 2.13 Laser Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 2.14 Laser Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 2.15 Modulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Figure 2.16 LDC-3900 TEC Mode Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Figure 2.17 LDC-3900 TEC Display Switch Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Figure 2.18 LDC-3900 TEC Parameter Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Figure 2.19 LDC-3900 TEC Error Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Figure 2.20 LDC-3900 Laser Mode Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Figure 2.21 LDC-3900 Laser Display Switch Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Figure 2.22 LDC-3900 Laser Parameter Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Figure 2.23 LDC-3900 Laser Error Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Figure 2.24 LDC-3900 MODULATION Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Figure 2.25 LDC-3900 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Figure 3.1 White Space Syntactic Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

LDC-3900 Series vii



List of Figures

Figure 3.2 <PROGRAM MESSAGE TERMINATOR> Syntax Diagram . . . 41
Figure 3.3 <PROGRAM MESSAGE UNIT SEPARATOR> Syntax Diagram 41

Figure 3.4 <PROGRAM HEADER SEPARATOR> Syntax Diagram . . . . . 42

Figure 3.5 <compound command program header> Syntax Diagram . . . . 43

Figure 3.6 <compound query program header> Syntax Diagram . . . . . . . . 43

Figure 3.7 <ARBITRARY BLOCK PROGRAM DATA> Syntax Diagram . . 44

Figure 3.8 <PROGRAM DATA SEPARATOR> Syntax Diagram . . . . . . . . 45

Figure 3.9 Standard Event Status Register/Standard Event Status

Enable Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Figure 3.10 Service Request Enable Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Figure 3.11 LDC-3900 Status Reporting Schematic Diagram . . . . . . . . . . 65

Figure 3.12 An LDC-3900 LASER Module Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . 68

Figure 3.13 An LDC-3900 TEC Module Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Figure 4.1 Command Path Tree Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Figure A.1 Thermistor Resistance vs. Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Figure B.1 AD590 Nonlinearity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184



viii LDC-3900 Series



List of Tables

Table 1.1 LDC-3900 Options and Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Table 1.2 GPIB Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Table 1.4 General Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Table 2.1 LDC-3900 Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Table 2.2 TEC Error Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Table 2.3 Laser Error Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Table 3.1 State of the LDC-3900 After *RST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Table 3.2 LDC-3900 Default Settings for Output Off Registers . . . . . . . . . . 70

Table 4.1 Substitute Parameter Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Table 4.2 LDC-3900 Device-Dependent Command Summary. . . . . . . . . . . 75

Table 5.1 Error Code Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Table 5.2 LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller Error

Message Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Table A.1 Comparison of Curve Fitting Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

LDC-3900 Series ix



LDC-3900 Series x



S

CAUTION

WARNING

WARNING

AFETY AND

The Safety and Warranty Information section provides details about cautionary symbols used in the
manual, safety markings used on the instrument, and information about the Warranty including
Customer Service contact information.

W

ARRANTY INFORMATION

Safety Information and the Manual

Throughout this manual, you will see the words Caution and Warning indicating potentially
dangerous or hazardous situations which, if not avoided, could result in death, serious or minor
injury, or damage to the product. Specifically:

!

Caution indicates a potentially hazardous situation which can result in minor or
moderate injury or damage to the product or equipment.

Warning indicates a potentially dangerous situation which can result in serious injury or
death.

Visible and/or invisible laser radiation. Avoid direct exposure to the beam.

General Safety Considerations

If any of the following conditions exist, or are even suspected, do not use the instrument until safe
operation can be verified by trained service personnel:

• Visible damage

• Severe transport stress

• Prolonged storage under adverse conditions

• Failure to perform intended measurements or functions

If necessary, return the instrument to ILX Lightwave, or authorized local ILX Lightwave distributor, for
service or repair to ensure that safety features are maintained (see the contact information on page
xiv).

All instruments returned to ILX Lightwave are required to have a Return Authorization Number
assigned by an official representative of ILX Lightwave Corporation. See Returning an Instrument on
page xiii for more information.

