THORLABS Cerna CM501 User manual





CM501andCM502
Cerna®BirefringenceImaging
Microscopes

UserGuide


Cerna®‐Based,BirefringenceImagingMicroscope

TableofContents
Chapter1  Safety...........................................................................................................................1 
Chapter2  GettingStarted.............................................................................................................2 
2.4.1SampleStageandSampleHolder........................................................................................................................9
2.6.1GeneralSetup....................................................................................................................................................14
2.6.2SystemInstallation............................................................................................................................................15
Chapter3  SystemOperation.......................................................................................................25 
3.4.1MainMenu........................................................................................................................................................30
3.4.2ImagePreviewWindow....................................................................................................................................34
3.4.3CameraControl.................................................................................................................................................35
3.4.4LightSourceControl..........................................................................................................................................36
3.4.5StatusBar..........................................................................................................................................................37
3.4.6MeasurementControl.......................................................................................................................................38
3.4.7MeasurementDataViews.................................................................................................................................40
Chapter4  Applications...............................................................................................................47 
Chapter5  Maintenance..............................................................................................................54 
Chapter6  Specifications.............................................................................................................55 
Chapter7  MechanicalDrawing...................................................................................................57 
Chapter8  TroubleShooting........................................................................................................61 
Chapter9  CE/FCCCertification....................................................................................................62 
Chapter10  WarrantyandRMAInformation.................................................................................64 



Chapter11ThorlabsWorldwideContacts.....................................................................................65

Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter1:Safety
Rev.A,July27,2022 Page1
Chapter1Safety

Warning:RiskofElectricalShock
Highvoltageinside.Toavoidelectricalshock,beforepoweringup,makesurethatthegroundpin
ofthepowercordiscorrectlyconnectedtothegroundconnectorinthepowersocket.Improper
groundingcancauseelectricshockresultinginsevereinjuryorevendeath.Donotoperate
withoutthecoverinstalled.



Caution
Exceptforthemainfuse,whichisaccessiblefromtheoutsideofthehousing,CM501/CM502has
nouser‐serviceableparts.Serviceshouldonlybeperformedbytrainedservicepersonnel.



Caution
Thisunitmustnotbeoperatedinexplosiveenvironments.



Caution
TransportationanddeliverymaycausetheCM501/CM502tobewarmorcooluponreceipt.
Pleasewaitforthewholedevicetoreachroomtemperaturebeforeattemptingtooperate.



Caution
Donotoperateinwet/dampconditions.Donotobstructtheairventilationslotsinthehousing.


Note:ThisequipmenthasbeentestedandfoundtocomplywiththelimitsforaClassBdigitaldevice,pursuantto
part15oftheFCCRules.Theselimitsaredesignedtoprovidereasonableprotectionagainstharmfulinterference
inaresidentialinstallation.Thisequipmentgenerates,usesandcanradiateradiofrequencyenergyand,ifnot
installedandusedinaccordancewiththeinstructions,maycauseharmfulinterferencetoradiocommunications.
However,thereisnoguaranteethatinterferencewillnotoccurinaparticularinstallation.Ifthisequipmentdoes
causeharmfulinterferencetoradioortelevisionreception,whichcanbedeterminedbyturningtheequipment
offandon,theuserisencouragedtotrytocorrecttheinterferencebyoneormoreofthefollowingmeasures:
Reorientorrelocatethereceivingantenna.—Increasetheseparationbetweentheequipmentandreceiver.—
Connecttheequipmentintoanoutletonacircuitdifferentfromthattowhichthereceiverisconnected.—Consult
thedealeroranexperiencedradio/TVtechnicianforhelp.





Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter2:GettingStarted
Page2CTN017763‐D02
Chapter2GettingStarted
Introduction
Thorlabs’CM501/CM502Cerna®basedBirefringenceImagingMicroscopeisparticularlywell‐suitedfor
characterizingstress‐inducedbirefringence,inadditiontomeasuringtheretardanceandazimuthsofflat,planar
samples,suchascrystalsandliquidcrystaldevices,visualizebiologicalcells,likeacottonfiberorhumanhair
follicle.Thesedataareusefulinacademicresearch,medicaldiagnostics,industrialmanufacturing,andproduct
qualityassuranceapplications.
Thorlabs’CM501/CM502BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeisbasedonThorlabs’sflexibleCerna®microscopeand
includesascientific‐gradecameraandanobjectivewith10xmagnification.Systemcontrolisprovidedbyauser‐
friendlyGraphicalUserInterface(GUI).AstandardlaptoporPCthatincludestwoUSBports(USB2.0and3.0)is
requiredtorunthesoftware.Thesystemisdesignedtooperateatawavelengthof633nmandmeasures
retardanceuptoahalf‐wave(316nm),aswellasthecompleteazimuthrangefrom‐90°to+90°.Theoperational
wavelengthcanbecustomizedfrom488nmto780nm.Tocustomizethisoperationalwavelength,please
contactTechSupportat[email protected]formoredetails.
AdiagramofthesystemoperationfortheCM501/CM502microscopesisshownasbelow.AMountedLEDin
combinationwithacollimationlensandnarrowbandFilterprovidea633nmcollimatedlightsourcethatissteered
intotheliquidcrystalmodulebyaTrans‐IlluminationModule.Theliquidcrystalmodulecansetanumberof
differentlinearandcircularinputpolarizations.Thesampleundertestisplacedatthefocalplaneofan
integrated10Xobjective(NikonPlanFluorite,0.3NA).Acircularanalyzerissetatthebackfocalplaneofthe
objectivetofilterthetransmittedlight.AMonochromeScientificCamerarecordstheintensityimagesforeach
sequentialinputstateofpolarization.

