THORLABS K-Cube Piezo Controller User manual

KPZ101
Piezo Driver
APT User Guide
Original Instructions

2 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Contents
Chapter 1 Safety ............................................................................................. 4
1.1 Safety Information .................................................................................. 4
1.2 General Warnings .................................................................................. 4
Chapter 2 Overview and Setup ..................................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 5
2.2 K-Cube Controller Hub ........................................................................... 6
2.3 APT PC Software Overview ................................................................... 7
2.3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 7
2.3.2 APTUser Utility ................................................................................................... 8
2.3.3 APT Config Utility ............................................................................................... 9
2.3.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls) ......................................................................... 10
2.3.5 Software Upgrades ........................................................................................... 11
Chapter 3 Getting Started ............................................................................ 12
3.1 Install The Software. ............................................................................. 12
3.2 Mechanical Installation ......................................................................... 13
3.3 Electrical Installation ............................................................................. 14
3.4 Connect The Hardware ........................................................................ 18
3.5 Verifying Software Operation ............................................................... 19
Chapter 4 Standalone Operation ................................................................ 21
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 21
4.2 Control Panel ....................................................................................... 22
4.3 Velocity Wheel Operation ..................................................................... 23
4.4 Settings Menu ...................................................................................... 24
Continued...

3
K-Cube Piezo Driver
Chapter 5 Operation - Tutorial ................................................................... 35
5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................35
5.2 Using the APT User Utility ....................................................................35
5.3 Introduction to Open and Closed Loop Operation ................................37
5.4 Open Loop Operation ...........................................................................39
5.5 Operation with Other members of the K-Cube Family ..........................42
5.6 Closed Loop Operation .........................................................................42
5.7 Adjusting the Piezo Position .................................................................50
5.8 Load Response ....................................................................................51
5.9 Creating a Simulated Configuration Using APT Config ........................52
Chapter 6 Software Reference .................................................................... 55
6.1 GUI Panel .............................................................................................55
6.2 Settings Panel ......................................................................................57
Appendices
Appendix A Connector Pinout Details ....................................................... 64
Appendix B Preventive Maintenance ......................................................... 65
Appendix C Specifications and Associated Products .............................. 66
Appendix D Piezo Control Method Summary ............................................ 68
Appendix E Piezo Operation - Background ............................................... 71
Appendix F Regulatory ................................................................................ 74
Appendix G Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts ............................................... 77

4
Chapter 1 Safety
1.1 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.
The following safety symbo ls may be u sed throughout the h andbook and on the
equipment itself.
1.2 General Warnings
Shock Warning
Given when there is a risk of injury from electrical shock.
Warning
Given when there is a risk of injury to users.
Caution
Given when there is a risk of damage to the product.
Note
Clarification of an instruction or additional information.
Warnings
If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the
protection provided by the equipment may be impaired. In particular,
excessive moisture may impair operation.
This product generates, uses and outputs high voltages from the SMC
connector (HV Output) that are hazardous and can cause serious injury. In any
installation that uses the KPZ101 it is the user’s responsibility to ensure
adequate insulation and precuations are taken to avoid shock risk. Cables for
HV Out must be rated for 250 V RMS.
Spillage of fluid, such as sample solutions, should be avoided. If spillage does
occur, clean up immediately using absorbant tissue. Do not allow spilled fluid
to enter the internal mechanism.

