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K-Cube

™ Liquid Crystal Controller

 

Chapter 3: Getting Started

 

Rev A, September 11, 2020 

Page 5

 

Chapter 3 

Getting Started 

3.1. 

Install The Software 

Caution

 

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 Technical Support.

 

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 Chapter 4. 
When operating via a PC, direct user interaction with the liquid crystal controller 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.

 

DO NOT CONNECT THE CONTROLLER TO YOUR PC YET 

1) 

Go to Services/Downloads at www.thorlabs.com and download the software. 

2) 

Run the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions. 

3.2. 

Mechanical Installation 

Warning

 

The safety of any system incorporating this equipment is the responsibility of the person performing the 

installation.

 

3.2.1.  Environmental Conditions  

Warning

 

Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect operator safety.

 

Location: 

Indoor use only 

Maximum altitude: 

2000 m 

Temperature range:  10 to 40 

°

Maximum humidity: 

Less than 80% RH (non-condensing) at 31 °C 
 

To ensure reliable operation the unit should not be exposed to corrosive agents, 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 liquid crystal controller is shipped with a baseplate for use when fitting the unit  to a breadboard, 
optical table, or similar surface.  

For multiple cube systems, 3-channel and 6-channel K-Cube Controller Hubs (KCH301 and KCH601) are also 
available (see  Section 2.2. for  more details). Full  instructions on the fitting and use of the controller  hub are 
contained in the handbook available at www.thorlabs.com. 

Caution

 

When sitting 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.

 

Summary of Contents for K-Cube KLC101

Page 1: ...KLC101 K Cube Liquid Crystal Controller User Guide ...

Page 2: ...K Cube Liquid Crystal Controller ...

Page 3: ...er Supply 7 3 3 5 Powering Down The Unit 8 3 4 Connect The Hardware 8 Chapter 4 Standalone Operation 9 4 1 Control Panel 9 4 1 1 Digital Display Operating Mode 9 4 1 2 Menu Option LC output 10 4 1 3 Menu Option LC Config 11 4 1 4 Menu Option Analogue input 11 4 1 5 Menu Option Trigger mode 12 4 1 6 Menu Option Wheel lock 12 4 1 7 Menu Option Brightness 13 4 1 8 Menu Option Disp Timeout 13 4 2 Soft...

Page 4: ...uid Crystal Controller Chapter 9 Regulatory 20 9 1 Declarations Of Conformity 20 9 1 1 For Customers in Europe 20 9 1 2 For Customers in the USA 20 9 2 CE Certificate 21 Chapter 10 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts 22 ...

Page 5: ......

Page 6: ...of injury from electrical shock CAUTION Caution is given when there is a possibility of damage to the product WARNING Given when there is a risk of injury to users 1 2 General Warnings WARNING If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer the protection provided by the equipment maybe impaired In particular excessive moisture may impair operation In any installation that ...

Page 7: ...t the frequency of which is adjustable from 500 Hz to 10 kHz with an amplitude that can be varied from 0 to 25 Vrms Both the output amplitude and frequency can be set via the front panel controls the USB interface and the external input Figure 1 K Cube Liquid Crystal Controller KLC101 This unit features two selectable set points Preset V1 and Preset V2 The output amplitude and frequency of both se...

Page 8: ...et in real time to within 10 mV This feature increases the life of the liquid crystal device For convenience the footprint of this unit has been kept to a minimum with measurements of 60 mm x 60 mm x 47 mm 2 36ʺ x 2 36ʺ x 1 85ʺ 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 ...

Page 9: ...ctrical 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 2 3 PC Software ...

Page 10: ...t www thorlabs com and download the software 2 Run the exe file and follow the on screen instructions 3 2 Mechanical Installation Warning The safety of any system incorporating this equipment is the responsibility of the person performing the installation 3 2 1 Environmental Conditions Warning Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect operator safety Location Indoor...

Page 11: ...gure 4 Using The Baseplate 3 3 Electrical Installation 3 3 1 Rear Panel Figure 5 Rear Panel Connections MOD IN SMA Female Connector external analog signal input 0 5 V DC AUX 8 Position Circular Connector Reserved for future use OUTPUT BNC Female Connector controller voltage output to driver Liquid Crystal Retarders 0 25 V RMS 3 3 2 Supply Voltage and Current Requirements Supply Minimum Maximum Max...

Page 12: ...ters unless a powered USB hub is being used ON Power ON Standby switch TRIG 1 and TRIG 2 SMA connectors for use with external trigger input and output signals 5 V TTL levels The function is set to trigger IN or OUT via the settings panel 3 3 4 Connecting to a Power Supply 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 ...

Page 13: ...software 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 3 Connect the Controller unit to your PC Note The USB cable should be no more than 3 meters in length Communication lengths in excess of 3 metres can be achieved by using a powered USB hub Caution During item 4 ensure the p...

