iO MatchBox Series User manual

Version 2.5 October. 2020
Continuous Wave laser

MatchBox® series | User Manual
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INTRODUCTION
As the title hints, MatchBox® products are ultra-compact, single-unit laser
sources with overall dimensions comparable to a regular matchbox
(30x50x18 mm3), connector pins not included.
The MatchBox® series include a range of continuous wave laser sources,
featuring wide range of wavelength, output power, output type and line-
width options.
The series is composed of solid state (DPSS) lasers, passive Q-Switch
short-pulse lasers, multi-wavelength lasers based on classical dichroic
combining, as well as direct laser diode (LD) lasers. Despite the different
technical implementation, physical and electrical properties, usability and
connectivity are almost identical throughout the series, representing our
commitment to perfect user experience and faster time to market for our
customers.
Please take your time to read this instruction manual which provides
essential information about the usage of the continuous wave single-
wavelength lasers. We have also included various hints and tips that will
help you to get the most out of a certain laser source.

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MatchBox® series | User Manual
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CONTENTS
1 SAFETY INFORMATION ............................................... ... 5
1.1 Labels ...................................................................... ... 5
1.2 Electrical safety ....................................................... ... 6
1.3 Optical Safety .......................................................... ... 6
1.4 Laser Safety and Classification ............................... ... 9
2 DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFICATIONS ....................... ... 11
2.1 Part Numbers .......................................................... ... 11
2.2 Description of Series ............................................... ... 12
2.3 Thermal Management ............................................. ... 12
2.4 Power Supply .......................................................... ... 13
2.5 Cables ..................................................................... ... 16
2.6 Power and Signal Connections ............................... ... 16
2.7 Specifications .......................................................... ... 17
2.8 Mechanical Design .................................................. ... 17
2.9 Laser Output Options .............................................. ... 19
2.10 Operating Environment............................................ ... 22
3 INSTALLATION.............................................................. ... 23
3.1 Preliminary Checks.................................................. ... 23
3.2 Heatsink Requirements ........................................... ... 24
3.3 Heatsink Installation ................................................ ... 26
3.4 Starting the laser ..................................................... ... 27
4 OPERATION .................................................................. ... 31
4.1 Operating Fiber Coupled Laser ............................... ... 31
4.2 Operating Free-space Output Laser........................ ... 32
4.3 UART bus ................................................................ ... 33

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4.4 Laser Control Software ............................................ ... 33
4.5 Changing Output Power........................................... ... 46
4.6 Communication Command Table ............................ ... 46
4.7 Communication with Multiple Lasers in a Bus ......... ... 50
4.8 TTL Modulation ........................................................ ... 52
4.9 Attaching Control Interfaces..................................... ... 54
5 ACCESSORIES .............................................................. ... 55
6 TROUBLESHOOTING Q&A .............................................. 57
6.1 Frequently Asked Questions.................................... ... 57
7 GLOSSARY .................................................................... ... 63
8 WARRANTY ................................................................... ... 67
8.1 Limitations of Warranty ............................................ ... 68

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1. SAFETY INFORMATION
1.1: Labels
Along the text you will find icons designed to draw your attention to
different bits of safety or otherwise important information:
This icon is used to draw your attention to important information, related
to the usage of a laser.
This symbol is a warning sign. It marks safety precautions related to
optical laser radiation and alerts the operator to the danger of exposure
to hazardous visible or invisible laser radiation.
This symbol is a warning sign. It marks safety precautions related to
electrical safety and alerts the operator about the presence of dangerous
voltage, which might appear on certain conditions. Electric shocks
caused by such voltage may constitute risks to the operator and the
equipment used.
Figure 1-1. Labels on a side of the laser indicates product safety information.
MatchBox lasers belong to the class 3B or class 4.