5
Chapter 2 Overview and Setup
2.1 Introduction
The K-Cube Piezo Co ntroller (KPZ101) is a ne w very compact sing le channel
controller/driver for easy man ual and automatic control of a wi de range of piezo
stacks and actuators. This driver is capable of delivering up to 150V of drive voltage
at 7.5mA - all owing operating bandwidths up to 1kHz (see specs). The KPZ101
provides immediate 'out of the box' operation with the Thorlabs complete range of
bare piezo stacks, piezo equipped actuators and piezo driven mirror mounts.
Furthermore, when operated together with the K-Cube Strain Gauge Reader unit
(KSG101), high precision closed loop operation is possible using the complete range
of feedback equipped piezo actuators available from Thorlabs.
For convenience the footprint of this unit has been kept to a minimum, measuring only
60mm x 60mm x 47mm (2.36” x 2.36” x 1.85”) and with the facility to directly mount
to the optical table close to the device under control. Table top operation also allows
minimal drive cable lengths for easier cable management. All manual controls a re
located on the top face of the unit – very convenient when manually adjusting piezo
positions using the digitally encoded adjustment pot and easy to read voltage display
(with brightness adjustment).
Fig. 2.1 K-Cube Piezo Driver (KPZ101)
Although compact in footprint, this unit offers a fully featured piezo control capability.
To support a wide variety of piezo devices the output range can be user selected to
75V, 100V or 150V. The resolution of the digitally encoded adjustment pot is easily
altered to provide very accurate p ositioning control. Direct hardware control of the
high voltage output can be facilitated using the low voltage input connector.

6 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 2
A low voltage output connector allows for easy monitoring of the HV output (using a
scope for example). Open or closed loop operation is a simple button click.
USB connectivity provides easy 'Plug and Play' PC controll ed operation - multiple
units can be connected to a single PC via standard USB hub technology or by using
the new K-Cube Controller Hub (see over) for multi-axis motion control applications.
Coupling this with the user friendly apt™ software (supplied) allows the user to get up
and running in a short space of time. Advanced custom motion control applications
and sequences are al so possible using the extensi ve ActiveX® programming
environment also supplied. This programming library is comp atible with man y
development tools such as L abView, Visual Basic, Visual C++, C++ Builder,
LabWindows/CVI, Matlab and Delphi.
See Section 2.3. for a full description of the APT system software.
In the remainder of this handbook, the Tutorial section (Chapter 5) provides a good
initial understanding on using the unit, and the reference section (Chapter 6) covers
all operating modes and parameters in detail.
2.2 Power Options
For power, a compact two-way power supply unit (TPS002) is available from Thorlabs
allowing up to 2 K-Cube Piezo Drivers to be powered from a single mains outlet. This
power supply unit is also designed to take up minimal space and can be mounted to
the optical table in close proximity to the driver units, connected via short power leads.
As a further level of convenience when using the K-Cube Controllers Thorlabs also
offers the 3-channel and 6-channel K-Cube Controller Hubs (KCH301 and KCH601).
These products have been designed specifically with multiple K-Cube operation in
mind in order to simplify issue s such as cable management, power supply routing,
multiple USB device communications and different optical table mounting scenarios.
The K-Cube Controller Hub comprises a slim base-plate type carrier with electrical
connections located on the upper surface to accept the K-Cubes.
Internally the Controller Hub contains a fully compliant USB 2.0 hub circuit to provide
communications for all K-Cubes – a single USB connection to the Controller Hub is
all that is required for PC control. The Controller Hub also provides power distribution
for the K-Cubes, requiring only a single power connection.

7
K-Cube Piezo Driver
2.3 APT PC Software Overview
2.3.1 Introduction
As a member of the APT range of controllers, the KPZ101 piezo controller shares
many of the associated software benefits. This includes USB connectivity (allowing
multiple units to be used together on a single PC), fully featured Graphical User
Interface (GUI) panels, and extensive software f unction libraries for custom
application development.
The APT software suite supplied with all APT controllers provides a flexible and
powerful PC ba sed control system both fo r users of the e quipment, and software
programmers aiming to automate its operation.
For users, the APTUser (see Section 2.3.2.) and APTConfig (see Section 2.3.3.)
utilities allow full control of all settings and operating modes enabling complete ‘out-
of-box’ operation without the need to d evelop any further cu stom software. Both
utilities are built on top of a sophisticated, multi-threaded ActiveX ‘engine’ (called the
APT server) which provides all of the necessary APT system software services such
as generation of GUI pan els, communications handling for multiple USB units, and
logging of all system activity to assist in hardware trouble shooting. It is this APT
server ‘engine’ that is used by software developers to allow the creation of advanced
automated positioning applications very rapidly and with great ease. The APT server
is described in more detail in Section 2.3.4.
Aside
ActiveX®, a Windows®-based, language-independent technology, allows a user
to quickly develop custom applications that automate the control of APT system
hardware units. Development environments supported by ActiveX® technology
include Visual Basic®, LabView™, Borland C++ Builder, Visual C++, Delphi™,
and many others. ActiveX® technology is also supported by .NET development
environments such as Visual Basic.NET and Visual C#.NET.
ActiveX controls are a specific form of ActiveX technology that provide both a user
interface and a programming interface. An ActiveX control is supplied for each
type of APT hardware unit to provide specific controller functionality to the
software developer. See Section 2.3.4. for further details.

