THORLABS MX110G Series User Manual
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THORLABS MX110G Series User Manual

THORLABS MX110G Series User Manual

110 ghz e-o converters
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MX110G Series
110 GHz E-O Converters
User Guide

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Summary of Contents for THORLABS MX110G Series

  • Page 1 MX110G Series 110 GHz E-O Converters User Guide...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Manual Mode ..............................19 4.8.1 Display and Sound Settings Page ........................26 4.8.2 System Information Page ..........................27 4.8.3 Accent LED Settings Page ..........................27 4.8.4 Thorlabs Help Page ............................28 Chapter 5 Specifications ......................29 5.4.1 Tunable Lasers ..............................31...
  • Page 4 MX110G Series of E-O Converters 5.4.2 Fixed-Wavelength Lasers ........................... 31 Chapter 6 Control and PC Connections ..................32 Chapter 7 Mechanical Drawings ....................35 Chapter 8 Maintenance, Repair, and Fuses ................. 36 Chapter 9 Troubleshooting ......................38 Chapter 10 Certifications and Compliance ..................39 Chapter 11 Warranty and RMA Information .................

  • Page 5: Chapter 1 Introduction

    Chapter 1 Introduction General Information Thorlabs' MX110G Series of Electrical to Optical (E-O) Converters offers a frequency response up to 110 GHz. Each converter incorporates a telecommunication-grade lithium niobate (LiNbO ) modulator that is stabilized by a fully automatic bias controller. Select an internal tunable laser source, fixed-wavelength laser source, or couple an external laser, operating from 1525 nm to 1575 nm for the MX110G and 1260 nm to 1360 nm for the MX110G-1310, to the PM FC/PC fiber optic connector on the input panel.
  • Page 6 Laser In port, which uses PM fiber with light linearly polarized along the slow axis, as shown on the front panel. The maximum input power to the Laser In port is 17 dBm (50 mW). Figure 1 Key Components of MX110G Series E-O Converters Page 2 TTN311832-D02...
  • Page 7 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 1: Introduction Front and Back Panel Overview Figure 2 Front Panel Callout Description Touchscreen Display Adjustment Knob Key Switch and Indicator Lasing Disabled; Lasing Enabled Grounding Jack (Banana Connector) Earth Ground Laser Output (PM FC/PC Connector)
  • Page 8 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 1: Introduction Figure 3 Back Panel Callout Description I/O Port (DB15 Connector) Laser Interlock (2.5 mm Connector) Option Label RS232 Port (DB9 Connector) USB Port (USB Type B Connector) Power Connector Fuse Tray Power Switch Supply On;...

  • Page 9: Chapter 2 Safety

    If equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by the equipment may be impaired. Only with written consent from Thorlabs may changes to single components be carried out or components not supplied by Thorlabs be used.
  • Page 10 This product has been tested and found to comply with the limits according to IEC 61326-1 for using connection cables shorter than 3 meters (9.8 feet). Thorlabs is not responsible for any radio television interference caused by modifications of this equipment or the substitution or attachment of connecting cables and equipment other than those specified by Thorlabs. The correction of interference caused by such unauthorized modification, substitution or attachment will be the responsibility of the user.

  • Page 11: Chapter 3 Quick Start Guide

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 3: Quick Start Guide Chapter 3 Quick Start Guide Hardware Set Up 1. For first use, plug the main power cable into the back panel connector, and then plug the other end into an AC wall receptacle.
  • Page 12 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 3: Quick Start Guide Controls on the Home Page Full access to all of the converter's controls and functions is available using the resistive touchscreen display, which is sensitive to finger pressure or the tap of a plastic stylus. In addition, the knob on the front panel can be used in place of the on-screen arrow buttons for quickly changing set-point values.
  • Page 13 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 3: Quick Start Guide Controls on the Settings Pages The Settings pages all possess the same general design and functionality as shown in the example screen shot below. The upper section with white letters displays the parameters that can be changed. Simply tap on the parameter of interest.
  • Page 14 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 3: Quick Start Guide Quick Start The following steps summarize the setup procedure required to operate the converter in the standard mode. Please refer to previous sections in this chapter and the expanded operating instructions in Chapter 4 for additional information.
  • Page 15 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 3: Quick Start Guide Figure 13 The MX110G E-O Converter Safe Shutdown The following steps summarize the shutdown procedure required to provide a controlled, internal power-down sequence for the electronics, particularly when shutting down from a state when modulator bias is enabled.

