Wavelength Electronics LAB Series User manual

VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT
Remote Control of LAB Series Instruments
QCL LAB, TC LAB, LDTC LAB
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS 1
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - QC LAB 2
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - TC LAB 6
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - LDTC LAB 14
ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION 25
TROUBLESHOOTING 26
WARRANTY & CERTIFICATION 27
Applies to Revision 1
© October 2019
406-587-4910
www.teamWavelength.com
COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows Operating System Compatibility
Windows 10/8.1/8/7 SP1 (32- and 64-bit)
Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit)
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (64-bit)
Processor Pentium III/Celeron 866 MHz (or equivalent) or later (32-bit)
Pentium 4 G1 (or equivalent) or later (64-bit)
RAM 256 MB minimum
Screen Resolution 1024 x 768 pixels
Disk Space 5 GB available hard disk space (32-bit)
20 GB DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver (64-bit)
Installation Prerequisites
NI LabVIEW®
-OR-
NI Runtime Engine for 2015, SP1 - 32 bit (2017, 64 bit for LDTC LAB)
NI-VISA Device Drivers
COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS
e
REMOTE INSTRUMENT CONTROL
Wavelength's Virtual Instruments o󰀨er higher level remote
control based on the Command Set for these TMC class
instruments. See the LAB Series Instrument Command Set
document for lower level control.
These free applications are executable les that use the
National Instruments Run Time Engine.
One of each type of instrument can be operated at a time.
If you would like di󰀨erent default values or functionality,
or the full VI, contact Technical Support. Custom Virtual
Instruments can easily be coded.

2
4. On the Virtual Instrument toolbar, click the
Run icon to communicate with the instrument once you
have entered the operating values on the Settings &
Monitors tab and want to apply the settings. If this icon
is visible, the VI is not running and any changes made on
screen will not be implemented.
ADDITIONAL CONTROLS
Running: Indicates that the instrument and application
are communicating and commands to implement
settings are continuously sent.
Run Continuously: This control is not used.
Running Continuously: This control is not used.
Abort Execution: This stops the application immediately,
interrupting any commands that are currently in process.
It is NOT recommended to use this method of stopping
the application. Instead, use the STOP button.
Stop: Use the Stop button to gracefully end
remote control of the instrument. Any commands
in process are completed prior to ending remote
control. The QCL LAB instrument will continue to
run in LOCAL MODE.
The QCL LAB rmware version must be 1.5 or greater to
operate with this VI.
INSTALL THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
RUNTIME ENGINE 2015
Prior to installing Wavelength's Virtual Instrument application,
the National Instrument (NI) Runtime Engine 2015 must be
installed on the remote computer.
When installing the Virtual Instrument .EXE le, if the Runtime
Engine is not already installed on the computer, a message
with a link to the NI website download page opens. Follow
the download instructions on the page. The Runtime Engine
can take several minutes to install and requires restarting the
computer.
INSTALL QCL LAB VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT
APPLICATION
1. On the Wavelength QCL Software Downloads page, click
the LabVIEW Interface for QCL LAB Series Instrument
and download it to the computer.
2. Save the le to the computer, and open it.
3. Follow the prompts to install the application.
CONNECT THE QCL LAB TO THE REMOTE
COMPUTER
1. Connect a USB or Ethernet cable from the instrument
to the remote computer and turn on the rear panel
power switch. See the QCL LAB datasheet for other
connections.
NOTE: If using an Ethernet connection, congure the
network settings with NI-MAX or similar.
2. On the computer, open the Virtual Instrument application.
3. On the Device Selection tab, in the QCL Instrument ID
eld, choose the instrument to communicate with. The
instrument is identied by the Serial Number, as shown
in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Device Selection Tab
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - QC LAB

3
SETTINGS & MONITORS TAB
The Settings & Monitors tab is used as the main control for
remote operation.
Power: The Power button functions the same as the front
panel power switch on the instrument.
Enable: The Enable button enables current to the load and
functions the same as the Enable button on the front panel of
the QCL LAB instrument.
SETTINGS
Setpoint (A): In the Setpoint control, type the desired
setpoint, in Amps, that will be driven to the load. The range
is 0 Amps to the maximum output current allowed by the QCL
LAB instrument selected.
Current Limit (A): In the Current Limit control, type the
maximum value, in Amps, that the QCL LAB instrument
should not exceed to the laser. The range must be between
8% and 120% of the maximum current allowed by the QCL
LAB instrument selected.
Max Supply Voltage (V): In the Max Supply Voltage control,
type the maximum voltage, in Volts, from the internal supply.
The range must be between 18 V and 28 V. The available
voltage to the load is about 8 V below the value specied.
Cable Resistance (Ω): In the Cable Resistance control, type
the resistance of the cable, in Ohms, between the QCL LAB
instrument and the load. The QCL voltage displayed will be:
VDISPLAYED = VACTUAL - (RCABLE * IOUTPUT)
This calibration parameter gives a better representation of the
voltage at the actual load. The range is 0 to 4 Ohms.
Turn On Delay (msec): In the Turn On Delay control, type
the time, in milliseconds, to delay sending current to the load
after the Enable button or control is pressed. The range is an
integer between 1 and 25500 milliseconds. Factory default is
2 seconds to match CDRH safety requirements.
MONITORS
Actual QCL Current (A): Monitor output current, in Amps, to
the load.
Actual QCL Voltage (V): Monitor output voltage, in Volts, to
the load.
Interlock Status: The green indicator illuminates when all
interlocks are set to enable the output current. The front panel
key switch must be turned to ON (unlocked), and active and
passive interlock inputs on the rear panel must be congured
to allow output. When this indicator is grayed and the Enable
button is pushed, an interlock error will be triggered by the
QCL LAB instrument.
Figure 2. Settings & Monitors Tab