LDC-3900 xi



or
(I)

or

(O)

S

AFETY

This section describes the safety symbols and classifications.
Technical specifications including electrical ratings and weight are included within the manual. See

the Table of Contents to locate the specifications and other product information. The following
classifications are standard across all ILX Lightwave products:

SAFETY SYMBOLS

S

YMBOLS

• Indoor use only

• Ordinary Protection: This product is NOT protected against the harmful ingress of moisture.

• Class I Equipment (grounded type)

• Pollution Degree II

• Installation (overvoltage) Category II for transient overvoltages

• Maximum Relative Humidity: <80% RH, non-condensing

o

• Operating temperature range of 0

C to 40 oC

• Storage and transportation temperature of -40 oC to 70 oC

• Maximum altitude: 3000 m (9843 ft)

• This equipment is suitable for continuous operation.

Safety Marking Symbols

This section provides a description of the safety marking symbols that appear on the instrument.
These symbols provide information about potentially dangerous situations which can result in death,
injury, or damage to the instrument and other components.

Caution,
refer to
manual

Caution, risk
of electric
shock

On: In position of a bistable push control. The
slash (I) only denotes that mains are on.

Earth
ground
Terminal

Protective
Conductor
Terminal

Alternating
current

Caution, hot
surface

Off: Out position of a bistable push control.
The circle (O) only denotes that mains are off.

Visible and/or
invisible laser
radiation

Frame or
chassis
Terminal

xii LDC-3900



W

ARRANTY

ILX LIGHTWAVE CORPORATION warrants this instrument to be free from defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one year from date of shipment. During the warranty period, ILX will
repair or replace the unit, at our option, without charge.

WAR RAN TY

Limitations

This warranty does not apply to fuses, lamps, defects caused by abuse, modifications, or to use of
the product for which it was not intended.

This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, including any implied warranty
of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. ILX Lightwave Corporation shall not be liable
for any incidental, special, or consequential damages.

If a problem occurs, please contact ILX Lightwave Corporation with the instrument's serial number,
and thoroughly describe the nature of the problem.

Returning an Instrument

If an instrument is to be shipped to ILX Lightwave for repair or service, be sure to:

1 Obtain a Return Authorization number (RA) from ILX Customer Service.
2 Attach a tag to the instrument identifying the owner and indicating the required service or

repair. Include the instrument serial number from the rear panel of the instrument.

3 Attach the anti-static protective caps that were shipped with the instrument and place the

instrument in a protective anti-static bag.

4 Place the instrument in the original packing container with at least 3 inches (7. 5 cm) of

compressible packaging material. Shipping damage is not covered by this warranty.

5 Secure the packing box with fiber reinforced strapping tape or metal bands.
6 Send the instrument, transportation pre-paid, to ILX Lightwave. Clearly write the return

authorization number on the outside of the box and on the shipping paperwork. ILX
Lightwave recommends you insure the shipment.

If the original shipping container is not available, place your instrument in a container with at least 3
inches (7.5 cm) of compressible packaging material on all sides.

Repairs are made and the instrument returned transportation pre-paid. Repairs are warranted for the
remainder of the original warranty or for 90 days, whichever is greater.

Claims for Shipping Damage

When you receive the instrument, inspect it immediately for any damage or shortages on the
packing list. If the instrument is damaged, file a claim with the carrier. The factory will supply you with
a quotation for estimated costs of repair. You must negotiate and settle with the carrier for the
amount of damage.

LDC-3900 xiii



WAR RAN TY

Comments, Suggestions, and Problems

To ensure that you get the most out of your ILX Lightwave product, we ask that
you direct any product operation or service related questions or comments to ILX
Lightwave Customer Support. You may contact us in whatever way is most
convenient.

