ILX Lightwave LDX-36000 Series User manual

User’s Guide
LDX-36000 Series
High Power Laser Diode Current Source
70039705 March 2010
ILX Lightwave Corporation · P. O. Box 6310 · Bozeman, MT, U.S.A. 59771 · U.S. & Canada: 1-800-459-9459 · International Inquiries: 406-556-2481 · Fax [phone]
ilx.custhelp.com ·www.ilxlightwave.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
03_10 LDX-36000 Series i
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Safety Information and the Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
General Safety Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Safety Marking Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Comments, Suggestions, and Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
Chapter 1 Introduction and Specifications
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Initial Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Grounding Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
AC Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
GPIB Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tilt-Foot Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Shipping Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
External Interlocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Obtaining Repair Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 2 Safety
Electrical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Laser Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Optical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii LDX-36000 Series
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Safety Features and Compliance to Government Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Laser Classification (as appropriate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Protective Housing (as appropriate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Laser Emission Indicators (as appropriate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Operating Controls (as appropriate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Location of Safety Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 3 Operation
Power-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Power-Up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Power-On State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Connections for General Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Inductance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Laser Current Source Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
External Interlocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Forward Voltage Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
External Photodiode Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Grounding Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Temperature Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Front Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
The Adjust Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Display 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Display 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Temperature Measurement Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Limit Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Configuring the Operational Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Adjusting Current Setpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Enabling CW Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
QCW (Pulsed) Mode Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
QCW-Pulse Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
QCW-Trig Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Hard Pulse Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Automatic Shutoff Conditions for Current Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Additional Functions and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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03_10 LDX-36000 Series iii
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Adjusting Current Setpoint in Terms of Optical Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Configuring External Photodiode Power Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Adjustable Photodiode Bias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
LIV Sweep Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Pulse Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Trigger In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Trigger Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Saving and Recalling from the Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Chapter 4 Remote Operation
Basic GPIB Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Data and Interface Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Talkers, Listeners, and Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
GPIB Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
The GPIB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Reading the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Changing the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Changing Operation from Local to Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Command Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
White Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Terminators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Command Separators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Command Tree Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Syntax Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
IEEE-488.2 Command Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
LDX-36000 Commonly Used Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Status Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Event Condition Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Operation Complete Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Command Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Sequential / Overlapped Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Query Response Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

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iv LDX-36000 Series
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Chapter 5 Command Reference
Remote Command Reference Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Chapter 6 Calibration and Troubleshooting
Calibration Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Beginning Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Laser Diode Current Setpoint Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
QCW Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Laser Diode Voltage Measurement Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Voltage Limit Setpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Photodiode Current (PDI) Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Thermistor Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
E-503 Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
E-599 Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Appendix A Allowed QCW Space
Allowed QCW Operating Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Appendix B Allowed QCW Space - LDX-36125-24
Allowed QCW Operating Region for 36125-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

LIST OF FIGURES
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 LDX-36000 Series Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Figure 1.2 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel, <50 A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Figure 1.3 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel, >50 A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Figure 2.1 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel Labels, <50 A . . . . . . . . .21
Figure 2.2 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel Labels, >50 A . . . . . . . . .22
Figure 3.1 Laser and Photodiode Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Figure 3.2 LDX-36000 Output and Measurement Connector Pin
Assignments, <50A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Figure 3.3 LDX-36000 Output and Measurement Connector Pin
Assignments, >50A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Figure 3.4 External Interlocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Figure 3.5 Adjust Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Figure 3.6 Display 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Figure 3.7 Display 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Figure 3.8 Selecting Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Figure 3.9 Mode Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Figure 3.10 CW Mode Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Figure 3.11 QCW Current Ramp Enabling Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Figure 3.12 QCW Current Ramp with Output Enabled . . . . . . . . . . .37
Figure 3.13 QCW Mode Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Figure 3.14 QCW Timing Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Figure 3.15 Determining Output Current Setpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

LIST OF FIGURES
vi LDX-36000 Series
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Figure 4.1 GPIB Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Figure 4.2 GPIB Connector Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Figure 4.3 GPIB Local Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Figure 4.4 Command Path Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Figure 4.5 Common Command Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Figure 4.6 Status Reporting Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Figure 4.7 Laser Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Figure A.1 Allowed QCW Operating Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Figure B.1 Allowed QCW Operating Region for LDX-36125-24 . . .142

LIST OF TABLES
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Table 1.2 LDX-36000 Series Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Table 3.1 LDX-36000 Series Default Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Table 3.2 Display Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Table 3.3 Typical 10 kW @ 25°C Thermistor Calibration Values. . . .33
Table 3.4 Configuring QCW Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Table 3.5 Automated L-I-V Mode GPIB Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Table 4.1 Acceptable Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Table 4.2 White Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Table 4.3 Query Formatting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Table 4.4 Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Table 4.5 Substitute Parameter Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Table 4.6 Invalid Syntax Command Strings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Table 4.7 LDX-36000 IEEE Common Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Table 4.8 LDX-36000 Commonly Used Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Table 4.9 Default Output Off Register Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Table 5.1 Remote Command Summary Reference List. . . . . . . . . . .66
Table 6.1 Symptoms and Corrective Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Table 6.2 Error Code Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Table 6.3 Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

LIST OF TABLES
viii LDX-36000 Series
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LDX-36000 Series ix
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SAFETY AND WARRANTY INFORMATION
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.
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 eye or skin exposure to direct or scattered
radiation.
General Safety Considerations
If any of the following conditions exist, or are 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 the 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 xii for more information.

