THORLABS ELL15 User manual

ELL15 and ELL15K
SM1 Motorized Iris Kit
User Guide
Original Instructions

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Safety Information .............................................................................................1
Chapter 2 Introduction ........................................................................................................3
Chapter 3 Overview .............................................................................................................4
Chapter 4 Operation ............................................................................................................7
4.1.1 Homing........................................................................................................................................................ 8
4.2.1 Hand-held Controller................................................................................................................................. 8
4.2.2 Software Control...................................................................................................................................... 10
4.2.3 Communications Protocol ...................................................................................................................... 11
4.2.4 Connecting Multiple Devices.................................................................................................................. 12
4.2.5 Controlling the Iris Without the Handset............................................................................................... 12
Chapter 5 Troubleshooting and FAQ ..............................................................................15
Chapter 6 Specifications...................................................................................................18
Chapter 7 Certifications and Compliance ......................................................................19
Chapter 8 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts .......................................................................20

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 1: Safety Information
Rev. A, August 31, 2023 Page 1
Chapter 1 Safety Information
For the continuing safety of the operators of this equipment, and the protection of the equipment itself, the
operator should take note of the Warnings, Cautions and Notes throughout this handbook and, where visible,
on the product itself.
Warning: Risk of Electrical Shock
Given when there is a risk of electrical shock.
Warning
The equipment is for indoor use only. The equipment is not designed for use in an explosive
atmosphere.
Warning
Given when there is a risk of injury to the user.
Caution
Given when there is a possibility of damage to the product.
Note
Clarification of an instruction or additional information.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 1: Safety Information
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General Warning and Cautions
Warning: Risk of Electrical Shock
When connecting the iris to a PC, ensure that the PC is switched ON before connecting the
stage to the USB port. Failure to do this could damage the PC.
If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection
provided by the equipment may be impaired. Excessive moisture may impair operation.
The equipment is susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharge. When handling the
device, anti-static precautions must be taken, and suitable discharge appliances must be
worn.
Spillage of fluid, such as sample solutions, should be avoided. If spillage does occur, clean up
immediately using absorbent tissue. Do not allow spilled fluid to enter the internal
mechanism.
If the device is operated over a prolonged time, the motor housing may become hot. This
does not affect motor operation but may cause discomfort if contacted by exposed skin.
Do not bend the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). A bending load more than 500 g applied to the
board may cause the PCB to deform, which will degrade the performance of the controller.
Do not expose the stage to magnetic fields as this could affect the positioning and homing
sensor operation. An external magnetic field close to the sensor should be below +/- 5 mT.
Do not expose the stage to a strong infrared light (e.g., direct sunlight) as it could interfere
with the operation of the position sensor.
During use do not place the PCB directly onto electro-conductive material e.g., an optical
tabletop or breadboard.
Caution
The home sensor of the device relies on a 950 nm LED which can leak from the device. This
should be taken into consideration for environments that are especially sensitive to foreign
light sources.
During installation and transport, the iris should be set to the Home position to prevent
damage on the iris blades. Electrical shock or direct physical contact with the iris could
damage the blades and internal mechanism of the device.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 2: Introduction
Rev. A, August 31, 2023 Page 3
Chapter 2 Introduction
The ELL15 Motorized Iris is a part of the Thorlabs series of resonant piezo motor circuits and bare modules for
OEM applications. This motorized SM1 iris is post mountable with a CP33B bracket and compatible with SM1
threaded optics and tubes, 30 mm and 60 mm cage systems. Refer to Mounting for more details.
This motor’s resonant piezo design allows quick response times and precise positioning, making them
especially effective in scanning applications.
The high-speed digital signal processing (DSP) architecture supports a multi-drop serial communication
protocol, and a set of digital IO lines allows the user to manually control the movement and state by switching
the lines between high (5 V) or low (0 V) voltage.
The ELL15 has a central SM1-thread on both sides for mounting accessories like tubes or lenses. Ticks on the
inner ring of the device indicate an aperture position. The device is designed for applications requiring a 0.1
mm aperture resolution.
A reflecting optical sensor (IR) for coarse positioning and a magnetic sensor for fine positioning are used in
tandem to achieve homing. The Home Offset feature in the ELLO software allows the user to change the
homing position.
Note
The module must be powered via an external 5 V power supply unit (PSU). A suitable PSU
is supplied in the ELL15K iris kit or ELLC2 upgrade kit. The interface board has a DC Jack
connector with dimensions of 6.3 mm OD (GND), 2.1 mm ID (+5V) for users who want to
utilize a third-party PSU.
A hand-held controller is supplied with the ELL15K evaluation kit to allow homing and manual jogging,
positioning, and memorizing one custom position. The unit can also be driven remotely via PC-based software,
downloaded from www.thorlabs.com. A compatible USB driver and source code are included in the software
download package.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 3: Overview
Page 4 DTN000949-D02
Chapter 3 Overview
Environmental Conditions
Warning
Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect operator safety.
The unit is designed for indoor use only.
To ensure reliable operation, the unit should not be exposed to corrosive agents or excessive moisture, heat
or dust.
Do not expose the stage to magnetic fields or strong infrared light (e.g., direct sunlight) as this could affect the
positioning and homing sensor operation.
The unit is not designed to be used in explosive environments.
If the unit has been stored at a low temperature or in an environment of high humidity, it must be allowed to
reach ambient conditions before being powered up.
Caution
If the unit is integrated inside an enclosure, it can become very hot under certain conditions.
Avoid placing the enclosure close to a heat source.
Mounting
Warning
The safety of any system incorporating this equipment is the responsibility of the person
performing the installation.
Caution
Although the module can tolerate up to 8 kV of air discharge, it must be treated as ESD
sensitive device. When handling the device, anti-static precautions must be taken and
suitable discharge appliances must be worn.
The ribbon cable connector is made of plastic and is not particularly robust. Do not use force
when making connections. Avoid plugging and unplugging repeatedly or unnecessarily to
prevent connector failure.
The following actions could damage the performance of the unit:
•Do not touch the motor track during installation and operation.
•Make sure to prevent the wires from contacting the motors, springs, or any other
moving components while handling the stage.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 3: Overview
Rev. A, August 31, 2023 Page 5
Figure 1 ELL15 Motorized Iris Showing its 3 Possible Mounting Hole Patterns
Figure 2 ELL15 Mounted in a 60 mm Cage System
The unit can be mounted directly into a 60 mm cage system using the Ø3.0 mm through holes in the PCB.
(Use 4-40 3/8” setscrew to mount the 60 mm cage rods).
When combined with four SR-series posts, the iris can be fitted to our ER-series cage rods within a 30 mm cage
system.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 3: Overview
Page 6 DTN000949-D02
Figure 3 ELL15 Mounted in a 30 mm Cage System
Figure 4 ELL15 Post-Mounted With CP33B Bracket

