Newport LDX-3200 Series User manual

User’s Guide
Precision Current Source
LDX-3200 Series
70028204 March 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS
03_21 LDX-3200 Series i


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Comments, Suggestions, and Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Chapter 1 Introduction and Specifications
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Initial Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installing the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Grounding Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
AC Power Line Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
GPIB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Tilt-Foot Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii LDX-3200 Series

Operating the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
LDX-3200 Series Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 2 Operation
Applying Power to the LDX-3200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Power-On Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Power-On State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting the Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Interlock Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Photodiode Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Setting the PD Bias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Grounding Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Front Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Operating in Constant Current (I) Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting Up the Precision Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Operating in Constant Power (P) Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Entering Photodiode Responsivity Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Chapter 3 Remote Operation
Reading the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Changing the GPIB Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Changing Operation from Local to Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
LDX-3200 Series Current Source Command Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Command Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Command Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
IEEE-488.2 Common Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
LDX-3200 Commonly Used Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Status Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Event and Condition Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Operation Complete Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

TABLE OF CONTENTS
03_21 LDX-3200 Series iii

Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Command Timing and Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Chapter 4 Command Refeence
LDX-3200 Series Command Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
LDX-3200 Series Device-Dependent Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
LDX-3200 Series Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Chapter 5 Functions & Features
Saving and Recalling from the Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Saving and Recalling Under Remote Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Using the Laser Compliance Voltage Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Using the LDX-3200 Current Source’s Trigger Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Modulating the Laser Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Chapter 6 Calibration & Troubleshooting
Calibration Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Recommended Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Local Calibration of the LDX-3200 Series Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Laser Current (LDI) Source Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
IPD Current Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Laser Forward Voltage (LDV) Measurement Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Remote Calibration of the LDX-3200 Series Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Remote Laser Current Source (LDI) Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Remote IPD Current Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Remote Calibration of Laser Forward Voltage (LDV) Measurement . . . . . 105
Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv LDX-3200 Series


LIST OF FIGURES
03_21 LDX-3200 Series v


LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 LDX-3200 Series Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 1.2 LDX-3200 Series Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 2.1 Common Laser Cathode - Photodiode Cathode . . . . . . . 12
Figure 2.2 Common Laser Cathode - Photodiode Anode . . . . . . . . 12
Figure 2.3 Common Laser Anode - Photodiode Cathode . . . . . . . . 12
Figure 2.4 Common Laser Anode - Photodiode Anode . . . . . . . . . . 12
Figure 2.5 Rear Panel Laser Output Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Figure 3.1 LDX-3200 Series Command Path Structure . . . . . . . . . . 25
Figure 3.2 Common Command Syntax Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Figure 3.3 LDX-3200 Status Reporting Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Figure 3.4 LDX-3200 Output Off Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Figure 4.1 Command Description Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Figure 5.1 LDX-3200 Series Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Figure 6.1 IPD Calibration Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

LIST OF FIGURES
vi LDX-3200 Series


LIST OF TABLES
03_21 LDX-3200 Series vii


LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1 LDX-3200 Series Specifications1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Table 1.2 LDX-3200 Series Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Table 2.1 LDX-3200 Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Table 2.2 LDX-3200 Series Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Table 3.1 Substitute Parameter Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Table 3.2 LDX-3200 Series Common Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Table 3.3 LDX-3200 Commonly Used Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Table 3.4 Output Off Register Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Table 3.5 Error Code Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Table 3.6 LDX-3200 Series Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Table 4.1 LDX-3200 Series Remote Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table 6.1 Recommended Test Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Table 6.2 Required Calibration Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Table 6.3 LDI Calibration State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Table 6.4 IPD Calibration State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Table 6.5 LDV Calibration State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Table 6.6 Remote LDI Calibration State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Table 6.7 Remote IPD Current Calibration State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Table 6.8 Remote LDV Measurement Calibration State . . . . . . . . . 105
Table 6.9 LDX-3200 Series Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

LIST OF TABLES
viii LDX-3200 Series


SAFETY AND WARRANTY INFORMATION
03_21 LDX-3200 Series ix

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 that, if not avoided, could result in
death, serious or minor injury, or damage to the product. Specifically:
Caution indicates a potentially hazardous situation that can result in minor or moderate
injury or damage to the product or equipment.
Warning indicates a potentially dangerous situation that 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 xiii).

SAFETY SYMBOLS
x LDX-3200 Series

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.
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 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.