4
VI SCAN TAB
Perform a VI characterization scan of the QCL load. Input
scan settings, le name and location to store the scan data,
and start or stop the scan.
Current Start (A): In the Current Start control, type the
current, in Amps, at which to start the VI scan. The scan
records current versus voltage data for the load. The range
is 0 Amps to the maximum output current allowed by the QCL
LAB instrument selected.
Current Stop (A): In the Current Stop control, type the
current, in Amps, at which to stop the VI scan. The range is
0 Amps to the maximum output current allowed by the QCL
LAB instrument selected. The scan will not increase current
beyond the Current Limit set on the Settings & Monitors tab.
Step Size (A): In the Step Size control, type the magnitude, in
Amps, for each step in the VI scan. The step size and duration
determines the length of the scan. The minimum step size
must be non-zero. A negative value will result in a scan with
decreasing current.
Step Duration (sec): In the Step Duration control, type the
time delay, in seconds, between each step in the VI scan.
The step size and duration determines the length of the scan.
The range is 1 to 10 seconds. A duration of greater than 2
seconds is recommended for best stability.
VI Scan Data Graph: Plot of output current versus load
voltage.
VI Scan File Path: Type the le path to the location where the
scan data is to be stored. Click the folder icon to browse for a
location. A le name must be provided before a scan can be
run.
VI Scan File Header: In the VI Scan File Header control,
type the heading that appears at the top of a new scan data
le. If you are appending data to an existing le, the header
name will not be changed in the le regardless of whether this
control eld has changed.
VI Scan Start/Stop: Click this button to start or stop a scan.
A le path must be specied before running a scan. When the
button is lit, the scan is running. The button turns gray when
the scan is complete. To stop a scan in progress, click the
button.
Figure 3. VI Scan Tab - Results with Resistive Test Load

5
DATA LOGGING TAB
The chart display starts when the Virtual Instrument application
starts. It displays the last 17 minutes of data.
Interval (sec): In the Interval control, type the desired interval, in
seconds, for data to be recorded. The range is 1 to 10 seconds.
Log Data button: Click this button to start or stop logging output
current and current limit data to a le. A le path must be specied
before data can be logged. When the button is lit, the data is
being recorded. To stop logging data, click the button again.
Output Data Graph: Plot of output current and current limit. This
data is live and only logged to the le specied in the le path
selected below when the Log Data button is pressed.
Output Current (A): The output current is shown in white.
Current Limit (V): The current limit is shown in red.
Logged Data File Path: Type a le path to the location where the
data is to be stored. Click the folder icon to browse for a location.
A le location must be specied before data can be logged.
Logged Data File Header: In the Logged Data File Header
control, type the heading that appears at the top of a new data
le. If appending data, the le header is not rewritten.
ADDITIONAL SETUP TAB
Get Errors: Click the Get Errors button to retrieve all error codes
stored on the QCL LAB instrument. These are displayed in the
Error Text eld. See the QCL LAB datasheet for more information
on error messages. Once the errors have been retrieved, the
button turns gray and the errors are automatically cleared from
the instrument error queue.
Existing Prole Name: Click in the eld to list all of the existing
prole names stored on the QCL LAB instrument. The name
selected in this control is a󰀨ected by the Save New Prole Name
control.
Save New Prole Name: Two lines can be saved as a prole
name in the instrument. Enter the name you want and then press
the Save New Prole Name control to save a new name (line 1 &
line 2) to the prole listed under the existing name. A maximum
of 15 characters is allowed in each line.
New Name Line 1: A maximum of 15 characters is allowed.
New Name Line 2: A maximum of 15 characters is allowed.
Figure 4. Data Logging Tab
Figure 5. Additional Setup Tab

