ILX Lightwave LDC-3908 User manual

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User’s Guide
Laser Diode Controller Mainframe
LDC-3908
ILX Lightwave Corporation P. O.Box 6310 Bozeman, MT, U.S.A. 59771 :· · · 1-800-459-9459 · ·
www.ilxlightwave.com
U.S. & Canada International Inquiries: 406-586-1244 Fax [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
70031301 00_03/02
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LDC-3908 i
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Table of Contents
List of Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
List of Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Safety and Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Safety Information and the Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
General Safety Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
Safety Marking Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Returning an Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Claims for Shipping Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Comments, Suggestions, and Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii
Chapter 1 Introduction and Specifications
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Initial Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installing Your LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Grounding Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
AC Line Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
RS-232 Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
GPIB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Tilt-Foot Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Rack Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
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Table of Contents
ii LDC-3908
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Front and Back Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Fuse Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 2 Operations
LDC-3908 Front Panel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Display Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Hard Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Soft Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Adjust Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Numeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Adjust Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
INC/DEC Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Applying Power to the Laser Diode Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Power On Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Power On State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Using the LDC-3908 Menu Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Channel Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
System Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Communications Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Display Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Save and Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
All Channel Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting All LAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Setting All TEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
All TEC Page 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
All TEC Page 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Status Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mainframe Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Summary Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Status Page 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
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Table of Contents
03_02 LDC-3908 iii
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Chapter 3 Operating in Remote Control
GPIB Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Reading the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Changing the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
RS-232 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Reading the Baud Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Changing the Baud Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Remote Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Changing Operation from Local to Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
GPIB Versus RS-232 Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller Command Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Command Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
IEEE 488.2 Common Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
LDC-3908 Mainframe Specific Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Status Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Event and Condition Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Operation Complete Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chapter 4 Command Reference
LDC-3908 Mainframe Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Chapter 5 Functions and Features
Saving and Recalling from the Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Modulating the Controller Laser Current Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Modulation Setup Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index-i
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LDC-3908 v
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List of Figures
Figure 1.1 LDC-3908 Controller Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 1.2 LDC-3908 Controller Rear View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 2.1 Display Controls Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 2.2 Adjust Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 2.3 Initialization Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 2.4 Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Figure 2.5 Channel Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Figure 2.6 System Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Figure 2.7 Communications Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Figure 2.8 Display Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Figure 2.9 Calibration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Figure 2.10 Save/Recall Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Figure 2.11 All Channel Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Figure 2.12 All LAS Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Figure 2.13 All TEC Page 1 Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Figure 2.14 All TEC Page 2 Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Figure 2.15 Status Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Figure 2.16 Mainframe Errors Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Figure 2.17 Summary Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Figure 2.18 Status Page 2 Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Figure 3.1 LDC-3908 Status Reporting Schematic Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Figure 4.1 Command Description Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Figure 5.1 Save/Recall Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
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LDC-3908 vii
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List of Tables
Table 1.1 LDC-3908 Fuse Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Table 1.2 General LDC-3908 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Table 3.1 Substitute Parameter Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Table 3.2 LCD-3908 Mainframe Error Code Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Table 3.3 LDC-3908 Mainframe Error Message Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Table 4.1 LDC-3908 Mainframe Device-Dependent Commands . . . . . . . . . 27
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Safety and Warranty Information ix
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S AFETY AND W ARRANTY I NFORMATION
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.
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.
WARNING
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
xii).
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 xi for more information.
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SAFETY SYMBOLS
x Safety and Warranty Information
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S AFETY S YMBOLS
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:
•Indoor use only
•Ordinary Protection: This product is NOT protected against the harmful ingress of
moisture.
•Class I Equipment (grounded type)
•Mains supply voltage fluctuations are not to exceed ±10% of the nominal supply voltage.
•Pollution Degree II
•Installation (overvoltage) Category II for transient overvoltages
•Maximum Relative Humidity: <80% RH, non-condensing
•Operating temperature range of 0 °C to 40 °C
•Storage and transportation temperature of –40 °C to 70 °C
•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
Earth
ground
Te r m i n a l
Alternating
current
Visible and/or
invisible laser
radiation
Caution, risk
of electric
shock
Protective
Conductor
Te r m i n a l
Caution, hot
surface
Frame or
chassis
Term in al
On: In position of a bistable push control.
The slash (I) only denotes that mains are on.
Off: Out position of a bistable push control.
The circle (O) only denotes that mains are off.
or
(I) or
(O)
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WARRANTY
Vers ion 1 Safety and Warranty Information xi
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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.
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:
1Obtain a Return Authorization number (RA) from ILX Customer Service.
2Attach 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.
3Attach the anti-static protective caps that were shipped with the instrument and place the
instrument in a protective anti-static bag.
4Place 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.
5Secure the packing box with fiber reinforced strapping tape or metal bands.
6Send 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.
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WARRANTY
xii Safety and Warranty Information
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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:
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 459−9459 or (406) 586−1244
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (406) 586−9405
On the web at: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ilx.custhelp.com
Or mail to:
ILX Lightwave Corporation
P. O. Box 6310
Bozeman, Montana, U.S.A 59771
www.ilxlightwave.com
When you contact us, please have the following information:
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.
Model Number:
Serial Number:
End−user Name:
Company:
Phone:
Fax:
Description of what is
connected to the ILX
Lightwave instrument:
Description of the problem:
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LDC-3908 1
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CHAPTER 1
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INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
This chapter is an introduction to the LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller. It contains unpacking
information, instructions on how to install and apply power, and safety considerations. It also
contains some maintenance information, specifications, and a list of options and accessories.
If any of the following symptoms exist, or are even suspected, remove the LDC-3916330
Series Module from service. Do not use the LDC-3926 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 for service and repair to ensure that
safety features are maintained.