8 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 2
2.3.2 APTUser Utility
The APTUser application allows the user to interact with a number of APT hardware
control units connected to the ho st PC. This program displays multiple graphical
instrument panels to allow multiple APT units to be controlled from the same screen..
All basic operating parameters can be altered and, similarly, all operations (such as
piezo moves) can be initiated. Settings and parameter changes can be saved and
loaded to allow multiple operating configurations to be created and easily applied.
For many users, the APTUser application provides all of the functionality necessary
to operate the APT hardware without the need to deve lop any further custom
software. For those wh o do need to further customise and automate u sage of the
controller (e.g. to implement a positioning algorithm), this application illustrates how
the rich fun ctionality provided by the APT ActiveX server is e xposed by a client
application.
Use of the APT User utility is covered in the PC tu torial (Chapter 5) and in the
APTUser online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTUser utility.

9
K-Cube Piezo Driver
2.3.3 APT Config Utility
There are many system par ameters and configuration settings associated with the
operation of the APT Server. Most can be directly accessed using the various
graphical panels, however there are several system wide settings that can only be
made 'off-line' before running the APT software. These settings have global effect;
such as switching between simulator and real operating mode and incorporation of
calibration data.
The APTConfig utility is provided as a convenient means for making these system
wide settings and adjustments. Full details on using APTConfig are provided in the
online help supplied with the utility.
Use of the APT Config utility is covered in the PC tutoria l (Chapter 5) and in the
APTConfig online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTConfig utility.

10 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 2
2.3.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls)
ActiveX Controls are re -usable compiled software components that supp ly both a
graphical user interface and a pro grammable interface. Many such Co ntrols are
available for Windows applications development, providing a large range of re-usable
functionality. For example, there are Controls available that can be used to
manipulate image files, connect to the intern et or simply pro vide user in terface
components such as buttons and list boxes.
With the APT system, ActiveX Controls are deployed to allow direct control over (and
also reflect the status of) the range of electronic controller units, including the KPZ101
piezo controller. Software applications that use ActiveX Controls are often referred to
as 'client applications'. Based on ActiveX interfacing technology, an ActiveX Control
is a language independent software component. Consequently ActiveX Controls can
be incorporated into a wide range of software development environments for use by
client application developers. Development environments supported include Visual
Basic, Labview, Visual C++, C++ Builder, HPVEE, Matlab, VB.NET, C#.NET
and, via
VBA, Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and Word.
Consider the ActiveX Control supplied for the KPZ101 APT piezo controller unit.
This Control provides a complete user graphical instrument panel to allow the Piezo
unit to be manually operated, as well as a complete set of software functions (often
called methods) to allow all parameters to be set and Piezo control operations to be
automated by a client application. The instrument panel reflects the current operating
state of the controller unit to which it is associated (e.g. such as piezo travel). Updates
to the pan el take place automatically when a user (client) application is making
software calls into the same Control. For example, if a client application instructs the
associated Piezo Control to move to a p articular position, progress is mo nitored

