MIRcat OPERATION
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patterns found on metric of English optical benches. If the MIRcat laser head is mounted directly onto an
optical table or breadboard, the height of the beam is 4.0 inches (10.61cm).
CAUTION:
Back reflections can cause damage to the quantum cascade gain media and could
void your warranty. Care must be taken to minimize all back reflections into the laser cavity.
Ensure that no optical surface is normal to the propagating beam. Linear or non-linear
amplification systems or parametric frequency conversion devices can cause intense back
reflections. These amplified back reflections can cause immediate and irreparable damage to
the ECqcL™ and should scrupulously be prevented from reentering the ECqcL™ cavity.
4. Computer Control
Figure 8. Back panel for computer control
The MIRcat control GUI offers a simple interface that allows manual tuning of the laser, as well as manual
control over laser drive current (laser output power), temperature, pulsed parameters, scanning modes,
and communications ports.
Computer control of the laser is available through the USB 2.0 (or Ethernet - not yet supported but please
inquire). This allows the user to automatically synchronize tuning of the laser’s wavelength to a detection
scheme for applications that include spectroscopy, as well as adjusting the current, pulse parameters,
tuning, and temperature of the MIRcat. The back panel of the MIRcat also provides TTL signals to help
synchronize the MIRcat to a data acquisition unit. See
Section IV-2
for signals and timing diagrams.
The Control Panel GUI is necessary to operate the MIRcat laser. A Software Development Kit (SDK) is
available and has examples for LabView VI’s with example scripts. A 64-bit version is also available upon
request.
See
Section IV. Manual Operation
for further details on back panel functionality.