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Figure 1-2. Serial number is marked on the back of the laser body, right above
the pin connection.
1.2: Electrical safety
Do not disassemble the enclosure. All units are designed to be operated
as assembled. Warranty will be voided if the enclosure is opened.
Electric shocks from an unsuitable or poorly grounded power supply, can
cause extreme pain, severe burns, cardiac arrest and in some cases can
be even lethal, that is why the operator should always obey the safety
measures given below.
The laser body of MatchBox is connected to the ground, this means that
all internal electronics share the same ground of the laser body.
It is recommended to make sure that the power supply used with
MatchBox laser pin connection, is well grounded and that there are no
grounding interruptions with other devices. Otherwise it can be
dangerous for an operator and it can cause malfunction of the laser.
1.3: Optical Safety
Light, emitted from a laser source, features hazardous properties, as
compared to conventional light sources, such as: luminescent bulbs, light

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emitting diodes and etc. It is important for users or other persons
approaching to laser systems, to know the dangers involved. Only users,
who are familiar with laser safety should use laser systems, this way the
risks of laser radiation related accidents would be minimized.
MatchBox lasers are Class 3B laser products with rare exceptions of
Class 4. Different models are arranged to emit up to 500 mW of visible or
invisible (infrared) radiation. Several models emit continuous wave
(further shortened to CW) laser radiation up to 1W of optical power.
The radiation is hazardous if the eye is exposed directly to the beam or to
it’s specular reflection. The risk of permanent eye damage or even
blindness increases due to longer exposure time.
Diffuse reflections as those from paper or other matte surfaces are
typically not harmful if observed at a distance of 1 m (3 ft) or larger.
The use of eye protection when operating a MatchBox laser is necessary
if at any circumstances the laser beam could be exposed to an eye
directly or through a specular reflection.
Eye protection in the form of spectacles or goggles is preferred to be with
appropriate wavelength filtering. For example, spectacles absorbing
waves of spectral region from 180 to 532 nm are suitable to work with e.g.
405 nm, 457 nm, 473 nm, 488 nm, 491 nm, 515 nm and 532 nm
MatchBox lasers. However, these spectacles shouldn’t be used to filter
561 nm, 593 nm waves or radiation in the red and infrared regions.
Protective eyewear provides another significant advantage - when
working in dark rooms, laser radiation could haze user’s eyes even if it is
observed from diffuse reflections. Properly chosen eyewear definitely
reduce or even eliminate such haze and extend productive hours.
The beam emitted from Class 3B and Class 4 lasers can easily damage
photosensitive surfaces like those found in photodiodes, CCD cameras or

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photomultipliers. It is important to make sure that an unattenuated beam
does not strike any of aforementioned devices directly. Calculation of
allowed fluency is necessary before using such devices with our lasers.
In addition to laser safety from the laser source alone, given safety
precautions must be followed:
• Experimental setup must ALWAYS be horizontal and below eye lev-
el;
• To avoid accidental exposure, never bend over or look down. If
something falls off of experimental setup, user must first turn off the laser
or close the mechanical shutter and only then pick up the fallen parts;
• Use protective shields or filters to get rid of unnecessary reflections
and scattering;
• User must never wear any kind of jewellery or watches while using
the laser system to avoid any laser beam reflections from those surfaces;
• The laser system must be used in a closed room, because high pow-
er and collimated laser beam can damage biological tissues even at long
distances;
• Extreme precautions must be taken while using volatile substances
in laser operational area;
• High level of ambient light in laser operating room should be main-
tained whenever it is possible, in order to keep the pupil of the eye as
small as possible and to prevent the risk of eye damage;
• Warning signs must be posted near the entrance to the laser opera-
tion area and inside of it;
• Use of laser must be limited to users, who are completely familiar
with the rules above.

