THORLABS BP209-VIS User manual

Thorlabs Beam
Beam Analyzing Software
2022
BP209-VIS(/M), BP209IR1(/M),
and BP209-IR2(/M)
with M2MS(-AL)
Operating Manual

Copyright © 2022 Thorlabs
Version:
Date: 8.1 14-Feb-2022

Foreword
Contents 5
1 General Information 6
61.1 Ordering Codes and Accessories 71.2 Requirements
2 Getting Started 8
82.1 Parts List BP209-VIS(/M), BP209IR1(/M) and BP209-IR2(/M) 82.2 Parts List M2MS with BP209 Series
3 Operating Elements 10
103.1 BP209 Series 113.1.1 Rotation Mount 123.2 Mounting BP209 Series
4 Installation 13
134.1 Software Installation 134.2 Connection to the PC 144.3 Start the Application
5 Operating Principle 15
6 The Graphics User Interface (GUI) 16
176.1 Menu Bar 176.1.1 File Menu 186.1.2 Control Menu 196.1.3 Options Menu 226.1.4 Windows Menu 226.1.5 View Menu 236.1.6 Help Menu 246.2 Tool Bar 256.3 Status Bar 256.4 Save Settings 266.5 Beam Settings 276.5.1 Optical Setup 276.5.1.1 Wavelength 286.5.1.2 Power Correction 296.5.2 Beam Profiler Information 306.5.3 Slit Beam Profiler Parameter 316.5.3.1 Gain, Bandwidth and Baseline 316.5.3.2 Scan Rate 326.5.3.3 Miscellaneous 326.5.4 Calculation Parameter 336.5.4.1 Calculation Area

346.5.4.2 Averaging Mode 356.5.4.3 Clip Level 356.5.4.4 Hold Maximum 356.5.4.5 Autoscale to Peak 356.5.4.6 Correct Beam Width 356.5.4.7 Reference Position 366.5.4.8 Unit 366.5.5 Plot Over Time Parameter 376.5.6 Translation Stage Control 396.6 Child Windows 406.6.1 2D Reconstruction 426.6.2 3D Profile 436.6.3 X and Y Profiles 446.6.4 Zooming and Panning Diagrams 456.6.5 Calculation Results 496.6.6 Manual Vergence Measurement 516.6.7 Tuning View 536.6.8 Beam Overlapping 556.6.9 Plots 566.6.9.1 Plot Positions 576.6.9.2 Plot Power 586.6.9.3 Plot Diameters 586.6.9.4 Plot Gaussian Fit 606.6.9.5 Plot Environment Data 616.6.9.6 Beam Stability
7 Operation Instructions 63
637.1 Measurement with the Beam Profiler 637.1.1 Operating the Instrument 657.1.2 Pass/Fail Test 667.1.3 Save Measurement Results 677.1.3.1 Export Device Data 697.1.3.2 Print Windows 707.1.3.3 Save Test Protocol 727.1.4 Pulsed Laser Sources 747.1.5 Knife Edge Mode 777.2 Beam Quality (M²) Measurement 777.2.1 General 797.2.2 M2MS Operating Principle 807.2.3 Beam Diameter Requirements 817.2.4 M² Meter Extension Set 827.2.5 M² Meter Set with BP209 Slit Beam Profiler 837.2.6 Setup M2MS