6
4. On the Virtual Instrument toolbar, click the
Run icon to communicate with the instrument once you
have entered the operating values on the Settings &
Monitors tab and want to apply the settings. If this icon
is visible, the VI is not running, and any changes made
on screen will not be implemented.
ADDITIONAL CONTROLS
Running: Indicates that the instrument and application
are communicating and commands to implement
settings are continuously sent.
Run Continuously: This control is not used.
Running Continuously: This control is not used.
Abort Execution: This stops the application immediately,
interrupting any commands that are currently in process.
It is NOT recommended to use this method of stopping
the application. Instead, use the STOP button.
Stop: Use the Stop button to gracefully end
remote control of the instrument. Any commands
in process are completed prior to ending remote
control. The TC LAB instrument will continue to
run in LOCAL MODE.
INSTALL THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
RUNTIME ENGINE 2015
Prior to installing Wavelength's Virtual Instrument application,
the National Instrument (NI) Runtime Engine 2015 must be
installed on the remote computer.
When installing the Virtual Instrument .EXE le, if the Runtime
Engine is not already installed on the computer, a message
with a link to the NI website download page opens. Follow
the download instructions on the page. The Runtime Engine
can take several minutes to install and requires restarting the
computer.
INSTALL TC LAB VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT
APPLICATION
1. On the Wavelength TC Software Downloads page,
click the LabVIEW Interface for the TC LAB Series and
download it to the computer.
2. Save the le to the computer, and open it.
3. Follow the prompts to install the application.
CONNECT THE TC LAB TO THE REMOTE
COMPUTER
1. Connect a USB or Ethernet cable from the instrument to
the remote computer and turn on the rear panel power
switch. See the TC LAB datasheet for other connections.
NOTE: If using an Ethernet connection, congure the
network settings with NI-MAX or similar.
2. On the computer, open the Virtual Instrument application.
3. On the Device Selection tab, in the TC Device ID
eld, choose the instrument to communicate with. The
instrument is identied by the Serial Number, as shown
in Figure 6.
Instrument Serial Number
Figure 6. Device Selection Tab
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - TC LAB

7
SETTINGS & MONITORS TAB
The Settings & Monitors tab is used as the main control for remote operation.
Temp Limit Min (°C): In the Temp Limit Min control, type the
minimum temperature limit value, in degrees Celsius. This
sets the lower limit both for the temperature setpoint and
for triggering the laser diode shutdown output. The range is
between -99 and +250°C, and may not be greater than the
value for the temperature setpoint.
Internal Max Voltage (V): In the Internal Max Voltage control,
type the voltage limit, in Volts, that is available to the load. The
range is between 9 and 18V.
MONITORS
Actual Temperature (°C): Monitor the Actual Temperature in
degrees Celsius. The sensor calibration is determined on the
Sensor tab.
TEC Current (A): Monitor the output current through the load
in Amps.
TEC Voltage (V): Monitor the voltage across the load in Volts.
Auxiliary Temperature (°C): Monitor the temperature of the
auxiliary sensor in degrees Celsius.
LED INDICATORS
In Tolerance: LED becomes lit when the relationship between
actual and setpoint temperatures is within the Tolerance
Parameters. Tolerance Parameters are congured on the
Additional Setup tab.
Current Limit: This LED becomes lit when the TC LAB
instrument is operating in either the positive or negative
current limit set in Current Limit.
Power: The Power button functions the same as the front
panel power switch on the instrument.
Enable: The Enable button enables current to the load and
functions the same as the Enable button on the front panel of
the TC LAB instrument.
SETTINGS
Temperature Setpoint (°C): In the Temperature Setpoint
control, type the desired setpoint, in degrees Celsius. The
instrument will attempt to control the load to the temperature
entered when output current is enabled. The range is
determined by the Temp Limit Min and Temp Limit Max
controls below.
Current Limit + (A): In the Current Limit+ control, type the
maximum value, in Amps, that the TC LAB instrument should
not exceed to the load in the positive direction. The range is
between 0 and the maximum current allowed by the TC LAB
instrument selected.
Current Limit - (A): In the Current Limit- control, type the
maximum current, in Amps, that the TC LAB instrument should
not exceed to the load in the negative direction. The range is
between 0 and the maximum current allowed by the TC LAB
instrument selected. Although this is the negative current limit,
it should be entered as a positive number.
Temp Limit Max (°C): In the Temp Limit Max control, type the
maximum temperature limit value, in degrees Celsius. This
sets the upper limit both for the setpoint and for triggering
the laser diode shutdown output. The range is between -99
and +250°C, and may not be less than the value for the
temperature setpoint.
Figure 7. Settings & Monitors Tab

8
INTELLITUNE®SETTINGS
IntelliTune Mode: Choose IntelliTune Mode. The TC LAB
instrument will characterize the best PID parameters for your
load based on this setting once the IntelliTune Start button is
pressed if not in Manual Tune mode.
• Manual Tune - IntelliTune will not run.
• Setpoint Response - Drives the load to temperature
fastest.
• Disturbance Rejection - Minimizes overshoot.
See the IntelliTune Application Note for more information.
Valid IntelliTune Active: This LED becomes lit when valid
IntelliTune data is stored for the currently selected sensor.
IntelliTune Start: Start an IntelliTune cycle based on the
selection on the IntelliTune Mode control. The button will
remain lit until the scan is complete. Clicking the button again
after starting IntelliTune will not stop the cycle. The IntelliTune
Abort button must be used to stop a cycle in progress. If
IntelliTune does not complete properly, call customer support
for assistance.
IntelliTune Abort: Stop an IntelliTune cycle in progress.
Manual Update PID: Pushing this button will update the PID
coe󰀩cients to those congured in the controls below.
Actual PID: Monitors the actual proportional, integrator,
and derivative terms. These terms will automatically update
if IntelliTune mode is changed between Setpoint Response
and Disturbance Rejection modes if a valid IntelliTune scan
is active.
Edit PID: These controls set the proportional, integrator, and
derivative terms for Manual Tuning. P, I, and D will be set to
the present control parameters when the Manual Update PID
button is pressed.