In the United States:

Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [phone] or [phone]

Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [phone]

Online: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://ilx.custhelp.com

Email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [e-mail]

Or mail to:
ILX Lightwave Corporation

P. O. Box 6310
Bozeman, Montana, U.S.A 59771
www.ilxlightwave.com

In Europe: In Japan:

Optical Test and Calibration Ltd.
Listerhills Science Park
Bradford, BD7 1HR United Kingdom
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Online: www.otc.co.uk
Email: [e-mail]

Japan Laser Corp.
2-14-1, Nishiwaseda,
Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 169-0051 Japan
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

In China: In China:

ETSC Technologies Co.
9/F Building 1
SBI Street
Dongxin Road
East Lake High-Tech Development Zon e
Wuhan, Hubei, 430074 PRC China
Phone: [phone]
2681; (86) 27 8780 7925
Fax: [phone]
Online: www.etsc-tech.com
Email: [e-mail]

Newport Opto Electronics Technologies
Co., Ltd.
Lot J3-8, Wuxi Export Process Zone
New District, Jiansu 214028
PR China
Phone: [phone]

xiv LDC-3900



WAR RAN TY

When you contact us, please have the following information:

Model Number:

Serial Number:

End-user Name:

Company:

Phone:

Fax:

Description of what is

connected to the ILX

Lightwave instrument:

Description of the problem:

If ILX Lightwave determines that a return to the factory is necessary, you are
issued a Return Authorization (RA) number. Please mark this number on the
outside of the shipping box.

You or your shipping service are responsible for any shipping damage when
returning the instrument to ILX Lightwave; ILX recommends you insure the
shipment. If the original shipping container is not available, place your instrument
in a container with at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) of compressible packaging material
on all sides.

We look forward to serving you even better in the future!

LDC-3900 xv



WAR RAN TY

xvi LDC-3900



CHAPTER 1



INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS

This manual contains operation and maintenance information for the LDC-3900
Modular Laser Diode Controller and optional Model 1231 GPIB/IEEE-488.2
Interface. If you want to get started right away, read Chapter 2, which covers
Operation, first.

In the following chapters there are three areas of discussion, one for functions
which are common to both the TEC and the Laser controller, one for the functions
which pertain to the TEC controller only, and one for functions which pert ain to the
Laser current source only.

Product Overview

The LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller may be configured as a
combination current source/temperature controller . It may also be configured with
only current sources or only temperature controllers. The current sources provide
high stability outputs with fully redundant current limit and multiple laser
protection features. The temperature controllers can work with most thermistors
and TE modules to deliver precision laser temperature control over a wide range
of temperatures. The LDC-3900's fast, sophisticated GPIB let s you automate you r
experiment.

LDC-3900 Series 1



CHAPTER 1

Available Options and Accessories

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS

Product Overview

Options and accessories available for the LDC-3900 include the following:

Table 1.1 LDC-3900 Options and Accessories

DESCRIPTION MODEL NUMBER

200 mA Current Source Module CSM-39020
500 mA Current Source Module CSM-39050
1 Amp Current Source Module CSM-39100
4 Amp Current Source Module CSM-39400
32 Watt TEC Module TCM-39034
Combination Module (200 mA Current Source and 8 Watt TEC) LCM-39420
Combination Module (500 mA Current Source and 12 Watt TEC) LCM-39425
Combination Module (500 mA Current Source and 12 Watt TEC with modulation) LCM-39427
Combination Module (1000 mA Current Source and 12 Watt TEC with modulation) LCM-39437
Combination Module (2000 mA Current Source and 8 Watt TEC) LCM-39440
High Power Laser Diode Mount 4442
CW Filter Cable (included with Current Source Modules) 320
Calibrated 10 k Thermistor TS−510

2 LDC-3900 Series



INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS

Product Overview

CHAPTER 1

Specifications

The general specifications for the LDC-3900 are found on page 3. The
specifications for each module are found in the instruction manual for that module.

Table 1.2 GPIB Specifications

Meets ANSI/IEEE Std 488.1-1987 and Std 488.2.2-1987

Table 1.3 General Specifications

GENERAL

Size 5.625" x 16.75" x 13.625", 145mm x 426mm x 346mm
Weight
Mainframe

Module (each, typical)
Power Requirements 100 V ±10%, 120 V ±10%, 220 V ±10%, 230-240 V ±10%, 50-60 Hz
Temperature 0 to +40 C operating; -40 to +70 C storage
Humidity < 95 % relative humidity, non-condensing.