857.2.6.1 Mounting the Beam Profiler 867.2.6.2 Connecting M2MS to the PC 877.2.7 M² Measurement 887.2.7.1 Beam Alignment 977.2.7.2 M² Measurement Panel 997.2.7.3 M² Settings 1017.2.7.4 Saving the M² Measurement Results 1057.2.7.5 Running the M² Measurement 1067.2.7.6 M² Measurement Results 1117.2.7.7 M² Troubleshooting 1147.2.7.8 Live Adjustment 1157.2.8 Divergence Measurement 1157.2.8.1 Beam Alignment 1237.2.8.2 Divergence Measurement Panel 1257.2.8.3 Divergence Measurement Settings 1267.2.8.4 Saving the Divergence Measurement Results 1267.2.8.5 Running the Divergence Measurement 1277.2.8.6 Divergence Measurement Results 1297.2.8.7 Live Adjustment 1307.2.9 M² Theory
8 Write Your Own Application 133
1348.1 32 bit Operating System 1368.2 64 bit Operating System
9 Maintenance and Repair 138
1389.1 Version and Other Information 1389.2 Cleaning 1399.3 Troubleshooting 1409.3.1 Warnings and Errors
10 Application Note 141
14110.1 Coordinate Systems 14110.2 Raw Data Measurements 14210.3 Ellipse (Fitted) 14310.4 X-Y-Profile Measurement 14310.5 Gaussian Fit Measurement 14410.6 Bessel Fit
11 Appendix 145
14511.1 Technical Data BP209 Series 14611.2 Technical Data M2MS-BP209 14711.3 Technical Data M2MS Extension Sets 14811.4 Typical Photodiode Response Curves 15011.5 Power Ranges

15111.6 Initial Settings 15211.7 Drawing BP209 15411.8 Slit and Photodiode Position 15511.9 Drawing BP209 Mounting Adapter 15611.10 Drawing M2MS-BP209 15711.11 Compatibility with Older Hardware 15811.12 List of Acronyms 15911.13 Safety 16011.14 Certifications and Compliances 16111.15 Return of Devices 16111.16 Manufacturer Address 16111.17 Warranty 16111.18 Exclusion of Liability and Copyright 16211.19 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts

© 2022 Thorlabs
We aim to develop and produce the best solution for your application
in the field of optical measurement technique. To help us to live up to
your expectations and constantly improve our products we need
your ideas and suggestions. Therefore, please let us know about
possible criticism or ideas. We and our international partners are
looking forward to hearing from you.
Thorlabs GmbH
Warning
Sections marked by this symbol explain dangers that might result in
personal injury or death. Always read the associated information
carefully, before performing the indicated procedure.
Please read this advice carefully!
This manual also contains "NOTES" and "HINTS" written in this form.
Attention
Paragraphs preceded by this symbol explain hazards that could
damage the instrument and the connected equipment or may cause
loss of data.
Note
5

BP209 Series 1 General Information
Page 6 21424-D02
1 General Information
The BP209 Series Thorlabs Dual Scanning Slit Beam Profilers are ideal for analyzing cross
sectional profiles of near-Gaussian laser beams and can be operated in scanning-slit or knife-
edge modes. The beam diameter is measured in accordance with the ISO 11146 standard and
can be displayed using a number of industry-standard clip levels or an arbitrary clip level set by
the user. When the beam of interest does not have a near-Gaussian beam shape, or when
single-shot measurements of pulsed beams are required, we recommend the Thorlabs BC207
CMOS Camera Beam Profilers.
With the BP209 beam profiler, measurements of the intensity profiles along the user-specified
X and Y axes of the beam's cross section are acquired at scan rates between 2 Hz and 20 Hz,
Scan rates can bet set in the Beam Software. The fast 20 Hz scan rate enables real-time op-
tical system alignment. Primarily intended for CW laser beams, >10 Hz pulsed beams can also
be measured using an averaging technique.
These measurements can be used for beam quality evaluation, examination of the reconstruc-
ted beam profile, and monitoring long-term stability.
Three BP209 Dual Scanning Slit beam profiler models are available with different wavelength
ranges: BP209-VIS(/M), BP209IR1(/M), and BP209-IR2(/M). Each can be purchased as a met-
ric or imperial version. For the purpose of this manual, the versions are referred to a
BP209xxx(/M).
The Beam Software versions 8.0 and higher support the BP209 Beam Profiler. The Beam Soft-
ware is provided for download from the software tab on the Thorlabs website.
To convert Thorlabs beam profilers into a M² measurement system, Thorlabs offers the M2MS(-
AL) extension sets. For more information please visit the Thorlabs website.
1.1 Ordering Codes and Accessories
BP209-VIS
Slit Beam Profiler, 200 - 1100 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
imperial version
BP209-VIS/M
Slit Beam Profiler, 200 - 1100 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
metric version
BP209IR1
Slit Beam Profiler, 500 - 1700 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
imperial version
BP209IR1/M
Slit Beam Profiler, 500 - 1700 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
metric version
BP209-IR2
Slit Beam Profiler, 900 - 2700 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
imperial version
BP209-IR2/M
Slit Beam Profiler, 900 - 2700 nm, 9 mm aperture, 5 and 25 µm slits,
metric version