Product Overview
The LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller is an instrument that holds up to 8 modules for controlling
laser diode current and temperature. The current source modules provide high stability output with
fully redundant current limits and multiple laser protection features. The temperature controller
modules are compatible with most temperature sensors and TE modules to deliver precise laser
temperature control over a wide range of temperatures. The LDC-3908's fast, sophisticated GPIB
option lets you automate your experiment or test system.
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INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Initial Inspection
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Initial Inspection
When you receive your LDC-3908 Controller, verify that the following items were shipped with the
instrument:
•LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller
•LDC-3908 Mainframe Instruction Manual (optional)
•Power Cord
Note: When unpacking the instrument, be sure to save the packaging and the protective
ESD caps on the rear of the instrument in case you have to return the instrument to ILX
Lightwave or ship it elsewhere. Shipping damage is not covered under the standard
instrument warranty.
Installing Your LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller
Grounding Requirements
The LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller comes with a three-conductor AC power cable. The power
cable must either be plugged into an approved three-contact electrical outlet or used with a three-
contact or two-contact adaptor with the grounding wire connected to an electrical ground (safety
ground). The LDC-3908's power jack and supplied power cable meet IEC safety standards.
AC Line Power Requirements
You can operate the LDC-3908 Controller from a single-phase power source delivering nominal line
voltages of 100, 120, 220, or 240 VAC (all values RMS), at 48 to 66 Hz. The line power voltage can
vary -10% to +6%, but cannot exceed 250 VAC. Maximum power consumption is 1750 Volt-Amps
with 8 modules (LDC-3916376 1.5A/9W Controller modules). The instrument's operational voltage
setting is factory configurable and need not be changed before operating the instrument, unless it
is moved to a region with a different voltage.
Before connecting the LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller to a power source, verify that
your facilities AC power source matches the setting of the LDC-3908's voltage printed on
the rear panel of the instrument.
To avoid electrical shock hazard, connect the instrument only to properly earth-
grounded, three-prong receptacles. Failure to observe this precaution can result in
severe injury or death.
RS-232 Connectors
The RS-232 interface consists of two 9-pin, D-sub connectors, located on the rear panel. The A
connector is used to connect to the host computer with a standard straight-through cable. See
Figure 1.2 -- LDC-3908 Rear Panel. The B connector is not enabled at this time.
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INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Front and Back Panels
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GPIB Connector
The GPIB interface connector is located on the rear panel, directly to the left of the power input
module. See Figure 1.2 -- LDC-3908 Controller Rear View. Attach the GPIB cable to the 24-pin
interface connector, which is tapered to ensure proper orientation. Finger tighten the two screws on
the cable connector.
A total of 15 devices can be connected together on the same GPIB interface bus. The cables have
single male/female connectors on each end so that several cables can be stacked. This permits
more than one cable to be attached to any one device. However, the maximum length of the GPIB
cables must not exceed 20 meters (65 feet) total, or 2 meters (6.5 feet) per device.
GPIB Address
The talk and listen addresses on the LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller are identical. The controller
comes from the factory configured with the GPIB address set to 1. You can change the LDC-3908's
GPIB address locally (via the front panel). A procedure for changing the address can be found in
Changing the GPIB Address on page 19.
Tilt-Foot Adjustment
The LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller comes standard with folding front legs and two rear feet for
use as a benchtop instrument. The front panel vacuum fluorescent display may be easier to read if
you extend the front legs so that the instrument front panel tilts upward. Simply place the unit on a
stable base and rotate the front legs downward until they lock into position.
Rack Mounting
The LDC-3908 can be mounted in a standard 19-inch rack with two available Rack Mounting Kits.
These kits contain instrument support brackets which fasten to the inside of your rack enclosure to
support your LDC-3908 along each side at the bottom of the instrument. There are two kits
available as mentioned above. Kit number RM-137 is for rack enclosures 24 inches in depth. RM-
138 is for rack enclosures 30 or 36 inches in depth. Each kit comes with the necessary hardware,
including fasteners and instructions for their use.
Front and Back Panels
Figures 1.1 and 1.2 show front and rear views of the instrument. The figures identify such items as
functional keypad groupings, rear panel connectors, and switches. Use these figures to familiarize
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INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Front and Back Panels
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yourself with your new controller. Please refer to Chapter 2 for operating fundamentals of your
controller.
Figure 1.1 LDC-3908 Controller Front View
Vacuum Fluorescent
Display Numeric Keypad
Adjust Knob
Parameter Adjust
Keys
Menu Control (Hard)
Keys
Menu Soft Keys
F1, F2, F3, F4
Laser Enable
Key Switch
Power Switch
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INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Maintenance
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Figure 1.2 LDC-3908 Controller Rear View
Maintenance
This section covers information on how to check and replace the fuse and how to obtain repair
services.
Potentially lethal voltages exist within the LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller. To avoid
electric shock, do not perform any maintenance on the instrument unless you are
qualified to do so. Qualified service personnel are required to wear protective eyewear
and anti-static wristbands while working on the LDC-3908 Laser Diode Controller circuit
boards. High voltages are present on and around the Controller’s printed circuit boards.
Fuse Replacement
The LDC-3908 Controller has a line power fuse located on the rear panel inside the power input
module, to the right of the power cord connector. Before replacing the fuses, turn power off and
disconnect the power cord. With a small flat blade screwdriver, gently pry up the fuse drawer from
its lower end. Once the drawer is up, its catch will release and the fuse drawer will slide out.
Channel 8 15 Pin TEC Connector Channel 1 GPIB Connector Modulation Input
9 Pin LD Connector RS-232 B Input RS-232 A Input Ground Connector
Power Cord
Connector
Fuse Drawer
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