1. The current source modules contain circuits that will turn off their outputs if a transient is detected.

There are no user serviceable parts in the instrument, including the external fuses in the
AC power entry module. Contact ILX Customer Service (see Comments, Suggestions,
and Problems on page xv for contact information) for information about servicing the
instrument.

1

27.5 lbs (12.5 kg)

2.3 lbs (1.05 kg)

Line Voltage Selection

Line voltage selection is made by rotating the line volt age selecto r insert. The lin e
voltage selector insert is located inside the power entry module cover. To open
this cover, turn the slot sligh tly with a screwdriver . The cover will pop out, exposing
the voltage selector insert. Pull out the selector insert, turn it until the desired
voltage selection appears, and re-insert it into the power entry module.

10_15 LDC-3900 Series 3



CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS

Product Overview

4 LDC-3900 Series



CHAPTER 2



OPERATION

This chapter describes how to install, adjust, and operate the LDC-3900 Modular
Laser Diode Controller. It is divided into several sections covering installation,
familiarization and adjustment, warm-up and environmental considerations, and
normal operating procedures.

The section titled LDC-3900 Front Panel on page 9 gives an overview of the
LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller's front panel features, and it present s a
guide to quickly familiarize the user with the front panel operations.

Installation

General installation procedures and considerations are covered in the following
pages. Module installation and removal procedures are described in the module
manuals.

Note: Modules should be installed or removed from the LDC-3900 only when the power is
off. Whenever the modular configuration of the LDC-3900 is changed, the unit will power­up using default parameters.

AC Power Considerations

The LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller can be configured to operate at
nominal line voltages of 100, 120, 220, or 240 VAC. Normally, this is done at the
factory and need not be changed before operating the instrument. However,
check to be sure that the voltage selection (displayed in the center of the power
entry module on the back panel of the instrument) matches the power-line volt age
in your area. Refer to the Line Voltage selection on page 3 if it is necessary to
reconfigure the input voltage range.

LDC-3900 Series 5



CHAPTER 2

Tilt-Foot Adjustment

Rack Mounting

OPERATION

Power-Up Se quenc e

T o avoid electrical shock hazard, connect the instrument to properly earth-grounded
electical supply only. Failure to observe this precaution can result in severe injury or
death.

The LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller has front legs that extend to make
it easier to view the LED displays. To use them, place the unit on a stable base
and rotate the legs downward until they lock into position.

The LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller may be rack mounted b y installing
a rack mount flange on either side of the enclosure. All rack mount accessory kits
contain detailed mounting instructions. Refer to Table 1.2 on page 2 for applicable
rack mount accessory part numbers.

Power-Up Sequence

With the LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller connected to an AC power
source, pressing the top side of the Power Rocker switch will supply power to the
instrument and start the power-up sequence.

Note: All LDC-3900 modules that contain a laser current source, have remote interlock
capability. This allows you to connect the interlock circuit to an external switch for safety. If
the interlock is removed, the laser current output is disabled. Refer to the laser module
manual for details about the interlock function.

The LDC-3900 is also equipped with a laser enable key switch. This ensures that the laser
current can be turned on only if the key is inserted and in the On position.

During the power-up sequence, a lamp test is conducted, all indicators illuminate
for 3 seconds, and the 7-segment displays indicate "8".

Next, all of the LED's are turned off for about two seconds. Afte r this, the firmware
version number is displayed on the Laser display for about two seconds. With v3.1
(and higher) the TEC display shows the firmware checksum value during the
same time that the firmware version is displayed. During this two-second interval,
a self-test is performed to ensure that the unit's hardware and software are
communicating. If the unit cannot successfully complete this test, an error
message of E-512 or E-513 will be displayed. See Table 5.2 in Chapter 5 for a
description of the error messages.

6 LDC-3900 Series



OPERATION

Power-Up Se quenc e

After this test, the unit is configured to the state it was in when the power was last
shut off, unless the LDC-3900 detects that there has been a change in it s modular
configuration (i.e. a new module added). In that case, the default parameters
would be used. The LDC-3900 will display the recognized module types by
illuminating the (Adjust) LAS/TEC Indicators in green. The (Adjust) LAS/TEC
switches are not engaged (no orange indicators) immediately after power up. The
user must push an (Adjust) LAS/TEC switch corresponding to a green (Adjust)
LAS/TEC Indicator in order to select the desired operating and adjustment mode.