9
SENSOR TAB
The Sensor tab is where the active sensor is chosen, custom sensors are created, or bias currents are adjusted.
Set as Active Sensor: Set the sensor prole selected with
the Available Sensors dropdown menu to be the active sensor
conguration for the TC LAB instrument.
Delete Custom Sensor From List: Delete a user-created
sensor prole selected with the Available Sensors control.
Attempting to delete a factory congured sensor will result in
an error message on the TC LAB instrument.
Thermistor Bias Current: If the TC LAB instrument is
congured to use a thermistor type sensor, this control will
congure the bias current. Choose Auto to allow the TC LAB
auto-range function to choose an appropriate bias current or
select a suitable range that will produce a voltage across your
sensor of 1 to 10 Volts.
Aux Sensor Bias Current: This control will congure the
bias current for the auxiliary sensor. Choose Auto to allow the
TC LAB auto-range function to choose an appropriate bias
current or select a suitable range that will produce a voltage
across your sensor of 1 to 10 Volts.
Figure 10. Thermistor and Auxiliary Sensor Bias Current
options.
Figure 8. Sensor Tab
Active Sensor: Shows the sensor that is currently selected
for use with the TC LAB instrument. The sensor name that
is displayed also contains sensor specications, which vary
depending on the type:
• Thermistor: Displays the Steinhart-Hart coe󰀩cients.
• RTD: Displays either the D, I, A Curve Fit, or the slope and
o󰀨set values.
• Optical, Voltage IC, Current IC: Displays the slope and
o󰀨set values.
For example, if a RTD sensor is the active sensor, and "D,
100" is returned, the instrument is using a DIN Curve Fit for a
100Ω RTD.
Available Sensors: Lists all of the sensor proles stored in
memory for the TC LAB instrument. The sensor name selected
in this dropdown menu can be set to the active sensor.
Figure 9. Factory-congured sensor list.

10
Custom Sensor Type: Choose a sensor type for custom
sensor conguration. A sensor name and parameters below
must also be congured before the Create Custom Sensor
button is pushed.
Figure 11. Available Custom Sensor Type options.
Custom Sensor Name: Enter a name for the custom
sensor prole. Characters entered should be English letters
or numbers. There is a fteen character maximum limit. If
a sensor name is input that exceeds fteen characters, the
name will be truncated after the fteenth character.
Calibration Coe󰀩cients: Depending on the choice of sensor,
di󰀨erent calibration options will appear.
• Thermistor (Steinhart-Hart)
• A, B, C need to be populated by the A, B, C Steinhart-
Hart coe󰀩cients, respectively.
• Temperature/Resistance or Temperature/Voltage
• For Temperature/Resistance sensors: T1 (R1),
T2 (R2), T3 (R3) need to be populated by the
temperatures (resistances) for the rst, second, and
third temperature/resistance pairs, respectively.
• For Temperature/Voltage sensors: T1 (V1), T2 (V2),
T3 (V3) need to be populated by the temperatures
(voltages) for the rst, second, and third temperature/
voltage pairs, respectively.
• RTD (Callendar - Van Dusen)
• R0needs to be populated by the resistance at 0°C.
• Slope/O󰀨set
• m and b need to be populated by the slope and offset
at 0°C, respectively, for a linear approximation of the
sensor. Units for the slope are: °C/Ω for RTD, °C/V
all others. Units for the o󰀨set are: Ω for RTD, V all
others. Note that in both cases, the current is across
10kΩ for current based sensors.
Create Custom Sensor: When the Create Custom
Sensor button is pressed, Sensor Type, Sensor Name, and
conguration parameters are sent to the TC LAB instrument.
To use the created sensor, choose its name from the Available
Sensors list and then press the Set as Active Sensor button.