BP209 Series 1 General Information
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 7
M² Measurement System with Slit Beam Profiler
The M2MS-BP209 comprises the M2MS Extension and a mounted BP209 Beam Profiler. The
following models are available:
Item Number
Description
M2MS-BP209VIS-AL
M2 Measurement System with BP209-VIS, 250 - 600 nm
M2MS-BP209VIS-AL/M
M2 Measurement System with BP209-VIS, 250 - 600 nm, metric
M2MS-BP209VIS
M2 Measurement System with BP209-VIS, 400 - 1100 nm
M2MS-BP209VIS/M
M2 Measurement System with BP209-VIS, 400 - 1100 nm, metric
M2MS-BP209IR2
M2 Measurement System with BP209-IR2, 900 - 2700 nm
M2MS-BP209IR2/M
M2 Measurement System with BP209-IR2, 900 - 2700 nm, metric
Please visit our homepage http://www.thorlabs.com for further information.
1.2 Requirements
These are the requirements for the PC intended to be used for operation of the BP209 Series
of slit beam profilers using the Thorlabs Beam Software V8.0 or higher. Please find the BEAM
Software for download from the Beam Software website.
Hardware Requirements
·Processor (CPU): 3.0 GHz Intel Core (i5 or Higher)1
·Memory (RAM): 4.0 GB
·Graphic Card Resolution: OpenGL (specification GLX 1.3 up) compatible graphics
adapter:
·Radeon (X100 series X850, X1000 series X1600, HD
series 2400)
·Geforce 7 series 7600, 8 series 8500, 9 series 9600
·Quadro FX series FX770M
·Hard Drive: Min. 2 GB of available disk space
·Interface: Free USB 2.0 port
·Monitor resolution minimum 1024 x 758 pixel ( 16 bit color depth)
1) Intel Core i3 processors and mobile versions of Intel processors may not satisfy the re-
quirements.
The Thorlabs Beam Software is compatible with the following operating systems:
·Windows®8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit)
·Windows®10 (32-bit or 64-bit)
Recommended for Optimal Performance:
·USB 2.0 port
·Processor: Intel Core 2 i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 (min. 3.0 GHz), 8.0 GB RAM
·OpenGL (specification GLX 1.3 up) compatible graphics adapter:
§Radeon HD series 7000
§Geforce GTX series 500

BP209 Series 2 Getting Started
Page 8 21424-D02
2 Getting Started
Please inspect the shipping container for damage. Please do not cut through the cardboard.
You might need the box for storage or for returns.
If the shipping container seems to be damaged, keep it until you have inspected the contents
for completeness and tested the BP209 Series device mechanically and electrically.
Verify that you have received the following items within the package:
2.1 Parts List BP209-VIS(/M), BP209IR1(/M) and BP209-IR2(/M)
·1 BP209 Series Beam Profiler Instrument as an External Measurement Head with Dust
Cover
·1 USB 2.0 Cable A to Mini B, Length 3.0 m
·Quick Reference
2.2 Parts List M2MS with BP209 Series
If you have purchased am M2measurement system consisting of the M2MS Extension Set with
the BP209 Series Beam Profiler, the package will contain the following items:
1. M2MS-BP209VIS-AL(/M)
·M2MS-BP209VIS-AL (/M) Measurement System with mounted BP209-VIS (/M) Slit Beam
Profiler
·Power supply 100 to 240 V AC / 15 V 3 A DC
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, 3 m length
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, angled, 0.5 m length
·1 pcs. 0.05" Hex Key
·M2MS Accessory Box UV, that includes:
·1 pcs. LA4158-UV Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, UV AR coating
·1 pcs. LA1461-A Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 350 - 700 nm
·4 pcs. CL6 Rail clamps
·1 pcs. M2MS Adjustment laser
·1 pcs. Ball Driver 3 mm
·1 pcs. spare screw M4x10
·Quick Reference
2. M2MS-BP209VIS(/M)
·M2MSBP-209VIS (/M) Measurement System with mounted BP209-VIS (/M) Slit Beam
Profiler
·Power supply 100 to 240 V AC / 15 V 3 A DC
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, 3 m length
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, angled, 0.5 m length
·1 pcs. 0.05" Hex Key
·M2MS Accessory Box VIS, that includes:
·1 pcs. LA1461-A Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 350 - 700 nm
·1 pcs. LA1461-B Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 650 - 1050 nm
·1 pcs. LA1461-C Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 1050 - 1700 nm
·1 pcs. LA5255-D Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 1650 - 3000 nm
·4 pcs. CL6 Rail clamps