CHAPTER 2

The user may choose to "clear" the parameters that appear by recalling "BIN 0"
either manually or through the GPIB. When "BIN 0" is called, the front panel will
be in the following state:

10_15 LDC-3900 Series 7



CHAPTER 2

OPERATION

Power-Up Se quenc e

Table 2.1 LDC-3900 Default Settings

Setting

GPIB mode in LOCAL via front panel, or in REMOTE via GPIB
TEC output off
TEC DISPLAY enabled, in T mode
Constant T mode selected
TEC Display showing actual temperature (if TEC module exists)
Temperature Set Point = 0 ×C
Resistance/Reference Set Point = 1 , 1 A, or 1 mV (depending on the SENSOR SELECT switch position)

Set Point = 0

I

TE

LIM I

set to 25% of maximum setting

TE

set to 99.9 ×C

LIM T

HI

GAIN = 30
TEC STEP value = 1 (units depend on set point mode; used with remote operation only)
TEC Tolerance values = 0.2 ×C, 5 seconds

-3

C1 = 1.125 (x 10
C2 = 2.347 (x 10
C3 = 0.855 (x 10
PARAMETERS not selected
TEC and LASER adjust not selected
LASER output off
LASER DISPLAY enabled, in I mode
Constant I, low bandwidth (high BW for 39427/39437) mode selected
LASER display showing actual current (if LAS module exists)
LASER I Set Point = 0
LIM P = 25% of maximum setting for laser module
LASER PPD Set Point = 0
LASER IPD Set Point = 0
CAL PD = 0 mA/mW
LIM I = 25% of maximum setting for laser module
LASER STEP value = 1 (units depend on set point mode; used with remote operation only)
LASER Tolerance values = 10.0 mA, 1.0 seconds
RECALL BIN number = 0

)

-4

)

-7

)

8 LDC-3900 Series



OPERATION

LDC-3900 Front Panel

LDC-3900 Front Panel

The LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller's front panel contains displays and
controls for both the TEC and Laser controller hardware. Each of the labeled
areas on the front panel (i.e. TEC Display or GPIB) is described in a separate
section later in this chapter.

Generally , the controls are simple to operate. The setup p arameters, however , are
intentionally awkward to use so that their values are not inadvertently changed.

CHAPTER 2

Front Panel

Notice in Figure 2.1 that the TEC functions are on the left side, and the Laser
functions are near the center of the front panel.

Functions which are common to both TEC and Laser, such as GPIB or Adjust, are
on the right side of the front panel. Note also that the Parameter area is divided
into TEC and Laser components. The TEC parameters are on the left, and the
Laser parameters are on the right, while the common Save and RecallRecall
parameters are at the bottom.

10_15 LDC-3900 Series 9

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CHAPTER 2

MODULAR LASER DIODE CONTROLLERLDC-3900

POWER

I

O

TEC



1234

CHANNEL CHANNEL

4321

TEC

LAS LAS

TEC

LAS
TEC

LAS
TEC

ERROR TEMP LIMIT TE CURRENT LIMIT

SENSOR OPEN TE MODULE OPEN

A

°C

k

LASER

INTLK/ENBL

ERROR

OUTPUT SHORTED

OPEN CIRCUIT

POWER LIMIT

CURRENT LIMIT

W

mA

V



mW

 A

TEC MODE

TEC DISPLAY LASER DISPLAY

LASER MODEPARAMETER LASERTEC OUTPUT

ADJUST

LASER ENABLE

MODULATION

GPIB

REMOTE

TALK/LISTEN

ONOFF

THROUGH TO REAR

1

ON ON2ON3ON

4

I
P
I

HBW

CAL PD

LIM P

LIM I

RECALL

LOCAL

SELECT

SET

LIM I
LIM T
CONST
GAIN

SAVE

HI

TE

T
R
I

TE

SELECT SELECT

SETVI

PDI /P PDI RT SETTE

GPIB

LOCAL

TALK/LISTEN

REMOTE

OPERATION

LDC-3900 Front Panel

Refer to Figure 2.1 for the following discussions of the LDC-3900 Modular Laser
Diode Controller front panel sections. The key words are in bold type for quick
identification.