11
Temperature Scan Start/Stop: Click this button to start or
stop a scan. A le path must be specied before running a
scan. When the button is lit, the scan is running. The button
becomes unlit when the scan is complete. To stop a scan in
progress, click the button again. The scan records actual and
setpoint temperature over time.
Temperature Scan File Path: Type the le path to the location
where the data is to be stored. Click the folder icon to browse
for a location. A le name must be provided before a scan can
be run.
Temperature Scan File Header: In the Temperature Scan
File Header control, type the heading that appears at the
top of a new scan data le. If you are appending data to an
existing le, the header name will not be changed in the le
regardless of whether this control eld has been changed.
Temperature Scan Graph: Plot of actual temperature,
temperature setpoint vs. time. This data is logged to the le
specied in the le path selected below when the Temperature
Scan Start/Stop button is pressed.
TEMPERATURE SCAN TAB
The Temperature Scan tab allows plotting and saving of temperature (actual and set) as a function of time, over a range of
temperatures dened in the controls of this tab.
Note that while the functionality of the Temperature Scan in the VI is the same as that on the front panel of the instrument, the
commands to carry this scan out are di󰀨erent. For the remote temperature scan, the temperature iterations are done within
the VI, and as such, no data will be logged to a ash drive, if inserted. The data will be saved to the appropriate le directory,
as specied below.
Figure 12. Temperature Scan Tab
Start Temperature: In the Start Temperature control, type
the temperature, in degrees Celsius, at which to start the
temperature scan. The range is determined by the minimum
and maximum temperature limits congured on the Settings
& Monitors tab.
Stop Temperature: In the Stop Temperature control, type
the temperature, in degrees Celsius, at which to stop the
temperature scan. The range is determined by the minimum
and maximum temperature limits congured on the Settings
& Monitors tab.
Step Size: In the Step Size control, enter the magnitude of
each step in the temperature scan in degrees Celsius. The
step size and step duration will determine the length of the
scan. The minimum step size must be non-zero. A negative
value will result in a scan with decreasing temperature.
Step Duration: In the Step Duration control, enter the time
delay between steps in seconds. If a value of 0 is entered,
the STABLE Scanning indicator will be lit and the temperature
will be allowed to stabilize at the setpoint before the setpoint
is incremented and the data is logged. Stabilization is based
on the tolerance parameters on the Additional Setup tab. If
STABLE Scanning is not used, the range is 1 to 50 seconds.
STABLE Scanning: If the Step Duration control is set to 0,
the LED will be lit, indicating STABLE Scanning. If it is set to a
non-zero value, this LED will remain unlit.

12
DATA LOGGING TAB
The chart display starts when the Virtual Instrument application starts. It displays the last 17 minutes of data.
Figure 13. Data Logging Tab
Actual Temperature (°C): The actual temperature is shown in
white.
Set Temperature (°C): The setpoint temperature is shown in red.
Temperature Limit Max (°C): The set maximum temperature is
shown in green.
Temperature Limit Min (°C): The set minimum temperature is
shown in blue.
Logged Data File Path: Type a le path to the location where the
data is to be stored. Click the folder icon to browse for a location.
A le location must be specied before data can be logged.
Logged Data File Header: In the Logged Data File Header
control, type the heading that appears at the top of a new data
le. If appending data, the le header is not rewritten.
Interval (sec): In the Interval control, type the desired interval, in
seconds, for data to be recorded. The range is 1 to 10 seconds.
Log Data button: Click this button to start or stop logging
actual and setpoint temperature data to a le. A le path must
be specied before data can be logged. When the button is lit,
the data is being recorded. To stop logging data, click the button
again.
Temperature Graph: Plot of temperature limits, setpoint, and
actual temperature in °C. This data is live and only logged to the
le specied in the le path selected below when the Log Data
button is pressed.

13
ADDITIONAL SETUP TAB
The Additional Setup tab is where prole names can be edited, added, and saved. Additionally, cable resistance, tolerance
parameters, remote enable, and laser shutdown signal polarity are set on the Additional Setup tab.
Figure 14. Additional Setup Tab
Tolerance Parameters: Sets parameters that will enable the
TC LAB instrument to dene when the temperature is within an
acceptable temperature range to be considered "at temperature."
• Δ Temperature (°C): In the Δ Temperature control, enter
the maximum difference between setpoint and actual
temperature for the system to be considered "in tolerance."
Minimum tolerance that can be set is 0.01 °C.
• Time (sec): In the Time control, enter the amount of time that
the temperature di󰀨erential must be within range before the
temperature is considered stable.
If the sensor temperature is within both the temperature and time
parameters, the unit will show a target icon on the front panel, the
In Tolerance LED on the Settings & Monitors tab will become lit,
and the rear panel 'At Temperature Status' pin will be set.
Remote Enable Input Polarity: In the Remote Enable Input
Polarity control, select the polarity for the remote enable input
on the Status/Enable D-sub on the rear panel to allow output
current. The input must be at the level selected before the front
panel 'Enable' can be activated. Options are: High (+5V), and
Low (0V). Factory default polarity is ENABLE HIGH.
Laser Shutdown Polarity: In the Laser Shutdown Polarity
control, select the active level for the laser diode shutdown
output. The signal will go to the level indicated when the Actual
Temperature exceeds the temperature limits. Options are: High
(+5V) and Low (0V). The temperature limits are congured on the
Settings & Monitors tab. Factory default polarity is ACTIVE HI.
Existing Prole Name: Click in the eld to list all of the existing
prole names stored on the TC LAB instrument. The name
selected in this control is a󰀨ected by the Save New Prole Name
control.
New Name Line 1: A maximum of 15 characters is allowed.
New Name Line 2: A maximum of 15 characters is allowed.
Save New Prole Name: Two lines can be saved as a prole
name in the instrument. Enter the name you want and then press
the Save New Prole Name control to save a new name (line 1 &
line 2) to the prole listed under the existing name. A maximum
of 15 characters is allowed in each line. Note that only the Prole
Name text is saved to the unit. Operating parameters can only be
saved by using the Save function on the front panel.
Get Errors: Click the Get Errors button to retrieve all error codes
stored on the TC LAB instrument. These are displayed in the
Errors text eld. See the TC LAB datasheet for more information
on error messages. Once the errors have been retrieved, the
button turns gray and the errors are automatically cleared from
the instrument error queue. Errors cannot be retrieved while an
IntelliTune scan is in progress.
Cable Resistance (Ω): In the Cable Resistance control, type the
resistance of the cable, in Ohms, between the TC LAB instrument
and the load. The resistance is multiplied by output current and
subtracted from the load voltage. This calibration parameter
gives a better representation of the voltage at the actual load.
The range is 0 to 4 Ohms.