WARRANTY
03_21 LDX-3200 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 that can result in death, injury, or damage to the instrument and other
components.
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 that 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:
Caution,
refer to
manual
Earth
ground
Terminal
Alternating
current
Visible and/or
invisible laser
radiation
Caution, risk
of electric
shock
Protective
Conductor
Terminal
Caution, hot
surface
Frame or
chassis
Terminal
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)

WARRANTY
xii LDX-3200 Series

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, thatever is
greater.
Potentially lethal voltages exist within the LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source. To
avoid electric shock, do not perform any of the maintenance on the instrument unless
you are qualified to do so. Qualified service personnel are required to wear protective
eyeglasses and anti-static wristbands while working on the LDX-3200 Series Precision
Current Source circuit boards. High voltages are present on and around the
instrument’s printed circuit boards.
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.

WARRANTY
03_21 LDX-3200 Series xiii

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [phone] or [phone]
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [phone]
Online FAQ: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.newport.com/b/ilx-lightwave
Or mail to:
MKS / Newport
31950 Frontage Road
Bozeman, Montana, U.S.A 59715
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
Model Number:
Serial Number:
End-User Name:
Company:
Phone:
Fax:
Description of what is
connected to the ILX
Lightwave instrument:
Description of the problem:

WARRANTY
xiv LDX-3200 Series

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!

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
03_21 LDX-3200 Series 1
CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
This chapter is an introduction to the LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Sources
containing unpacking information, instructions on how to install and apply power,
and safety considerations and instructions. It also contains some maintenance
information, specifications, and listings of the LDX-3200 options and accessories.
If any of the following symptoms exist, or are even suspected, remove the LDX-3200
from service. Do not use the LDX-3200 until trained service personnel can verify safe
operation.
1. Visible damage
2. Severe transport stress
3. Prolonged storage under adverse conditions
4. Failure to perform intended measurements or functions
If necessary, return the LDX-3200 to ILX Lightwave for service and repair to ensure that
safety features are maintained.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Product Overview
2 LDX-3200 Series
CHAPTER 1

Product Overview
The LDX-3200 Series instruments are precision current sources. They provide a
high stability output with a fully redundant current limit and multiple laser
protection features. The LDX-3200 Series’ fast, sophisticated GPIB option lets
you automate your experiment.
Initial Inspection
When you receive your LDX-3200 instrument, verify that the following items were
shipped with the instrument:
•LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source
•LDX-3200 Series Instruction Manual
•Power Cord
•Shipping Kit
Installing the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source
Grounding Requirements
The LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source 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 adapter with
the grounding wire connected to an electrical ground (safety ground). The
LDX-3200’s power jack and supplied power cable meet IEC safety standards.
AC Power Line Requirements
You can operate the LDX-3200 Series instrument from a single phase power
source delivering nominal line voltages of 100, 120, 220, or 240 VAC (all values
RMS), at 50/60 Hz. The line power voltage can vary + 10% but cannot exceed
250 VAC. Maximum power cnsumption is 60 VA (Volt-Amps). The instrument’s
operational voltage is factory configurable and need not be changed before
operating the instrument. However, check to be sure that the voltage printed on
the back panel of the instrument matches the power-line voltage in your area.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Installing the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source
03_21 LDX-3200 Series 3
CHAPTER 1

Before connecting the LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source to a power source,
verify that the AC power source matches the setting of the LDX-3200’s voltage printed on
the rear panel of the instrument.
To avoid electrical shock hazard, connect the instrument to properly earth-grounded, 3-
prong receptacles only. Failure to observe this precaution can result in severe injury or
death.
GPIB Connector
The IEEE 488.2 GPIB interface connector is located on the rear panel, see Figure
1.2, LDX-3200 Series Rear View. Attach the GPIB cable to the 24-pin connector
located on the rear panel. The connector is tapered to ensure proper orientation.
Using your fingers, 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 allows 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.
The GPIB Address
The talk and listen addresses on the LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source
are identical. This GPIB address is read locally by pressing the (GPIB) LOCAL
switch with the address displayed on the LCD display. The instrument comes
from the factory configured with the GPIB address set to 1. You can change the
LDX-3200’s GPIB address locally (via front panel). A procedure for changing the
address can be found in the section “Changing the GPIB Address” in Chapter 3.
Tilt-Foot Adjustment
The LDX-3200 Series Precision Current Source comes standard with folding front
legs and two rear feet for use as a bench top instrument. Extending the front feet
so that the instrument front panel sits up makes it easier to view the LED displays.
To use them, place the unit on a stable base and rotate the front legs downward
until they lock into position.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
Installing the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source
4 LDX-3200 Series
CHAPTER 1

Operating the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source
Now that the LDX-3200 Precision Current Source is installed and ready for use,
you can begin to learn about its operation. The following figures are photographic
copies showing the functional keypad groupings, back panel connectors, and so
on. Use these figures to familiarize yourself with the LDX-3200. After that, use
Chapter 2 for fundamentals of operating your instrument.
Figure 1.1 LDX-3200 Series Front Panel