General Functions

This section gives a brief synopsis of functions which effect both TEC and Laser
controller operation.

The GPIB section is used when the optional remote GPIB operations are

10 LDC-3900 Series

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implemented. (For more information, see GPIB Section on page 16).

Figure 2.1 LDC-3900 Front Panel

Figure 2.2 GPIB Section

OPERATION

LASER ENABLE

OFF ON

TEC

LAS LAS

TEC

LAS
TEC

LAS
TEC

ADJUST

OUTPUT

1

ON ON2ON3ON

4

LDC-3900 Front Panel

CHAPTER 2

The Laser Enable switch is used to enable/disable the Laser output. Note - the
interlock pins (1 and 2) of the Laser output connector must be shorted also (see
module manual for details).

Figure 2.3 Laser Enable Switch

The Adjust section contains the Adjust Knob for entering values, and it contains
the (Adjust) LAS/TEC switches for selecting the adjustment mode for each of the
modules. Available LAS and TEC channels are indicated by the corresponding
(TEC) Channel and (LAS) Channel Indicators being lit green. Selected LAS and
TEC channels are indicated by the corresponding (TEC) Channel and (LAS)
Channel Indicators being lit orange. (For more information, see Adju st Se ctio n on
page 17).

The Output section contains switches for turning the outputs on/off for the LAS
and TEC modules in the corresponding channels. The Output Indicators are on
when the corresponding channel output(s) are on. (For more information, see
Output Section on page 18).

Note: In order to turn on a Laser current output, the Laser Enable switch must be on, and
the Laser connector's interlock (pins 1 and 2) shorted (see module manual for details).

10_15 LDC-3900 Series 11

Figure 2.4 Adjust Section

Figure 2.5 Output Section

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CHAPTER 2

PARAMETER LASERTEC

CAL PD

LIM P

LIM I

RECALL

SELECT

SET

LIM I
LIM T
CONST
GAIN

SAVE

HI

TE

OPERATION

LDC-3900 Front Panel

The Parameter section is divided into TEC and Laser components. When an
(Adjust) TEC mode is selected, repeatedly pressing the (Parameter) Select switch
will cycle through the TEC parameters. Likewise, when an (Adjust) LAS mode is
selected, repeatedly pressing the (Parameter) SelectSelect switch will cycle
through the Laser parameters. The (Parameter) Set switch is used to enter the
Set mode for changing parameter values. (For more information, see TEC
Parameter Section on page 21 and Laser Parameter Section on page 28).

Figure 2.6 Parameter Section

The Save and Recall parameter functions are used to quickly configure the
LDC-3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller's parameters to user-determined
preset values. In order to use these functions, none of the Adjust modes (TEC and
Laser) can be enabled, (Adjust) TEC and (Adjust) Laser Indicators not orange.

With neither Adjust mode selected, pressing the (Parameter) Select switch will
cycle between the Save and Recall parameter functions. The (Parameter) Set
switch is used to enter Save and Recall values in a similar manner as with the
other parameters. (For more information, see Save and Recall Parameter
Functions on page 31).

When the unit is powered-up, the parameters will automatically be restored to the
same values that were present at the last power-down, if possible. Furthermore,
all of the saved setups will be "remembered", and easily recalled.

TEC Functions

This section gives a brief synopsis of the TEC controller sections on the LDC­3900 Modular Laser Diode Controller front panel. Once a TEC channel is
selected, via the (Adjust) LAS/TEC switches, all of the TEC functions will pertain
to that TEC channel only.

The TEC Mode section is used to select the output control mode for the selected
TEC channel. Repeatedly pressing the (TEC Mode) Select switch cycles through
the constant temperature (T), resistance/linear sensor reference (R), or TE current

12 LDC-3900 Series

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