Coherent Solutions MTPmini User manual

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Copyright © 2017 Coherent Solutions Ltd. 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 Coherent
Solutions Ltd. (Coherent Solutions).
Information provided by Coherent Solutions is believed to be accurate and reliable.
However, no responsibility is assumed by Coherent Solutions 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 Coherent Solutions.
The information contained in this publication is subject to change without notice.
Trademarks
Coherent Solutions’ 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: V1

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Contents
1Conventions .............................................................................................................. 1
2Safety Information..................................................................................................... 2
3Introducing the MTPmini Modular Platform............................................................... 3
4Features .................................................................................................................... 4
5Hardware Installation ................................................................................................ 5
5.1 Connections for Remote Operation ...................................................................................................... 5
5.2 Connecting the Ethernet (recommended) ............................................................................................ 5
5.3 Connecting the USB (optional).............................................................................................................. 5
6Installing a Blade Expansion Module .......................................................................... 7
7Removing a Blade Expansion Module....................................................................... 10
8Operating the MTPmini ........................................................................................... 13
8.1 Output Enable/Disable ........................................................................................................................ 13
8.2 Powering On/Off the MTPmini ........................................................................................................... 13
8.3 Local Control Touch Screen Graphical User Interface......................................................................... 13
8.3.1 Navigating within the touchscreen LCD.......................................................................................... 13
8.3.2 Changing Numerical Values ............................................................................................................ 14
8.3.3 Changing Numerical Units .............................................................................................................. 14
8.3.4 Changing Step Size .......................................................................................................................... 15
8.3.5 Viewing or Changing the Network Settings .................................................................................... 15
8.3.6 Orientation Settings........................................................................................................................ 15
8.4 Remote Operation of the MTPmini..................................................................................................... 16
8.4.1 Web Graphical User Interface......................................................................................................... 16
8.4.2 Test Instrument Manager Software................................................................................................ 16
8.4.3 Programming using Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) ........................................... 16
9Installing the Software............................................................................................. 17
9.1 Client System Minimum Requirements .............................................................................................. 17
9.2 Test Instrument Manager Software Installation ................................................................................. 17
10 Maintenance........................................................................................................ 18
11 Technical Support................................................................................................. 20
11.1 Contacting the Technical Support Group ............................................................................................ 20
11.2 Transportation .................................................................................................................................... 20
12 Warranty ............................................................................................................. 21
12.1 General Information............................................................................................................................ 21
12.2 Liability ................................................................................................................................................ 21
12.3 Exclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 21
12.4 Certification......................................................................................................................................... 22
12.5 Service and Repairs ............................................................................................................................. 22

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1Conventions
Before using the instrument 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.

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2Safety Information
WARNING
This instrument must be used with an approved IEC cable with an EARTH
terminal. Do not attempt to use this instrument without a proper earth
terminal, doing so may lead to a hazardous condition and/or damage to the
equipment.
Do not install or terminate fibers while a light source is active. Care must be
taken to ensure that the instrument has been turned OFF before inspecting
the end face(s) of the instrument, or any optical patch cords connected to this
instrument. Never look directly into a live fiber and ensure that your eyes are
protected at all times.
The use of controls, adjustments and procedures other than those specified
herein may result in exposure to hazardous situations or impair the protection
provided by this unit.
CAUTION
The MTPmini is equipped with fans for thermal regulation. Please ensure that
there is at least a 15 cm clear space between the sides of the instrument and
any surrounding objects.
IMPORTANT
For electromagnetic compatibility, this instrument is a Class A product. It is
intended for use in an industrial environment. There may be potential
difficulties in ensuring electromagnetic compatibility in other environments,
due to conducted as well as radiated disturbances.
When you see the following symbol on your unit , make sure that you
refer to the instructions provided in your user documentation. Ensure that you
understand and meet the required conditions before using your product.
The AC mains socket is located on the back panel of the instrument. Above this
socket there is a mains power isolation switch. Once you have connected the
mains AC power this switch is used to power on and off the MTPmini.

