
6
OPERATION OF LIMITS CONTROLS
The maximum positive differential output voltage V
A
- V
B
, may be precisely limited by the 'positive
limit' control. This is calibrated 0-100% which corresponds to a V
A
- V
B
limit of between 0 and 600V.
Similarly the 'negative limit' control precisely limits the voltage V
B
- V
A
over the range 0 to 600V. As an
example, suppose it is required to limit the differential output swing (V
A
- V
B
) to between + 200V and -
500V, the proper settings for the limit controls will be as follows:
'Positive limit' control (200 x 100) = 33%
(600)
'Negative limit' control (500x 100) = 83%
(600)
Note that the differential bias control acts ‘after’ the limiting process.
The main use of the limit controls is to provide two precise differential output voltages when the input of
the amplifier is driven from a square wave. This will allow fast switching between two stable precisely
set polarisation states in a pockled cell, or between two levels of optical transmission when the pockled
cell is used between crossed polarisers. The ' ifferential bias' control allows adjustment of the residual
birefringement of the pockel cell, without affecting the limiting polarisation state.
The diagrams of Figs. 1(a), 1(b), 1(c) further illustrate the operation of the limit controls.
Fig 1( ) Shows the A and B output voltage VA and VB and also the differential output voltage (VA-
VB) when both limit controls are set to 100%.
Fig 1(b) Shows VA, VB and (VA - VB) when the limit controls are set to
'POS LIMIT' = 50%
'NEG LIMIT' = 100%
Fig 1(c) Shows VA, VB and (VA-VB) when the limit controls are set to
'POS LIMIT' = 100%
'NEG LIMIT' = 50%
It can be seen in Fig 1(b) that the setting the 'POS LIMIT' control to 50% limits the positive excursion of
VA to 450 while at the same time limiting the negative excursion of VB to 150V.
Similarly in fig. 1(c) the setting of the 'NEG LIMIT' control to 50% limits the negative excursion of VA
to 150V and the positive excursion of VB to 450V.
In fig 1(a) the total differential voltage is at the maximum of 1000V while in both Fig 1(b) & 1(c) the
total differential voltage is reduced to 500V.