11
K-Cube Piezo Driver
automatically by chan ging position readout on the g raphical interface, witho ut the
need for further programming intervention.
The APT ActiveX Controls collection provides a rich set of graphical user panels and
programmable interfaces allowing users and client application developers to interact
seamlessly with the APT hardware. Each of the APT controllers has an associated
ActiveX Control and these are described fully in system online help. Note that the
APTUser and APTConfig utilities take advantage of and are built on top of the
powerful functionality provided by the APT ActiveX Server (as shown in Fig. 2.2).
Fig. 2.2 System Architecture Diagram
Refer to the main APT Software online help file, for a complete programmers guide
and reference material on using the APT ActiveX Controls collection. This is available
either by pressing the F1 key when running the APT server, or via the Start men u,
Start\Programs\Thorlabs\APT\APT Help.
2.3.5 Software Upgrades
Thorlabs operate a policy of continuous product development and may issue software
upgrades as necessary.

12
Chapter 3 Getting Started
3.1 Install The Software.
DO NOT CONNECT THE CONTROLLER TO YOUR PC YET
1) Go to Services/Downloads at www.thorlabs.com and download the APT software.
2) Run the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note
This section is applicable only if the K-Cube is to be used with a PC. If your
application consists only of local operation via the K-Cube front face, proceed
to Section 3.2.
When operating via a PC, direct user interaction with the Piezo driver is
accomplished through intuitive graphical user interface panels (GUIs), which
expose all key operating parameters and modes. The user can select multiple
panel views displaying different information about a particular hardware unit.
The multitasking architecture ensures that the graphical control panels always
remain live, showing all current hardware activity.
Cautions
Some PCs may have been configured to restrict the users ability to load
software, and on these systems the software may not install/run. If you
are in any doubt about your rights to install/run software, please consult
your system administrator before attempting to install.
If you experience any problems when installing software, contact
Thorlabs on [phone] and ask for Technical Support.

13
K-Cube Piezo Driver
3.2 Mechanical Installation
3.2.1 Environmental Conditions
Location Indoor use only
Maximum altitude 2000 m
Temperature range 5oC to 40oC
Maximum Humidity Less than 80% RH (non-condensing) at 31°C
To ensure reliable operation the unit should not be exposed to corrosive agents or
excessive moisture, heat or dust.
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.
3.2.2 Mounting Options
The K-Cube Piezo Driver is shipped with a baseplate, for use when fitting the unit to
a breadboard, optical table or similar surface.
For multiple cube systems, a 3-channel and 6-channel K-Cube Controller Hub
(KCH301 and KCH601). ) are also available - see Section 2.2. for further details. Full
instructions on the fitting and use of the controller hub are contained in the handbook
available at www.thorlabs.com
Warning
The safety of any system incorporating this equipment is the
responsibility of the person performing the installation.
Warning
Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely
affect operator safety.
Cautions
When siting the unit, it should be positioned so as not to impede the
operation of the control panel buttons.
Ensure that proper airflow is maintained to the rear of the unit

14 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 3
3.2.3 Using the Baseplate
The baseplate must be bolted to the worksurface before the K-Cube is fitted, as
shown below. The K-cube is then located on two dowels in the baseplate and secured
by two clips.
Fig. 3.1 Using The Baseplate
3.3 Electrical Installation
3.3.1 Rear Panel
Fig. 3.2 Rear Panel Connections
HV OUT (SMC connector) – 0 to 150V, 0 to 7.5mA. Provides the drive signal to the
piezo actuator. The maximum voltage (75V, 100V or 150V) is set via the top panel
(see Section 4.4.3.) or via the APTsoftware ‘Settings’ panel (see Section 6.2.).
EXT IN (SMA connector) – Used to conn ect an external analogue signal source to
control the operation of the cube. The input voltage range is 0 to +10V and the input
impedance is 12 kΩ.