14
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - LDTC LAB
INSTALL THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
RUNTIME ENGINE 2017
Prior to installing Wavelength's Virtual Instrument application,
the National Instruments (NI) Runtime Engine 2017 must be
installed on the remote computer.
When installing the Virtual Instrument .EXE le, if the
Runtime Engine is not already installed on the computer, a
message with a link to the NI website download page opens.
The Runtime Engine can take several minutes to install and
requires restarting the computer.
INSTALL LDTC LAB VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT
APPLICATION
1. On the Software Downloads page, click the LabVIEW
Interface for LDTC LAB Series Instrument and download
it to the computer.
2. Save the le to the computer, and open it.
3. Follow the prompts to install the application.
CONNECT THE LDTC LAB TO THE REMOTE
COMPUTER
Connect a USB cable from the instrument to the remote
computer, turn on the rear panel switch and open the Virtual
Instrument application.
Choose the instrument to control using the Choose Instrument
dropdown menu on the right hand side. The list is ltered,
and will only show LDTC LAB instruments connected to the
computer.
Figure 15. Choose the LDTC LAB to control.
The other functionality of the executable is disabled until a
proper connection is made with an instrument.
Start: Use this button to initialize the program
after selecting the instrument.
Once a connection is made, the program will initialize all the
parameters to match the local values on the instrument.
ADDITIONAL CONTROLS
Stop: Use this button to gracefully stop the
execution of the program.
Run: This button will only be available if the program has
been stopped previously. Use it to re-start the execution
of the program. This is located in the upper left corner
of the window.
Running: This icon will only appear when the program
is currently running after pressing the Start button. This
will replace the Run button in the upper left corner.
USING THE GUI
The graphical user interface (GUI) for the LDTC LAB allows
the user to set and monitor the status of the instrument
remotely. Figure 16 gives an example of the GUI.
Numerical monitor-only values have a gray background, and
are uneditable elds (for example, see Actual Temperature).
Boolean monitors are dark for FALSE and lit for TRUE (see In
Tolerance) and are also uneditable.
Button controls set a boolean value, and also indicate the
current value of their state (for example, see TC ENABLE).
Controls have a white background, and are editable either
through typing the desired value directly in the eld, or by
choosing the desired setting from a dropdown box (see
Temperature Setpoint and Temperature Units). When a
value is set using a control, the instrument is immediately
queried, and the eld is updated with the current status of
the instrument. In this way, the GUI maintains synchronization
with the instrument.
Figure 16. Various controls and monitors on the GUI.
TC ENABLE: TC current is enabled.
Actual Temperature: Read only eld - the temperature of
the currently used sensor. Actual Temperature shown is
18.0001ºC.
Temperature Units: Dropdown box - choice is to display
temperature in degrees Celsius.
TEC I (A) & TEC V (V): Read only elds - TEC current and
voltage. The TEC Current shown is 0.6239 A, and the TEC
Voltage shown is 0.8573 V.
Temperature Setpoint: Editable eld - 18.0000ºC has been
chosen for the setpoint.
In Tolerance: Indicator is lit, so Actual Temperature is within
tolerance settings of setpoint.
INSTRUMENT
SERIAL NUMBER