BP209 Series 2 Getting Started
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 9
·1 pcs. M2MS Adjustment laser
·1 pcs. Ball Driver 3 mm
·1 pcs. spare screw M4x10
·Quick Reference
4. M2MS-BP209IR2(/M)
·M2MS Measurement System with mounted BP209-IR2(/M) Slit Beam Profiler
·Power supply 100 to 240 V AC / 15 V 3 A DC
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, 3 m length
·Cable USB 2.0 A to Mini B, angled, 0.5 m length
·1 pcs. 0.05" Hex Key
·M2MS Accessory Box VIS, that includes:
·1 pcs. LA1461-A Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 350 - 700 nm
·1 pcs. LA1461-B Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 650 - 1050 nm
·1 pcs. LA1461-C Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 1050 - 1700 nm
·1 pcs. LA5255-D Plano Convex Lens, f = 250 mm, AR coating 1650 - 3000 nm
·4 pcs. CL6 Rail clamps
·1 pcs. M2MS Adjustment laser
·1 pcs. Ball Driver 3 mm
·1 pcs. spare screw M4x10
·Quick Reference

BP209 Series 3 Operating Elements
Page 10 21424-D02
3 Operating Elements
3.1 BP209 Series
The components of the BP209-VIS are labeled in the image below. Aside from the mounting
thread on the Mounting Plate , BP209-VIS and BP209-VIS/M are identical. BP209IR1(/M)
and BP209-IR2(/M) outer dimensions and components are identical to BP209-VIS(/M).
BP209-VIS
12

BP209 Series 3 Operating Elements
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 11
3.1.1 Rotation Mount
The BP209 Series Beam Profilers are external optical beam measurement sensors that are de-
signed for free-space applications and come with a rotation mount.
The rotation mount provides up to ± 60° of manual rotation for the X and Y scan axes. Release
the plug on the top and move it to the left or right while keeping the mount fixed - the BP209
Beam Profiler rotates within its outer housing. To arrive at the desired angle use the markers on
the front plate. This way the beam profile can be measured at different directions.
Note
For accurate measurement results make sure the beam enters the input aperture perpendicular
to the front plane and as close as possible to the center of the aperture.
The rotation capability of the sensor with respect to the beam is essential for correct beam el-
lipticity measurements.
Since the major and minor axes of an elliptical beam may have arbitrary position in space, the
scan axes of the Beam Profiler needs to be oriented to these axes in order to measure the real
ellipticity. For the most accurate alignment, it is best to rotate the BP209 while observing the X
and Y profiles. Determine the point where the profile width in one axis reaches the minimum
and the maximum in the other axis.
Note
Without scan axes alignment the ellipticity measurement may become erroneous!

BP209 Series 3 Operating Elements
Page 12 21424-D02
3.2 Mounting BP209 Series
For mounting the bottom the Beam Profiler has a mounting plate with 2 threaded mounting
holes. All metric models have a M4 and a M6 thread and the imperial models have an 8-32 and
a 1/4-20 thread.
Metric Version
Imperial Version
Please mount the BP209 Series Beam Profiler on the optical bench using a Thorlabs post, post
holder and a base or clamping fork.