Figure1OpticalSchematicofBirefringenceImagingMicroscope

Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter2:GettingStarted
Rev.A,July27,2022 Page3
PartsList–Accessories
TheCerna
®
‐BasedBirefringenceImagingMicroscopeiscarefullypackagedinaPelican1690case.Thecomplete
systemconsistsofamainunitandthefollowingstandardaccessories.
Note
AlltheCM50xBirefringenceImagingmicroscopesaresuppliedwithoneUSB3.0cable.Thesecablesare
constructedtoprovidereliabledatathroughputatalengthof3m.Donotreplacethiscablewitha3mcablefrom
adifferentvendor.Theuseofashortercable(1mor2m)mightbeacceptablebutisnotguaranteed.Neveruse
anycablethatislongerthan3monaUSB3.0system.

Item#CM501
12VDCPowerSupply,Item#DS12
PowerCord(Region‐Specific)
USBDrivewithSoftwareandManual
HighSpeedUSB2.0Type‐AtoType‐BCable,2m
SuperSpeedUSB3.0AtoMicroBCable,3m
ControlCable,2m
BirefringentNBS1963AResolutionTarget,Item#R2L2S1B
ProtectiveTapes
10xObjective,Item#N10X‐PF
CameraAssembly
LEDAssembly
9‐PieceHexKeySet,Metric,Item#CCHK/M


Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter2:GettingStarted
Page4CTN017763‐D02
Item#CM502
12VDCPowerSupply,Item#DS12
PowerCord(Region‐Specific)
USBDrivewithSoftwareandManual
HighSpeedUSB2.0Type‐AtoType‐BCable,2m
SuperSpeedUSB3.0AtoMicroBCable,3m
ControlCable,2m
BirefringentNBS1963AResolutionTarget,Item#R2L2S1B
ProtectiveTapes
10xObjective,Item#N10X‐PF
CameraAssembly
LEDAssembly
9‐PieceHexKeySet,Metric,Item#CCHK/M
Three‐ChannelControllerandKnobBox(Item#MCM3001)whichincludes:
oKnobBox
oControllerBox
oJoystickControllerCable
oPowerSupply
oPowerCord(Region‐Specific)
oUSBCable(AtoB)
oTwo1/4"‐20CapScrews,1/2"Long
oTwoM6CapScrews,12mmLong
oSix4‐40HexStand‐OffstoSecureCables
Unpacking
OpenthePelicancaseandcheckthatallaccessoriesarepackedinthecaseaccordingtotheincludedpackinglist.
Note
Alwaysweargloveswhenhandling,settingup,andworkingwiththesystem.
ThefollowingprocedureisrecommendedfortransferringtheCM501/CM502mainunittothetablewhereitwill
beoperated:
Step1:Openthecaseandremovethefirstfoamlayercarefully.Retaintheprotectivetapeanduseitto
protectthemainunitfromdustwhenrepackagingisneeded.

Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter2:GettingStarted
Rev.A,July27,2022 Page5

Figure2FirstLayerofCM501Packaging
Step2:Takeouttheaccessoriesandputthemontheopticaltable.Thenremovethesecondfoamlayer
carefully.NotethatmainunitshouldremaininthePelicancasewhilethisisdone.


Figure3SecondLayerofCM501Packaging

ProtectiveTape
FirstFoamLayer
CameraAssembly
USB3.0Cable
USBDrive
HexKeySet
CM501
MainUnit
LEDAssembly
USB2.0Cable
ControlCable
PowerCord
10xObjective
R2L2S1BResolution
Target
DS12Power
Adapter
HoldingPoint
(RightHand)
HoldingPoint
(LeftHand)

Cerna®BirefringenceImagingMicroscopeChapter2:GettingStarted
Page6CTN017763‐D02



Figure4SecondLayerofCM502Packaging
Step3:Usebothhandstotransferthemainunit,asshowninFigure5,totheopticaltable.Thenuseat
leastfourscrewstosecurethemainunittotheopticaltable.
Note
LiftingtheunitwhilegraspingitatpointsotherthanthoseshowninFigure5isnotrecommended,asthismay
causedamagetothemainunitaswellashumaninjury.Ifthereisdifficultytransportingtheunitwithtwohands
toitsfinallocation,theunitmayfirstplaceduprightonanintermediatesurfacethatisstableandflat.Theunit
maythenbetransportedtoitsfinallocationusingonehandgraspingthemainbodyrailandtheotherhand
supportingthebase.
CameraAssembly
USB3.0Cable
ControlCable
USB2.0Cables
USBDrive
HexKeySet
PowerCords
HoldingPoint
(RightHand)
HoldingPoint
(LeftHand)
CM502
MainUnit
Three‐Channel
Knob
10xObjective
R2L2S1B
ResolutionTarget
LEDAssembly
Three‐ChannelController
Three‐Channel
Controller
PowerAdapter
DS12Power
Adapter