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1.4: Laser Safety and Classification
The European requirements for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) are
specified in the EMC Directive (published in 2004/108/EC).
Conformance (EMC) is achieved through compliance with the
harmonized standards EN55011:2009 for emission and EN61000-6-
1:2007 for immunity.
The laser meets the emission requirements for Class 3B or Class 4 as
specified in EN55011:2009.
Compliance of lasers within the MatchBox series with the (EMC)
requirements is certified by the CE mark.
MatchBox lasers are OEM dedicated lasers and usually come without
necessary safety means. OEM type products are designed for installation
into Class 1 enclosures. However, by adding accessories like beam
shutter and key-switch, CDRH compliance is reached.
The CDRH Accession Number for the MatchBox series lasers and
wavelength combiners is: 1810832-000.
The MatchBox CW laser alone has a simplified physical interface with 5
pins. These pins have power supply, communication bus (UART) and
programmable pin for modulation or fan control (predefined for different
laser types) inputs/outputs. This interface is sufficient and convenient for
OEM laser integration.
However, for quick laser installation into scientific setups a Break-out-Box
comes handy to provide interlock, USB or RS232 control, modulation and
fan power supply connector, complying the CDRH requirements.

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MatchBox® series | User Manual
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2. DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
2.1: Part Numbers
The part number is composed for the MatchBox series CW lasers as
follows:
Figure 2-1. Understanding part numbers of the MatchBox CW lasers.
The part number of MatchBox lasers is composed of five sections:
• First section defines wavelength and platform;
• The second is for bandwidth, output type and over all type (direct
diode or DPSS)
• The third is for optical isolator option;

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• The fourth is for fiber termination;
• The last one is for optical filters installed inside the laser enclosure.
2.2: Description of Series
The MatchBox laser system contains laser source with integrated power
electronics. The system can be mounted on a heatsink accessory and a
Break-out-Box can be used for converting UART communication to either
USB or RS232.
The MatchBox laser system provides power, consistency and great
performance in one of the smallest packages at one of the most attractive
price levels available in the market!
2.3: Thermal Management
The MatchBox series includes DPSS (Diode pump solid state) and direct
diode lasers.
Depending on model, one or two thermo-electric coolers (TEC) are
equipped inside the enclosure for thermal management of a pump laser
diode and associated optics. Thermal stabilization of all critical
components is very important for low-noise and efficient operation of the
complete laser.
Depending on laser configuration, cooling of 5 to 25 W (5 to 10 W for most
diode lasers and 15 to 25 W for DPSS) may be required in a form of TEC-
cooled, conduction-cooled (AM-H8/AM-H3) or water-cooled (AM-H4)
heatsink, attachable to the bottom side of the laser.
Also, depending on a laser model, a suitable heatsink must have low
thermal resistance. For DPSS lasers, thermal resistance of <0.5 °C/W is
recommended, while for diode lasers <1 °C/W is sufficient. <0.5 °C/W
requirement is usually met by a larger passive copper heatsink or an
actively cooled aluminium heatsink.

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In case of specific applications, such as holography, interferometry and
quantum cryptography, where narrow-linewidth lasers are being used in
varying environment temperature, the internal TEC of the laser might not
provide sufficient thermal stability to maintain high level of coherence and
central wavelength stability. For these applications Integrated Optics,
UAB released a number of TEC based coolers and adapters (AM-H9,
AM-H10, AM-H11), which provide the extra stability needed.
Furthermore, these heatsinks provide higher thermal handling capacity
and/or extend operational temperature range for continuous-wave lasers.
Additionally, Integrated Optics, UAB offers adapter plates, which help to
accommodate the MatchBox laser in place of previously installed laser of
other brands. However, adapter plates need to be attached to heatsinks,
having sufficiently low thermal resistance.
For efficient cooling, make sure that there are no other heat radiating
devices, such as heat exchangers, heaters or computers in the proximity
of the laser. Also, make sure that the laser is not covered with or
obstructed by any obstacles, which could prevent air circulation around
the laser.
All MatchBox lasers are equipped with internal thermal protection feature.
If the internal temperature reaches 45 °C, the laser shuts down. If the
laser starts to blink, turn it off and ensure better heat dissipation by
decreasing the heatsink temperature and increasing the heat dissipation
capabilities thereof.
2.4: Power Supply
The MatchBox series include a variety of lasers featuring different power
ratings, thus requiring different power supply parameters. Power supply
requirements are provided below.