BP209 Series 4 Installation
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 13
4 Installation
4.1 Software Installation
The Beam Software can be downloaded from the Thorlabs website:
http://www.thorlabs.com/software_pages/ViewSoftwarePage.cfm?Code=Beam
Please check for updates to the Thorlabs Beam Software and always use the latest Software
version.
The Beam software versions 8.0 or higher support the beam profiler series BP209, BC106N,
and BC207. Software versions below V8.0 do not support the BC207 Series.
·Save the ZIP file to your computer and unpack the archive. The Install Shield Wizards starts
by double-clicking the setup.exe.
·The installation contains 2 main parts - the NI-VISA™ Runtime V17.0 and the Beam Software
itself, including drivers and the manual.
·Please read the license agreements carefully, choose "I agree" and click 'Next'.
·Windows Security will ask your confirmation to install the Thorlabs USB driver.
·You may check the box "Always trust software from "Thorlabs GmbH".This will shorten the in-
stallation. However, if you do not want to do that, please click the "Install" button. You will
then be asked to confirm the installation of further Thorlabs software components. Please in-
stall the instrument driver packages as well as the Firmware Loader Driver Package.
·When all drivers are installed, the "Read Me" comes up.
·Click "Next", then "Finish" to complete the software installation.
4.2 Connection to the PC
Connect the BP209 Series Beam Profiler to a USB 2.0 port of your computer. Use only the
cable that comes with the beam profiler or a cable qualified for high speed USB 2.0 standard.
Attention
Use only the supplied high speed (USB 2.0) cable. USB 1.1 cables can cause transmis-
sion errors and improper instrument operation!
Please make sure, that the USB cable is connected to a USB 2.0 port or that a used USB
HUB provides sufficient power. Some models may not be able to deliver the specified
max. current (500mA).
After connecting the instrument to the PC, the operating system loads the appropriate USB
drivers for the Beam Profiler instrument.
Once connected, an icon will appear in the task bar indicating that the driver installation is in
progress
To verify the correct driver installation, check the presence of the instrument in the Device Man-
ager: From the Start button select Control Panel to Device Manager.
If you cannot see an entry please check the troubleshooting section.
139

BP209 Series 4 Installation
Page 14 21424-D02
4.3 Start the Application
Click the "Programs" g"Thorlabs" g"Thorlabs Beam Application" entry, or simply click the ap-
propriate icon added to your desktop.
The connected instrument is recognized, automatically connected and shown in the Beam Set-
tings panel:
Usually the Beam Software connects automatically to the instrument that has been connected
first. If you have connected more than one Beam Profiler and want to use another than the con-
nected device, select to the icon "Device Connection" and click the desired instrument.
Click on 'Refresh Device List' for an update if you have very recently connected or removed a
Beam Profiler instrument from your PC. If an expected instrument is still missing check if the
USB driver is properly installed (see chapter Troubleshooting ).
After selecting a Beam Profiler it will be connected and displayed in the Beam Settings Panel
, where all available settings and adjustments to the Beam Profiler can be made.
It is advisable to read the steps described in the chapter Measurement with the Beam Pro-
filer carefully in order to setup your Beam Profiler device and application properly.
When the Beam Profiler Software is started for the first time, three preselected windows are
opened and arranged automatically: Calculation Results, 2D Reconstruction, 3D Profile. Other-
wise, the arrangement of the last session (selected windows and their position) will be re-
covered. See the Child Windows chapter for a detailed description of each window.
139
26
63
39

BP209 Series 5 Operating Principle
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 15
5 Operating Principle
The BP209 Series uses the principle of scanning slits mounted on the perimeter of a rotating
drum. This drum is equipped with a position encoder, which delivers exact information on the
actual drum position to the analyzing software. Two silt pairs (5 µm slit width for normal mea-
surement and 25 µm slit width for knife-edge measurement) are mounted to the drum.
The slit pairs are oriented orthogonally at angles +45° and -45° with respect to the rotation axis.
This scanning axis is tilted at 45° so that the scanning directions of the slits appear as 0° (hori-
zontal) and 90° (vertical), respectively. These scanning directions are marked as X and Y on
the front of the instrument.
Using the rotation mount these scanning axes can be tilted to within ± 60° in order to adapt it to
the major and minor axes of an elliptical beam.
Beside the two slit pairs, the drum has an aperture with a neutral density (ND) filter. This aper-
ture is used to take integral power measurements during every revolution.
Note that this power measurement readout is the result of a separate integral beam power
measurement (through the ND filter), and not a result of mathematical integration across the
scanned beam profile.