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 4: Operation
Rev. A, August 31, 2023 Page 7
Chapter 4 Operation
Getting Started
Caution
Although the module can tolerate up to 8 kV of air discharge, it must be treated as an ESD
sensitive device. When handling the device, anti-static precautions must be taken, and
suitable anti-discharge appliances must be worn.
Do not expose the stage to magnetic fields as this could affect the positioning and homing
sensor operation.
When power is applied, do not connect or disconnect the ribbon cable connecting the
USB/PSU adapter to the iris PCB. Always remove power before making connections.
Warning
If the device is operated over a prolonged time, the motor housing may become hot. This
does not affect motor operation but may cause discomfort if contacted by exposed skin.
Caution
During normal operation each motor is protected with a time out of 3 seconds to avoid
overheating. The recommended duty cycle is 40%.
1. Perform the mechanical installation as detailed in Mounting.
2. Turn on and boot up the host PC.
3. Connect the handset to the stage if required.
Caution
The unit is easily damaged by connections with incorrect polarity. Pin 1 of the connector on
the PCB is marked with an arrow (refer to Figure 5 and Figure 8) which should be adjacent to
the red wire in the connecting cable.
4. Connect the stage to 5 V supply and switch ‘ON’. (A 5 V PSU is supplied with the ELL15K and ELLC2).
Caution
Boot up the PC before connecting the USB cable. Do not connect a powered ELL to a PC that is
not active.
5. Connect the handset to the PC with the supplied USB cable.
6. If required, wait for the drivers to be installed.

ELL15 and ELL15K SM1 Motorized Iris Chapter 4: Operation
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4.1.1 Homing
Homing is achieved using a combination of a reflecting optical sensor (IR) for coarse positioning, then a
magnetic sensor for fine positioning (the magnetic sensor is also used for positioning during subsequent
moves). Using the ELLO software, the user can modify the homing position using the home offset.
Caution
The home sensor of the device relies on a 950 nm LED which can leak from the device. This
should be taken into consideration for environments that are especially sensitive to foreign
light sources.
At startup, the device's default setting is auto-homing. This function can be deactivated using
the command indicated in the Communications Protocol Manual.
Controlling the Iris
The iris can be controlled in the following ways:
•PC runs the Elliptec software with the handset.
•Develop a custom application using the messages stated in the communications protocol document.
•Apply voltages into Connector J1’s digital lines. Refer to Figure 8. It provides jogging and homing
functionality.
•Manually rotating the iris to reach a desired aperture.
To improve repeatability for a given position, absolute movements should be made from an aperture greater
than 1 mm to the target position.
Caution
In all modes, the iris aperture is requested and displayed from 1 to 11.5 mm. The aperture
cannot be driven past 11.5 mm or 1 mm. The iris is limited mechanically and by the encoder.
An error message appears if a request is outside the acceptable range.
The black motor track should be cleaned when turning the aperture manually, before
actuating the stage with motors again. Refer to Chapter 5.
4.2.1 Hand-held Controller
Caution
On power up the stage will move while the unit checks the sensors and then searches for
the home position.
At startup, the device's default setting is auto-homing. This function can be deactivated using
the command indicated in the Communication Protocol Manual.
The hand-held controller supplied with ELL15K Evaluation Kit and ELLC2 features three buttons (marked JOG,
FW and BW) that allow control of the iris aperture position. Button JOG (hold) + FW (open) can be used to
increase the aperture up to 11.5 mm and JOG (hold) + BW (close)to decrease the aperture down to 1 mm. The