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3Introducing the MTPmini Modular Platform
The MTPmini is a compact benchtop chassis with 2 Blade bays and touchscreen for stand-alone operation.
Harness the flexibility and connectivity of the MTP platform in a convenient form factor and customize it to
meet your specific requirements.
Figure 1 - Coherent Solutions MTPmini - Modular Platform
All MTP platforms connected to the
network can be managed remotely from
a single client using the simple and
intuitive ‘Test Instrument Manager’
software interface.
Alternatively, VISA programming
environments such as MATLAB can also
be implemented to integrate with
existing test software or data collection
procedures.
Figure 2 - Test Instrument Manager Software

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4Features
MTPmini Front Panel
1. Blade Expansion Slots (2 Bays)
2. Touchscreen LCD
3. Thermal Regulation Vents (4)
MTPmini Back Panel
4. Mains Power Inlet and Switch
5. Laser Interlock (Output Enable/Disable) Key
6. USB Connection
7. Ethernet Connection

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5Hardware Installation
This section details the hardware connections required to setup the MTPmini instrument. Depending on the
hardware setup you are using, not all of the following connections may be required.
5.1 Connections for Remote Operation
The recommended form of communication between any client PC and the MTPmini is via TCP/IP over the
Ethernet. By default the MTPmini is set to obtain an IP address automatically from a DHCP server. If there is no
DHCP server on your network, you will have to configure a static IP for the MTPmini using the USB connection
web interface.
For both USB and Ethernet connections to the instrument please insure that your Firewall settings are
configured such that the instrument can be found by your PC.
If an Ethernet network is not available a dedicated client PC can be used. This dedicated client PC will require
an available USB 2.0 port.
5.2 Connecting the Ethernet (recommended)
Connect the MTPmini Ethernet port to either:
1. The Ethernet Hub of your network to allow any network client the ability to connect remotely.
2. The Ethernet port of a dedicated client PC (this PC being the only client to have remote access) using:
2a. an Ethernet cross-over cable
2b. Ethernet patch cables and small network hub
5.3 Connecting the USB (optional)
To perform administrative tasks such as configuration of the network settings, the USB connection is required.
You may also require use of the USB as a TCP/IP connection if no alternative Ethernet connection is available.
IMPORTANT
You may only have one MTPmini connected via the USB at any time. If
connections to more than one MTPmini are required, an Ethernet network
must be used.
The IP Addressing described below is for the USB network connection.
The IP address for the MTPmini is 192.168.100.201
Windows 7 and Windows 8
1. Connect a USB cable (type male A to male B) between the USB 2.0 port at the back of the MTPmini and
any available USB 2.0 port on the client PC.
2. Once connected, Windows will automatically install the drivers for the USB Ethernet connection. If the
drivers do not automatically install, please refer to the Manual Driver Installation instructions steps 1 to 9
below to install the USB driver.
3. The units USB connection has a static IP address of 192.168.100.201, subnet mask 255.255.255.0
4. The USB Ethernet is now configured.

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Manual Driver Installation
1. In response to the ‘Can Windows connect to Windows Update to search for software?’ select ‘No, not this
time’ and click Next.
2. Select ‘Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)’ and click Next.
3. Select ‘Don't search. I will choose the driver to install’ and click Next.
4. Click the ‘Have Disk’ button.
5. Click the ‘Browse’ button and locate the oem31.inf file, which can be found in the drivers folder within the
supplied installation media. Click Next to continue.
6. Click ‘Continue Anyway’ when prompted that the driver has not verified its compatibility with Windows.
7. If prompted that ‘The file 'usb8023x.sys' on Windows driver cabinet is needed’, click the ‘Browse’ button
and locate the file inside the drivers folder within the supplied installation media and click OK to continue.
8. The units USB connection has a static IP address of 192.168.100.201, subnet mask 255.255.255.0
9. The USB Ethernet is now configured.

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6Installing a Blade Expansion Module
WARNING
DO NOT attempt to remove or adjust any component of the MTPmini while the
power is on. Make sure you follow the correct procedures below and power down
the MTPmini first.
CAUTION
Do not remove the Blade from the antistatic packaging until instructed during
the following installation procedure.
The Blade is sensitive to ESD. Please be sure to wear a grounded wrist strap at
all times when handling the Blade module to prevent such damage.
Take care not to handle the connector on the Blade module once they are
exposed as this may leave corrosive residue which can damage the connector.
Note: You will need a Phillips and Slot screwdriver to both unfasten the blanking module and secure the new
module in place.
Power down the MTPmini
1. Press the Power On/Off switch to turn the
instrument off.
Figure 3 - Turn Off Power
Remove the blanking module
2. To remove the blanking module of the desired
slot, loosen the captive screws on the top and
bottom of the blanking module. Do not attempt
to remove the screws completely as they are
designed to stay inside the front plate of the
module.
Figure 4 - Unfasten screw under Release Latch

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3. Slide the blanking module out to remove it and
store the blanking module near the
MTPmini for future use.
Figure 5 - Removing Blanking Module
Remove the Blade from packaging
4. Unpack the Blade module from the antistatic
packaging, making sure to store the packaging
near the MTPmini so it is available to safely store
any Blade that may be removed in the future.
Figure 6 - Remove and store Antistatic Packaging
Insert the Blade securing into place
5. Slide the Blade into the available slot using the
guide rails.
6. Once the Blade reaches the connector at the end
of the slot, press your thumbs on the release
latch as shown in Figure 9 to make sure the Blade
seats correctly.
Figure 8 - Installing the Blade Module
Figure 9 - Press the Blade Module to seat it into the
Connector
Figure 7 - MTPmini and Blade Guide Rails