  • Page 16: Chapter 4 Operating Instructions

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Chapter 4 Operating Instructions The Modulator Transmission Function The Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) has a repetitive transmission function with applied voltage as can be seen in the diagram below. For the MZM to work correctly, a DC bias voltage must be applied and maintained at the desired set point.
  • Page 17 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions The purpose of the Bias settings (Section 4.4) is to hold the modulator at the chosen operation point. Active control of the MZM bias point is essential, as the modulator is temperature sensitive and will drift over time. Without active control, the optimal bias point for a linear response can drift, causing non-linear artifacts and frequency doubling to appear in the optical output.
  • Page 18 .s2p file. This is the easiest method. However, the de-embedding process can also be performed manually. These methods are described in detail in the "De-Embed Application Note" PDF document, which is accessible by visiting www.thorlabs.com/manuals and entering the item # of your E-O Converter.
  • Page 19 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Control Loop Diagram The following diagram shows the control loops added to the block diagram. From this diagram, the user can see how the power monitors and VOA are used to provide stability and control to the whole system. It will be helpful to refer to this diagram to gain a better understanding of the functionality of the unit as described in the upcoming sections of the manual.
  • Page 20 Bias Settings Screen to Select Operating Mode Note that on MX110G series converters, two bias voltages are displayed on the Bias Settings pages: Bias Voltage V1 and Bias Voltage V2. The modulators internal to MX110G instruments have two DC bias ports for controlling a thermo-optic phase shifter in each arm of the MZM.

  • Page 21: Quadrature Mode

    This effectively changes the phase of the response function. On MX110G series converters, quadrature mode is achieved by maintaining a modulator input to output ratio that is twice as high as the peak modulator input to output ratio found during the calibration routine. This mode functions exactly as described for Manual Constant Ratio in Section 4.4.4, except the setpoint is calculated during...
  • Page 22 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions The bias control circuit uses an AC dither tone to stabilize the bias point of the modulator. A small AC voltage is applied to the DC bias so that the optical output is also slightly modulated. Both the amplitude and the frequency of AC dither tone can be selected by the user.

  • Page 23: Null Mode

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions 4.4.3 Null Mode The Null Mode adjusts the DC bias voltage so the transmission is centered at a nearby transmission minimum. In the Null mode only dither frequency and amplitude settings are available. These settings are the same as previously described for the Peak mode.
  • Page 24 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Mon-1 and Mon-2, which is equivalent to the IL of the modulator. For example, if the modulator has an IL of 3 dB, then the I/O ratio at maximum transmission is already 2:1. To bias the modulator at the 50% point, the ratio must be doubled to 4:1.
  • Page 25 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Variable Optical Attenuator Settings Page Tap in the VOA monitors pane on the Home page to access the Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA) Settings page shown below. The VOA provides the means for adjusting and stabilizing the output power after the MZM. The VOA can operate in either of two modes: 1) Constant Attenuation, and 2) Constant Output Power.
  • Page 26 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Laser Settings Page (Tunable Laser Only) To access the Laser Settings page, tap on the Laser monitors pane on the Home page. Here the user can control the laser wavelength and choose whether or not to use the dither feature to stabilize the wavelength.
  • Page 27 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions In "STEP 1GHz" mode you can edit the fine-tuning frequency offset in steps of 1 GHz. Figure 34 Changing the Fine-Tuning Step Size Note that while the C-band lasers can have their frequency adjusted by increments as small as 1 MHz, the laser’s actual tuning accuracy is not this fine.
  • Page 28 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Figure 36 shows laser frequency noise as a function of optical frequency when the laser is operated with and without dither enabled. The red trace shows low noise operation when dither is turned off. Wavelength stability is improved by operating with dither, but the blue trace shows that this comes at the expense of added noise.
  • Page 29 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Load Page Access the Load page by tapping the blue Load button on the Home page. The Load page has a factory-defined, standard operating mode stored as a preset. Applying the preset configures the converter with the stored instrument settings and is a fast way to put the instrument in a known state.