15
TEMPERATURE CONTROL TAB
Figure 17. Temperature Control Tab
TC ENABLE: Press this boolean control to enable or disable
output current to the TEC.
Figure 18. Output current disabled (left) and enabled (right).
Actual Temperature: This indicator displays the actual
temperature measured by the sensor. It is displayed in the
units chosen in the Temperature Units dropdown menu.
Temperature Units: Choose the units for the temperature
parameter display. Choose either Celsius, Kelvin, Fahrenheit,
or Raw units.
TEC I (A): This indicator shows the current across the
thermoelectric in Amps.
TEC V (V): This indicator shows the voltage across the
thermoelectric in Volts.
Temperature Setpoint: Set the desired temperature of the
system. Set in the units displayed in the Temperature Units
dropdown menu. Instrument limits are -99 to 250°C. This
input is also bounded by Temp Limit Min and Temp Limit Max.
In Tolerance: This boolean indicator is lit when the temperature
is "in tolerance" as described by the Temp Tolerance and
Temp Time Tolerance elds.
INTELLITUNE®PARAMETERS
P: Sets the proportional gain term value. Range is 0.1-1000.
I: Sets the integral term value. Range is 0-200.
D: Sets the derivative term value. Range is 0-100.
Run IntelliTune: Press this boolean control to begin an
IntelliTune scan. The instrument will beep twice to indicate a
nished, successful scan. It lights while IntelliTune is running.
IntelliTune Mode: Set the IntelliTune Mode to either Setpoint
Response, Disturbance Rejection, or Manual Tuning using
this dropdown menu.
Valid IntelliTune Parameters?: This indicator is lit if there is
active IntelliTune data stored on the instrument for the current
conguration.
Abort IntelliTune: Use this control to cancel an IntelliTune
scan in progress. This control is disabled unless IntelliTune is
currently characterizing.
Refer to the LDTC LAB USER GUIDE for guidance in using
IntelliTune.

16
TEMPERATURE SENSOR
Temperature Sensor: Use this dropdown menu to select
the sensor for temperature control. It is populated with all the
available factory- and user-dened sensors.
Bias Current: Use this dropdown menu to select the bias
current for the temperature sensor. Options are Automatic,
10 μA, 100 μA, 1 mA, 10 mA.
LIMIT PARAMETERS
Current Limit - (A): Enter the negative current limit for the
thermoelectric here as a positive number in Amps. Maximum
value is model-dependent.
Current Limit + (A): Enter the positive current limit for the
thermoelectric here as a positive number in Amps. Maximum
value is model-dependent.
TEC In Current Limit: This indicator will light if the unit is
operating in a current limit condition. This usually happens
when rst driving toward a distant setpoint.
Temp Limit Min: Enter the low temperature limit here in units
chosen by the Temperature Units dropdown. Available range
is -99 to 250°C. This value must be less than Temperature
Setpoint and Temp Limit Max.
Temp Limit Max: Enter the high temperature limit here in units
chosen by the Temperature Units dropdown. Available range
is -99 to 250°C. This value must be greater than Temperature
Setpoint and Temp Limit Min.
TEC Voltage Limit (V): Enter the maximum voltage to the
TEC here. This parameter is updated by IntelliTune. Range
is 9 to 18 V.
TOLERANCE & CABLE RESISTANCE
Temp Tolerance: Denes the temperature window for the in-
tolerance criteria. Range is 0.01 to 10°C.
Temp Time Tolerance (sec): Denes the time window for
the in-tolerance criteria. Range is 0.1 to 50 seconds. If the
actual temperature stays within Setpoint Temperature ± Temp
Tolerance range for the length of time tolerance, the system is
stable and considered "In-Tolerance."
TEC Cable Resistance (Ohms): Set the value of the cable
resistance to the thermoelectric in ohms. Range is 0 to 10 Ω.

17
LASER CONTROL TAB
Figure 19. Laser Control Tab
LDD ENABLE: Press this boolean control to enable or disable
laser current.
Figure 20. Output current disabled (left) and enabled (right).
Laser Current (A or mA): This indicator shows the current
through the laser diode.
Laser Setpoint: This control sets the output current to the
laser. The interpretation of this value depends on the Control
Mode. In Constant Current, this sets the laser diode current
setpoint. In Constant Power, this sets either the Photodiode
Current (A) setpoint (zero PD Transfer Function) or the
Photodiode Power (W) setpoint (nonzero PD Transfer
Function).
Out of Tolerance: This indicator lights if the current output
is outside the tolerance window dened by Laser Current
Tolerance and Laser Time Tolerance.
Interlock Error: This indicator lights if any of the required
interlocks are not satised.
Amps?: This indicator lights if the units are in Amps [dened
by the command LASer:AMPS? returning 1 (true).] If the
indicator is not lit, the units are in mA. This will a󰀨ect Laser
Setpoint, Laser Current, Laser Current Limit, Laser Current
Tolerance, Start Current, Stop Current, Current Step, and
units of Laser Current in the Scanning and Data Logging Tabs.
Laser Voltage (V): This indicator displays the voltage
measured across the laser in Volts.
Monitor Photodiode Current (A): This indicator displays the
current, in Amps, measured through the photodiode.
Monitor Photodiode Power (W): This indicator displays the
power calculated (Monitor Photodiode Current ×PD Transfer
Function) in Watts.
TYPE & CONTROL MODE
Laser Type: Choose the laser type connected to the
instrument (Type A/B or Type C).
Control Mode: Choose the control mode, either Constant
Current or Constant Power.
Modulation Enabled: This boolean control dictates whether
modulation input is used. If enabled, the modulation signal
sums with the laser current setpoint. Because of the limited
sampling speed of the VI, the actual value of the modulation
will not be completely displayed in Laser Current if the
modulation varies with time.