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7. Once the Blade is installed, fasten the screw in
the release latch to lock the Blade into place.
Figure 10 - Fasten screw in Release Latch
Power on the MTPmini
8. Power on the MTPmini by pressing the Power
On/Off switch. The Fans will activate to verify
that the instrument is powered on.
Figure 11 - Powering On the MTPmini
IMPORTANT
After powering on the MTPmini, please wait at least 1 minutes before attempting
to communicate with the instrument. This will allow the MTPmini enough time to
finish boot procedures and initialize the communication server.
The new Blade is now ready for use.
9. Use your preferred method of communicating
with the MTPmini to use the newly installed
Blade.
Figure 12 - TIM software

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7Removing a Blade Expansion Module
WARNING
DO NOT attempt to remove or adjust any component of the MTPmini while the
power is on. Make sure you follow the correct procedures below and power down
the MTPmini first.
CAUTION
The Blade is sensitive to ESD. Please be sure to wear a grounded wrist strap at
all times when handling the Blade module to prevent such damage.
Take care not to handle the connector on the Blade module once they are
exposed as this may leave corrosive residue which can damage the connector.
IMPORTANT
A Blanking module will be required to replace the removed Blade module.
Please make sure you have a blanking module available. The specifications of
the Blade are only valid when all empty slots have blanking modules.
You will need antistatic packaging to store the Blade upon removal at the
appropriate step in the following installation procedures. Please make sure
this packaging is immediately available before continuing with the following
procedure.
Note: You will need a Phillips and Slot screwdriver to both unfasten the Blade module and secure the blanking
module in place.
Acquire storage electrostatic packaging and blanking module
1. In preparation for removal of the Blade module, locate and retrieve the antistatic packaging the Blade was
supplied in. This should have been stored near the MTPmini when the Blade was installed.
2. Also you will require a blanking module to install once the Blade has been removed.
IMPORTANT
Do not continue unless you have the blanking module and appropriate storage
packaging for the removed Blade. If the Blade is not stored correctly it may be
affected by ESD. The specifications of the Blade are only valid when all slots have
blanking modules.

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Power down the MTPmini
3. Press the Power On/Off switch to
power off the instrument.
Figure 13 - Turn Off Power
WARNING
Take care when handling the Blade as during operation the Blade module may be
very hot.
Remove the Blade
4. To remove the desired Blade module, loosen
the screw underneath the release latch. Do not
try to remove the screw completely as they are
designed to stay inside the release latch.
Figure 14 - Unfasten screw under Release Latch
5. Press downward on the release latch to unseat
the Blade module from the back connector as
shown in Figure 15.
Figure 15 - Press down on the Release Latch
6. Slide the Blade module out to remove.
Figure 16 - Slide out the Blade Module

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Package the Blade for storage
7. Once removed, put the Blade module into the
antistatic packaging for storage. This will
ensure the Blade is not subject to ESD.
Figure 17 - Storing the Blade Module
8. Slide the blanking module into the empty slot
using the guide rails.
Figure 18 - Installing the Blanking Module
9. Once the blanking module is fully inserted,
fasten the captive screws on the top and
bottom of the blanking module to secure it into
place.
Figure 19 - Fasten screws under Release Latch
Power on the MTPmini
10. Power on the MTPmini by pressing the Power
On/Off switch. The Fans will activate to verify
that the instrument is powered on.
Figure 20 - Power on the MTPmini
IMPORTANT
After powering on the MTPmini, please wait at least 2 minutes before attempting to
communicate with the instrument. This will allow the MTPmini enough time to finish
boot procedures and initialize the communication server.