SAFETY SYMBOLS
x LDX-36000 Series

SAFETY SYMBOLS
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 2
•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.

03_10 LDX-36000 Series xi

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
Te r m i n a l
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.
Standby: This switch does not fully
disconnect the instrument from the power
supply.
or
(I)
or
(O)

WARRANTY
xii LDX-36000 Series

WARRANTY
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 the 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.

WARRANTY
03_10 LDX-36000 Series xiii

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.
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: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[email protected]
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: [email protected]
Kyosai Technos
424, Shimo-Ongata-Machi
Hachioji-Shi
Tokyo, 192-0154 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 Zone
Wuhan, Hubei, 430074 PRC China
Phone: [phone]
2681; (86) 27 8780 7925
Fax: [phone]
Online: www.etsc-tech.com
Email: [email protected]
Kyosai Technos
3F Bldg G, No.21 Changjiang Road, Wuxi
National Hi-Tech Development Zone
Jiangsu, P.R. China
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

WARRANTY
xiv LDX-36000 Series

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.
We look forward to serving you even better in the future!
Model Number:
Serial Number:
End-user Name:
Company:
Phone:
Fax:
Description of what is
connected to the ILX
Lightwave instrument:
Description of the problem:

LDX-36000 Series 1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
This chapter is an introduction to the LDX-36000 Series High Power Laser Diode
Current Sources. The chapter contains first time setup information, important
safety considerations, maintenance information, instrument specifications, and
general LDX-36000 Series information.
If any of the following symptoms exist, or are even suspected, remove the LDX-36000
from service. Do not use the instrument until trained service personnel can verify safe
operation.
•Visible damage
•Severe transport stress
•Prolonged storage under adverse conditions
•Failure to perform intended measurements of functions
If necessary, call ILX Lightwave Customer Service to ensure that all safety features are
maintained and functioning correctly.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Product Overview
2 LDX-36000 Series
CHAPTER 1

Product Overview
The LDX-36000 Series High Power Laser Diode Current Sources are capable of
delivering very high currents, up to 125A CW and 220A QCW with a compliance
voltage up to 35 Volts. These current sources are designed for testing and
controlling multiple high power laser diodes with specially designed features such
as high set-point accuracy, low output noise, forward voltage and photodiode
measurement and an adjustable photodiode reverse bias voltage.
These current sources also offer many laser diode protection features which
protect the laser diode during testing from electrical transients and providing
safeguards such as adjustable voltage and current limits. Low current overshoot
in either CW or QCW mode and closed loop power supply control prevent surge
currents in the case of a device failure with multiple diodes connected in series. A
thermistor based temperature monitor provides additional protection through a
programmable temperature limit which can be used to disable the laser output
when a temperature limit is exceeded. Dual independent interlocks are provided
for further laser and operator protection.
Remote instrument operation is possible on all LDX-36000 Series Current
Sources through an IEEE488/GPIB interface. All instrument controls and
functions are programmable for test sequencing, measurements and data
handling in automated test systems. Synchronization with other measurement or
control instruments is possible with an input and output trigger function with
programmable delays. Multiple test configurations can be saved and easily
recalled through Save and Recall functions from the front panel or through the
GPIB interface.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Product Overview
03_10 LDX-36000 Series 3
CHAPTER 1

Figure 1.1 LDX-36000 Series Front Panel
Figure 1.2 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel, <50 A
Figure 1.3 LDX-36000 Series Rear Panel, >50 A

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Installation
4 LDX-36000 Series
CHAPTER 1

Installation
Initial Inspection
After receiving the LDX-36000 Series Current Source, verify that the following
items were shipped along with the instrument:
•LDX-36000 Series User’s Guide
•Power Cord Appropriate for the Local Service
•Shipping Kit
Grounding Requirements
The LDX-36000 Current Source comes with a three-conductor AC power cable.
The power cable must be inserted into an approved three-contact electrical outlet
or used with a three-contact to two-contact adapter with the grounding wire
connected to an electrical ground (safety ground). The AC input and supplied
power cable meets IEC safety standards.
AC Power Requirements
The LDX-36000 Series Current Sources may be operated from a single phase
power source delivering nominal line voltages in the range of 100 to 240 VAC
±10% (all values RMS), from 50 to 60 Hz. Please refer to specifications for proper
line voltage for your instrument. The internal power supplies are autoranging so
no reconfiguration is necessary to operate at different input voltages. Maximum
power consumption depends on the model.
Before connecting the LDX-36000 Current Source to a power source, verify that the AC
power source is within the voltage range printed on the instrument's rear panel.
To avoid electrical shock hazard, connect the instrument to properly earth-grounded
electrical receptacles only. Failure to observe this precaution may result in severe injury
or death.
GPIB Communications
The IEEE-488 GPIB interface connector is located on the rear panel in the upper
left-hand side of the panel as shown in Figure 1.2. Attach a GPIB cable to the 24-
pin connector. The connectors are polarized to ensure proper orientation. Finger-
tighten the two jack screws on either side of the connector to prevent the cable
from inadvertently becoming disconnected.