18
PHOTODIODE CONFIGURATION
PD Range: Select the operating range for the photodiode.
The three options are 500 μA, 5 mA, 10 mA. Choose the
range that optimizes the dynamic range of the photodiode.
PD Transfer Function (W/mA): Set the transfer function that
scales the photodiode current to power. Units are W/mA and
the range is 0 to 0.1.
PD Bias Enable: This boolean control sets whether the
photodiode bias voltage is on (TRUE) or o󰀨 (FALSE).
LIMIT PARAMETERS
Laser Current Limit (A or mA): Set the current limit for the
laser. Limit is model-dependent.
Laser Voltage Limit (V): Set the voltage limit for the laser in
Volts.
LD In Current Limit: This indicator is lit if the laser driver is
operating in a current limit condition.
Time Delay Prior to Enabling LD Current (msec): Sets
the delay time in milliseconds between when the output on
command is sent and when output is enabled. Range is 0 to
30000 ms.
TOLERANCE & CABLE RESISTANCE
Laser Current Tolerance: Denes the current window for
the output to be considered in tolerance. Range is 1 mA to
instrument maximum.
Laser Time Tolerance (sec): Denes the time window for
the output to be considered in tolerance. Range is 0.1 to 50
seconds.
Laser Cable Resistance (Ohms): Set the resistance for the
cable connection to the laser in Ohms. Range is 0 to 4 Ω.
SHUTDOWN LASER UPON
Set any of these controls to TRUE to trigger laser current
shutdown if the described condition exists. Any combination
of TRUE controls is acceptable.

19
SETTINGS TAB
Figure 21. Settings Tab
CUSTOM SENSOR CONFIGURATION
Sensor Type: Use this dropdown menu to select the type
of sensor to create. Options are: Thermistor (Therm), RTD,
Current IC (ICI), or Voltage IC (ICV). There are multiple
calibration methods, these are sensor type-dependent. There
are multiple options for parameters depending on the sensor
you select:
SO: Slope / O󰀨set
TV: Temperature / Voltage
DAI: Callendar - Van Dusen Curve Fit
SH: Steinhart - Hart
TR: Temperature / Resistance
See Calibration for more information.
Sensor Name: Use this eld to name the sensor that will be
created. There is a 16 character limit (additional characters
will be truncated). This is the description that will appear on
the front panel of the instrument, and will populate the Sensor
dropdown menu on the Temperature Control tab.
Calibration: Depending on the sensor chosen in the Sensor
Type dropdown, di󰀨erent calibration elds will populate the
screen. There will be either Temperature/Resistance pairs,
Temperature/Voltage pairs, Steinhart-Hart coe󰀩cients,
Callendar-Van Dusen parameters, or Slope/O󰀨set parameters
that can be used to characterize the sensor.
Save Congured Sensor: Press the SAVE button when the
calibration parameters, the Sensor Name, and the Sensor
Type have been properly lled out. Pressing SAVE will commit
the input parameters to the instrument's local memory. Factory
sensors cannot be overwritten.
Sensors Available to Delete: This list is populated by user-
created sensors. Factory-dened sensors will not appear on
this list because they cannot be deleted. To delete a sensor,
choose it from this list, then press DELETE below.
Delete: Use this button to delete a sensor selected
from the Sensors Available to Delete dropdown menu.
DISPLAY & BEEPER
Beeper: This boolean control denes whether the beeper on
the instrument is enabled ("ON") or muted ("MUTE").
Display Brightness: This slider denes the front panel
brightness in terms of a percentage of maximum brightness.
EXTRA SCAN SETTINGS
Temperature Scan Timeout Time (s): Use this eld to
change the Scan Timeout Time in seconds. When the
temperature scan step time is set to "0" or "Increment when in
Tolerance", the scan will timeout and stop if tolerance has not
been reached in the designated time limit.

20
ERRORS
Check Errors: Use this button to query the Error String of
the instrument. When lit, the query is in process. You can
also clear errors displayed on the instrument front panel by
checking errors.
Error String: This indicator displays the contents of the
error queue when Check Errors is pressed. Format is "Error
Number, Error Description."
PROFILES
Recall from Prole: Choose which prole to populate
the instrument settings. Once the desired prole has been
selected, press RECALL to load the prole. The application
will write the values to the instrument, pause, and re-initialize
to ensure synchronization.
Save to Prole: Choose to which prole the current instrument
conguration will be saved. Once the desired prole has been
selected, press SAVE to commit the current conguration to
the instrument's memory. There are 10 user proles that can
be congured.
Description Lines: Two lines are visible on the instrument
front panel for Save and Recall operations. Line 1 and Line
2 commit string descriptors to the prole. Each has a 16
character limit (truncated beyond 16 characters).