BP209 Series 6 The Graphics User Interface (GUI)
Page 16 21424-D02
6 The Graphics User Interface (GUI)
In this manual, the Beam Software is described based on a setup using a BP209-VIS/M on the
M2MS measurement extension for M2measurements, connected to a PC running with OS
Windows®10.
The main window consists of a menu bar (1), a tool bar (2), a status bar (3) and common frame
for displaying several child windows. When starting the application, an additional window is dis-
played within the main window - the Beam Settings (4) panel. This panel can be unpinned
from the main window and moved to a different display location, e.g., to a second monitor.
26

BP209 Series 6 The Graphics User Interface (GUI)
Rev: 8.1, 14-Feb-2022 © 2022 Thorlabs Page 17
6.1 Menu Bar
All user activities can be done using the menu bar items
6.1.1 File Menu
These menu entries deal with files or printing.
The entries in the first block, Import and Export Configuration, are related to XML files which
contain information about the chosen Beam Profiler device and its settings, file export paramet-
ers and application settings. In order to copy the GUI appearance and Beam Profiler settings to
another PC you need to save the configuration file, copy it and load it on the target system.
The entries in the second block, Import and Export Device Data, are used to import and ex-
port data originally retrieved from the Beam Profiler in CSV format. Intensity values are saved
to a text matrix.
There are 4 columns:
Column
Content
1
X position in µm
2
Intensity at X position
3
Y position in µm
4
Intensity at Y position
A sequential saving is available as well. Details please see in section Calculation Results .
Print
With the Print Application Window a screenshot of the Beam Profiler application is printed.
The Print Active Window entry prints the current active child window of the Beam Profiler ap-
plication. This function gives you the opportunity to print a specific child window.
The Save Test Protocol opens a dialog window, where individual data can be entered. Click
"Save" and then "Close" to save a test report with the calculation results and the current projec-
tion image to the indicated location. If the 3D Profile window is opened, a screenshot of the 3D
Profile is also included in the test report.
See some detailed examples for data export in the Save Measurement Results chapter.
48
66

BP209 Series 6 The Graphics User Interface (GUI)
Page 18 21424-D02
6.1.2 Control Menu
Use the first menu entry to start and pause the continuous
operation of the Beam Profiler device including retrieving measure-
ment data, performing calculations and displaying graphs and nu-
merical results to the output windows.
"Next Frame" starts a single measurement and returns to pause
state.
When the GUI is started or the active Beam Profiler instrument is
changed, the application will start continuous operation automatically. Pausing the consecutive
operation is advantageous for detailed analysis of a single image. The paused Beam Profiler
can be restarted at any time.
The "Clear Windows" function resets the content of all windows, including child windows. The
window content will be filled with the next measurement result received from the instrument.
This function may be useful for a synchronous restart of all plots and time-based measure-
ments.
Note
The measurement of all beam parameters and the accumulation of calculated data is started
automatically with the software start. "Clear Windows" deletes all accumulated data and re-
starts the measurement.
Start NI Network Variables
This feature is a data interface for handing over the parameters listed below to an external pro-
gram environment such as LabVIEW.
·Saturation (in %)
·Total Power
·Base Line X and Y
·Peak Value X and Y
·Distance of Peak to Reference Position X and Y
·Distance of Centroid to Reference Position X and Y
·Sigma X and Y
·Beam Width Clip X and Y
·Ellipse Diameter Min and Max
·Gauss Diameter X and Y
·Ellipticity
·User Power Offset
·Serial Number
·Reference Position X and Y
Note
In order to use this command, you need to have installed additional National Instruments®soft-
ware (Distributed System Manager, NI CVI Runtime Engine).