Calibration Overview - ILX Lightwave LDX-36000 Series User Manual

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C H A P T E R

Calibration Overview

ILX Lightwave recommends sending your LDX-36000 High Power Current Source
into our facilities for calibration. Our facilities are set up to properly calibrate the
LDX-36000 quickly and efficiently by trained technicians. However, if necessary,
the instrument can also be calibrated by following this guide.
Several calibrations are required to fully calibrate the LDX-36000 High Power
Current Source. These calibrations include: output current setpoint calibration,
forward voltage measurement calibration, photodiode current measurement
calibration, and thermistor measurement calibration. The output current limit and
voltage limit are calibrated internally by the instrument as part of the calibration
process.
The instrument should be calibrated every twelve months, or whenever
performance verification indicates that calibration is necessary. Calibrations
should occur under stable environmental conditions, usually 23°C ± 1°C, with
relative humidity in the range of 20%-50%. When necessary, the LDX-36000 may
be calibrated at its intended operating temperature as long as it is within the
specified operating temperature range of 0-40°C.
Finally, the LDX-36000 Series High Power Laser Current Source should be
allowed to warm up, with the output on, a minimum of one hour prior to calibration.
Calibration of the 36000 requires the following equipment:
• 6 ½ Digit Digital Multimeter capable of taking a 4-Wire resistance measurement (Agilent
34401A 6 ½ Digit Multimeter or similar)
• Computer with GPIB capabilities
• Power supply with a range of at least (+ -) 15 Volts and capable of outputting a minimum of
500mA (Agilent E3631A Triple Output DC Power Supply or similar)
• Transducer capable of handling output current of 36000 unit (LEM IT 400-S High Accuracy
and Stability Current Transducer, or similar)
• Resistors 5K, 10K, 15K
• High Power Resistor capable of dissipating at least 80% FS power of the specific 36000
module
• Current source for photodiode with high stability and capable of a 10mA output (Keithley 263
or similar)
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 LDX-36000 Series
C A L I B R A T I O N A N D T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G
Calibration Overview