Page 14: ...e current drive voltage applied The bottom line shows various icons which indicate the operating state of the device i e the feedback loop mode currently only open loop mode is available closed loop mode will be added in a future version of the firmware the unlocked symbol to show the output is enabled see Section 4 1 2 the analog input mode see Section 4 1 4 and the output frequency see Section 4...

Page 15: ...s the MENU button to enter the 1 LC output option This screen is used to enable disable the drive output voltage Scroll down for more options Enable the PresetV1 output Use the wheel to scroll to the next screen Press the MENU button to store the selection and return to the operating screen Enable the switching mode to cycling output between PresetV1 and PresetV2 PresetV2 1 000V PresetV1 1 000V Me...

Page 16: ...et the frequency of PresetV2 and use the wheel to change the freqency value Press the MENU button to store the selection and return Set the frequency of Switching and use the wheel to change the freqency value Press the MENU button to store the selection and return 4 1 4 Menu Option Analogue input When the analogue input is on the output voltage of the controller is set by the external input signa...

Page 17: ...1 Caution Do not drive the TRIG ports from any voltage source that can produce an output in excess of the normal 0 to 5 V logic level range In any case the voltage at the TRIG ports must be limited to 0 25 to 5 25 V Press the MENU button then use the wheel to scroll to 4 Trigger Mode to set the Trigger state Press the MENU button to enter Use the wheel to set both Trig 1 and Trig 2 as output Press...

Page 18: ... can occur if it remains static for a long time To prevent this the display is automatically dimmed after a specified time interval Press the MENU button then use the wheel to scroll to 7 Disp Timeout The adjustment is done in steps of 1 minute if the timeout is between 1 and 10 minutes 10 minute steps between 10 minutes and 1 hour and 30 minute steps above 1 hour up to a maximum of 480 minutes Af...

Page 19: ...t signal of the MOD IN port The 0 5 0 V DC external input corresponds to the output voltage of 0 to 25 Vrms TRIG1 Input in which the TRIG1 port on the KLC101 is set to be the input and TRIG2 port is set to be the output TRIG2 Input in which the TRIG1 port on the KLC101 is set to be the input and TRIG2 port is set to be the output For detailed information on trigger operation please refer to sectio...

Page 20: ...ay once infinite or to play by a number of cycles Figure 9 Generating Sequence 4 2 4 Sweeping Mode The software GUI also has a sweeping mode in which users can set a start voltage an end voltage step size and step duration The KLC101 will scan from the start to the end point after the sweep is started from the GUI Figure 10 Sweeping Mode ...

Page 21: ...y voltages or incorrect connection applied even momentarily can result in the sensitive electronics inside the cube getting damaged invalidating warranty The cube uses a standard mini DIN type of input connector the corresponding plug is available from most standard electronics suppliers Figure 10 below shows the mini DIN socket as viewed by looking at the rear panel of the cube The pin numbering ...

Page 22: ...Thorlabs and trained in the maintenance of this equipment should remove its covers or attempt any repairs or adjustments Maintenance is limited to safety testing and cleaning as described in the following sections 6 1 Cleaning Warning Disconnect the power supply before cleaning the unit Never allow water to get inside the case Do not saturate the unit Do not use any type of abrasive pad scouring p...

Page 23: ...K Cube Liquid Crystal Controller Chapter 7 Mechanical Drawings Page 18 CTN014867 D02 Chapter 7 Mechanical Drawings ...

Page 24: ...or 26 Way ERNI Maximum Ratings Maximum External Input Voltage 5 VDC Maximum External Modulation 150 Hz Maximum Output Current 50 mA Operating Temperature Range 10 to 40 C Maximum Relative Humidity 85 Input Power Requirements DIN Connector Voltage Current 15 V 220 mA 15 V 50 mA 5 V 350 mA General Data Housing Dimensions W x D x H Excluding Buttons Baseplate and Connectors 60 0 mm x 60 0 mm x 46 7 m...

Page 25: ...of life unit to Thorlabs you must hand it to a company specialized in waste recovery Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site Ecological Background It is well known that WEEE pollutes the environment by releasing toxic products during decomposition The aim of the European RoHS directive is to reduce the content of toxic substances in electronic products in the ...

Page 26: ...K Cube Liquid Crystal Controller Chapter 9 Regulatory Rev A September 11 2020 Page 21 9 2 CE Certificate ...

Page 27: ...ation USA Canada and South America Thorlabs Inc sales thorlabs com techsupport thorlabs com UK and Ireland Thorlabs Ltd sales uk thorlabs com techsupport uk thorlabs com Europe Thorlabs GmbH europe thorlabs com Scandinavia Thorlabs Sweden AB scandinavia thorlabs com France Thorlabs SAS sales fr thorlabs com Brazil Thorlabs Vendas de Fotônicos Ltda brasil thorlabs com Japan Thorlabs Japan Inc sales...

Page 28: ...www thorlabs com ...

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