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Voltage of 5 V is needed to be supplied for this type of MatchBox series
lasers. Lasers of the same model could require different current. For
instance, low-power laser 405L-21A needs maximum current of 0.6 Amps
and typical of 0.3 Amps, whereas it is estimated that low-power laser
785L-21A needs maximum current of 0.3 Amps and typical of 0.2 Amps.
To power MatchBox CW lasers with power delivery (PD) type power
supplies, Integrated Optics, UAB recommend using a Break-out-Box,
further BoB. The BoB triggers the power supply to run at 9 V and converts
it to 5 V internally.
Table 2-1. Power supply requirements regarding laser
type.
Type Part No.
MAX
Current at
45 °C
Typical
Current at
25 °C
DPSS XXXXL-
XXB
4 A 1-2 A
LP Diode XXXXL-
1XA and
XXXXL-
2XA
0.6A 0.2-0.4 A
HP
Diode
XXXXL-
3XA and
XXXXL-
4XA
1 A 0.4-0.5 A

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For direct diode lasers the optimal power supply that is 18W PD type USB
power supply (AM-P7), while for DPSS lasers it is recommended to use
25 W, but optimally 45W to 60W PD type (depending on other
accessories used) power supply (AM-P8).
To understand, the specifics of power supply requirements for your
MatchBox laser, better, power supply requirements regarding laser type
during start-up are depicted below.
The values in the table are not absolute for all lasers and can vary from
laser to laser.
Table 2-2. Power supply requirements regarding laser
type during start-up.
Type Part No.
MAX
Current at
45 °C
Typical
Current at
25 °C
DPSS XXXXL-
XXB
4.0 A 2-3 A
LP Diode XXXXL-
1XA and
XXXXL-
2XA
1.8 A 1-1.2 A
HP
Diode
XXXXL-
3XA and
XXXXL-
4XA
2.2 A 0.8-1.2 A

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2.5: Cables
The MatchBox laser features an OEM design, where integrators
implement their own physical interface to connect directly to the pins of
the laser. This is the reason why it is sold without any cables in its
standard configuration. However, standard cables are handy for end-user
setups, and therefore MatchBox accessories come with compatible
cables: power supplies are shipped with USB-C to USB-C type cables for
power delivery and Break-out-Boxes are shipped with USB-A to USB-
micro cables for data communication.
Please contact Integrated Optics, UAB for a customized physical
interface for data and power.
2.6: Power and Signal Connections
The MatchBox laser alone has a simplified physical interface with 5 pins
with 2.54 mm spacing (Figure 2-2). These pins are 0.7 mm diameter and
have power supply, communication bus (UART) and programmable pin
for modulation/fan (predefined for different laser types) inputs/outputs.
This interface is sufficient and convenient for OEM laser integration.
Figure 2-2. Pinout on the back side of the laser.

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Viewing left-to-right, the pins are dedicated for: first pin is for VCC, next
two are UART bus interface pins Tx and Rx, then follows a multifunctional
programmable pin for TTL modulation or fan speed control. An empty slot
is used as a key, ensuring that the female pinhead connector will not be
polarizing in a wrong orientation or position. The fifth pin works as a
ground. The ground pin is soldered into the enclosure of the laser, thus
complete laser body is grounded.
2.7: Specifications
The MatchBox series includes a variety of lasers featuring different
wavelength and power ratings. The actual specifications of a laser are
provided in a test report accompanying a laser, which is sold to the
customer. General specifications for all laser models can be found at
www.integratedoptics.com , you can scan the QR code below for a quick
access to our website:
2.8: Mechanical Design
The laser sources within the MatchBox series employ a single-box
design, which means that all optics, power electronics and thermal
management components are arranged inside a single enclosure.
The overall dimensions of the laser are 30 x 50 x 18 mm3(Width x Depth
x Height), not taking into account the connecting pins, which are used for
connecting the laser to a power source and control interface. The pins
extend approx. 10 mm from the back of the laser. Different output options,
such as free-space output with or without a mechanical shutter,

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permanently fixed fibers, have different arrangements on the front facet
of the laser.
Figure 2-3. Top and side view drawing of the MatchBox free-space laser.