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8Operating the MTPmini
8.1 Output Enable/Disable
The Laser Control key switch is used to lock or unlock all the optical sources within the MTPmini for safety
purposes. While this key switch is in the Laser Disabled position (Vertical), it will override any user or software
control by disabling the output of all optical sources installed in the unit. The output state of all the optical
sources cannot be changed. While this key switch is in the Laser Control On position (Horizontal) the users or
software is able to control the output state of all optical sources.
Note: When the Laser Interlock is switched ON, the output state of the lasers before the key was switched OFF
is not restored. The laser states will have to be re-enabled in the software.
8.2 Powering On/Off the MTPmini
To power on the MTPmini simply press the Power On/Off switch; the switch will become illuminated to verify
the instrument is powered on.
IMPORTANT
After powering on the MTPmini, please wait at least 2 minutes before attempting
to communicate with the instrument. This will allow the MTPmini enough time to
finish boot procedures and initialize the communication server.
To power off the MTPmini press the Power On/Off switch. The switch will no longer be illuminated to show the
instrument is off.
8.3 Local Control Touch Screen Graphical User Interface
The MTPmini has a touch screen graphical user interface (referred to as the Display) which provides local
access to the web server application.
Figure 21 –Display navigation bar
8.3.1 Navigating within the touchscreen LCD
Navigation of the system menu is achieved by using the touch screen buttons on the navigation bar.
- The ‘Home’ button will navigate you back
to the first screen of the Display showing the blades
within the MTPmini.
- The first button is used to take a step
‘back’ one level in the menu system. So this will
return you to the previous menu page.
- The ‘up’ and ‘down’ arrows are used
to scroll the selections of the menu when there are
more options than can be displayed.
- The ‘Settings’ button will take you to the all
the configuration menus of the MTPmini (see below).

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Figure 22 –Touch Screen Graphical User Interface
8.3.2 Changing Numerical Values
To change numerical values, pressing the value on the Display will bring up a numerical pad for data entry. The
value (and units) appears at the top of the Display.
- The ‘Cancel’ button will exit the
numerical pad and return to the previous screen
without changing any values.
- The ‘Clear’ button is used to completely
clear all data from the input field
The ‘Erase’ button is used to delete the last
(right most) digit from the input field.
- The ‘Sign’ button is used to set the sign of
the input value.
Numerical values may also be changed by clicking on the '+' and '-' or the '<' and '>' buttons if they appear next
to a value.
The '+' and '-' buttons will use the current step size and unit to determine how much to increase or decrease
the value, but will not allow the value to exceed the minimum or maximum value
The '<' and '>' buttons will increase or decrease from a list of predefined values, such as wavelength values.
These buttons will also not be able to exceed the highest or lowest of the predefined values
8.3.3 Changing Numerical Units
To change between numerical units, navigate to the
‘Settings’ menu and select ‘Units’. Within this menu
you can change between THz or nm (for frequency
and wavelength) and dBm or mW (for optical power
output)
Figure 23 - Units selection menu

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8.3.4 Changing Step Size
To change the step size for a laser source, navigate
to the ‘Settings’ menu and select ‘Step Size’. There
are individual options for Power, Frequency and
Attenuation. The frequency option will be replaced
by a wavelength option if the units have been
changed to 'nm' on the unit selection screen.
Figure 24 - Step Size selection menu
8.3.5 Viewing or Changing the Network Settings
To view the current network configuration of the instrument, navigate to the 'SETTINGS' menu and select
'ETHERNET'.
Once selected the configuration of the networking interface including static IP i.e. ‘DHCP ON’ or 'DHCP OFF'
buttons, the IP address i.e. 'IP' row, subnet mask i.e. 'SUBNET' row will be displayed.
Network settings may only be changed via the USB interface.
Figure 25 - USB network configuration
Figure 26 - Ethernet network configuration
To allow your network to assign an IP address to the device, select the 'DHCP ON' button. This will disable 'IP'
and 'SUBNET' controls and an IP address will be automatically assigned to the device.
If 'DHCP OFF' is selected, the 'IP' and 'SUBNET' options will be enabled, clicking on either of them will show the
numeric input control so that an IP address can be entered.
8.3.6 Orientation Settings
The MTPmini can be used either horizontally or vertically,
and the device will change the interface orientation
automatically to match if it is set to "AUTO" mode.
If the device needs to be locked to a specific mode
regardless of how the device is oriented, choose
"PORTRAIT" or "LANDSCAPE" modes as required.
"PORTRAIT" mode will show the user interface as if it
were placed vertically, while "LANDSCAPE" mode will
show the user interface as if it were placed horizontally.
Figure 27 –Orientation Settings menu

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8.4 Remote Operation of the MTPmini
Management and operation of the MTPmini is all performed remotely (TCP/IP over Ethernet or USB) from a
client PC, either using the provided Test Instrument Manager software or VISA programming environments.
8.4.1 Web Graphical User Interface
Once the Ethernet (Or USB) connection to the instrument is established, you can operate the MTPmini using
your favourite web browser. Simply enter the IP (192.168.100.201 for example if on USB) into the address field
and you will be taken to the Display menu.
8.4.2 Test Instrument Manager Software
The Test Instrument Manager software provides an easy to use graphical interface for configuration and
management of the installed Blade modules. See the corresponding manual for the Blade for details of the use
and functionality of this software.
8.4.3 Programming using Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA)
Programming of the MTPmini can be achieved using programming environments that support VISA such as
MATLAB. Please see the corresponding manual for the Blade for detailed information.