15
K-Cube Piezo Driver
The way the signal driving the EXT IN input controls the unit depends on the operating
mode. In open loop mode, the voltage on the EXT IN input can be used to drive the
high voltage amplifier directly and the output voltage is proportional to the driving
voltage. In closed loop mode, EXT IN can be used as a position feedback input,
designed to be driven by an external position reader (such as the KSG101 Strain
Gauge Reader). These operating modes are detailed in Section 5.3. to Section 5.6.
MONITOR (SMA connector) – This low-voltage (0 to +10V), output can be used to
monitor the signal at the HV OUT high voltage output. In its most common use, it can
be connected directly to an oscilloscope to observe the waveforms or voltage levels
present at the high voltage output.
3.3.2 Supply Voltage and Current Requirements
Caution
In open loop mode, the EXT IN connector drives the HV amplifier circuit
directly. If an external input is used, the output voltage limits (i.e. 75V, 100V or
150V) can be exceeded.
Note
The KPZ101 has two main, selectable output voltage ranges of 0 to 75V or
0 to 150V, to allow driving piezo actuators with different drive
requirements. (In addition, there is a 100V limit for operation under
software control). Regardless of which range is selected, the input and
output voltage range on the EXT IN and MONITOR connectors is always
0 to +10V full scale.
Note
Thorlabs supply a variety of SMA to BNC and SMC to BNC adaptor and
extension cables. Please see our catalog, or visit www.Thorlabs.com for
further details.
Supply Minimum Maximum Max Operating Current
+5V +4.9V +5.1V 350 mA
+15V +14.5V +15.5V 220 mA
-15V -14.5V -15.5V 50 mA

16 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 3
3.3.3 Front Panel
Fig. 3.3 Front Panel
POWER - Eight pin connector for connecting the unit to a regulated DC power supply
of the rating detailed in Section 3.3.
USB - USB port for system communications.
ON - Power ON/Standby switch - seeSection 3.3.5.
TRIG 1 and TRIG 2 - SMA connectors for use with external trigger input and output
signals (5V TTL levels). The function is set to trigger IN or OUT via the settings panel
- see Section 6.2.2.
Warning
The unit must be connected only to a DC supply as detailed in Section 3.3.
Connection to a supply of a different rating may cause damage to the unit and
could result in injury to the operator.
Caution
Ensure the power switch on the front panel of the unit is switched off
before connecting power to the K-Cube. Always power up the K-Cube unit
by its ON switch. DO NOT connect the K-Cube unit to a 'live' external
power supply. Doing so (i.e. “hot plugging”) carries the risk of
PERMANENT damage to the unit. Similarly, to power down the unit, turn
the power switch off before disconnecting the power supply.
Note
The USB cable length should be no more than 3 metres unless a powered
USB hub is being used.
KPZ101
P
O
W
E
R
+5V TTL +5V TTL
USB

17
K-Cube Piezo Driver
3.3.4 Connecting to a Power Supply
1) Using the front panel connector as shown above, connect the unit to a regulated
DC power supply of the rating detailed in Section 3.3.
2) Switch on the Power Supply unit, then switch on the KPZ101.
3) The Version number of the embedded software is displayed for a few seconds.
Thorlabs offers a com pact, two-way power supply unit (TPS002), allowing up to two
piezo driver K-Cu bes to b e powered from a single mains outlet. However, if an
external supply is to be used, see Appendix A.1 for power supply connector pin out
details.
3.3.5 Powering Down The Unit
Warning
The unit must be connected only to a DC supply as detailed in Section 3.3.
Connection to a supply of a different rating may cause damage to the unit and
could result in injury to the operator.
Caution
Ensure the power switch on the front panel of the unit is switched off
before connecting power to the K-Cube. Always power up the K-Cube unit
by its ON switch. DO NOT connect the K-Cube unit to a 'live' external
power supply. Doing so (i.e. “hot plugging”) carries the risk of
PERMANENT damage to the unit. Similarly, to power down the unit, turn
the power switch off before disconnecting the power supply.
Caution
If an external power supply is used, ensure that the 3 supply voltages are
turned on and off simultaneously. Applying the supply voltages with a
large (more than 1 second) time delay between them can result in the
piezo cube showing an incorrect reading.
Warning
The controller may cause drive voltage spikes on power down. In applications
requiring the highest sensitivity, the piezo drive voltage should be set to zero,
and the HV cable disconnected before the unit is powered down.
Always be use the front panel ON switch to power down the unit. When in the
ON position, the unit is fully powered up. When the switch is turned to the
Standby position, the unit initiates a controlled power down sequence, saving
all user-adjustable parameters to non-volatile memory before turning off the
power. For the first few seconds, the shutdown can be cancelled by turning the
switch on again, in which case the unit will save the parameters but will remain
powered up. In a powered down (Standby) state, the logic circuits are powered
off and the unit will draw only a small quiescent current.

18 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 3
3.4 Connect The Hardware
1) Perform the mechanical installation as detailed in Section 3.2.
2) Install the APT Software.
3) Connect the Controller unit to your PC.
(Note. The USB cable should be no more than 3 metres in length. Communication
lengths in excess of 3 metres can be achieved by using a powered USB hub).
4) Connect the piezo actuator to the Controller unit - see Section 3.3.1.
5) Connect the Controller unit to the power supply - see Section 3.3.2.
6) Connect the PSU to the main supply.
7) Switch ‘ON’ the unit using the switch on the front panel.
The unit takes about 5 seconds from pow er application until warm up is fi nished,
during which time the software revision is displayed. WindowsTM should detect the
new hardware. Wait while WindowsTM installs the drivers for the new hardware.
8) The unit starts up with the HV output disabled. This must be enabled before any
further settings can be adjusted - see Section 4.4.2..
Caution
During items (3) to (6) the instructions should be followed strictly in the
order stated. Problems may occur if the process is not performed in the
correct sequence.
Caution
During item (4) ensure the power supply unit is isolated from the mains
before connecting to the K-Cube unit. Always power up the K-Cube unit
by connecting its power supply to the mains. DO NOT connect the K-Cube
unit to a 'live' external power supply. Doing so (i.e. “hot plugging”) carries
the risk of PERMANENT damage to the unit. Similarly, to power down the
unit, disconnect the power suply from the mains before disconnecting
the K-Cube unit.
Note
If any problems are encountered during the connection and power up
process, power cycle the unit, which should clear the error.
Thorlabs KPZ101
SwRev 010001
Output inactive
75V N V

19
K-Cube Piezo Driver
3.5 Verifying Software Operation
The APT Software should be installed (Section 3.1.) and the controller connected to
the actuators (see Section 3.4.) and the PC, before verifying software operation.
1) Run the APTUser utility and check that the Graphical User Interface (GUI) panel
appears and is active.
Fig. 3.4 Gui panel showing jog and ident buttons
2) Click the ‘Ident’ button. The digital display on the front panel of the associated
controller flashes. This is useful in multi-channel systems for identifying whic h
channel is associated with which GUI.
3) Click the jog buttons on the GUI panel to move the piezo or axis connected to the
controller. The voltage display for the associated GUI shou ld increment and
decrement accordingly.
Caution
In applications requiring the highest level of accuracy and repeatability, it
is recommended that the controller unit is powered up approximately 30
minutes before use, in order to allow the internal temperature to stabilize.

20 HA0365T Rev D Jan 2017
Chapter 3
Follow the tutorial described in Chapter 5 for further guidance on basic operation.
Note
The 'APT Config' utility can be used to set up simulated hardware
configurations and place the APT Server into simulator mode. In this way
it is possible to create any number and type of simulated (virtual)
hardware units in order to emulate a set of real hardware. This is a
particularly useful feature, designed as an aid to application program
development and testing. Any number of 'virtual' control units are
combined to build a model of the real system, which can then be used to
test the application software offline.
If using real hardware, ensure that Simulator Mode is disabled. If using a
simulated setup, enable Simulator Mode and set up a ‘Simulated
Configuration’ - see Section 5.9. See also the APTConfig helpfile and the
tutorial videos for detailed instructions.