  • Page 30: Display And Sound Settings Page

    Tap here to find system info. Tap here to control the accent LEDs producing the light emanating from the bottom of the instrument. Tap here to find help from Thorlabs Technical Support. Figure 39 Controls on the Menu Page 4.8.1 Display and Sound Settings Page To open the screen shown below, tap the DISPLAY AND SOUNDS button on the Menu page.

  • Page 31: System Information Page

    The System Information page displays the installed hardware and software versions. This is useful information to reference when speaking with Thorlabs’ tech support or when verifying firmware revisions. The image shown in Figure 41 illustrates the format of the System Information page, but this example is given for informational purposes only and does not show valid configuration information.

  • Page 32: Thorlabs Help Page

    4.8.4 Thorlabs Help Page To open the screen shown below, tap the THORLABS HELP button on the Menu pane. The Thorlabs Help page displays the Thorlabs Tech Support phone number, Thorlabs web site URL, and the installed hardware and software versions. This information will be useful when speaking with Tech Support. The image shown in Figure 43 illustrates the format of the Thorlabs Help page, but this example is given for informational purposes only and does not show valid configuration information.

  • Page 33: Chapter 5 Specifications

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 5: Specifications Chapter 5 Specifications All Specifications are at nominal instrument wavelength (1550 nm for MX110G, 1310 nm for MX110G-1310) and 25 °C ambient temperature, unless otherwise noted. General System Specifications Parameter Typical Values...
  • Page 34 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 5: Specifications Parameter Typical Values Additional Information MX110G 0.20 dB (Ratio Mode) Stability of Modulation Amplitude Absolute Stability at any Single Frequency Point from 40 MHz to 70 GHz MX110G-1310 0.40 dB (Ratio Mode)

  • Page 35: Tunable Lasers

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 5: Specifications Laser Specifications 5.4.1 Tunable Lasers Parameter Unit Typ. Optical Output Power Frequency Range 191.50 196.25 Wavelength Range 1527.6 1565.5 Frequency Accuracy -1.5 Tuning Resolution Tuning Speed (Between Wavelengths) Fine Tuning Resolution Fine Tuning Speed...

  • Page 36: Chapter 6 Control And Pc Connections

    The most recent firmware and remote control software tools are available from Thorlabs’ website at https://www.thorlabs.com/software_pages/viewsoftwarepage.cfm?code=MX. The instrument’s firmware can be updated by uploading the new version from a PC via the USB port. Thorlabs’ technical support can provide up- to-date information on available firmware revisions and control functions.
  • Page 37 MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 6: Control and PC Connections Figure 45 I/O Connector Pin Configuration I/O Connector (HD DB15) Pin # Description Power Monitor 1 (Mon-1) Power Monitor 2 (Mon-2) Power Monitor 3 (Mon-3) Reserved for Future Use...
  • Page 38 GUI. All units shipped from Thorlabs are configured with a shorting device installed in the Interlock connector. If you are not going to use this feature, then leave the shorting device installed. The unit will operate normally as described in the procedures above.

  • Page 39: Chapter 7 Mechanical Drawings

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 7: Mechanical Drawings Chapter 7 Mechanical Drawings MX110G Series Figure 47 E-O Converter Mechanical Drawing Rev. A, June 8, 2023 Page 35...

  • Page 40: Chapter 8 Maintenance, Repair, And Fuses

    Fiber End-Face Cleaner for Patch Cords The optical connectors on the front panel may be cleaned using a 2.5 mm bulkhead cleaner such as the Thorlabs FBC250. This allows the user to clean the fiber end-face without removing it from the internal bulkhead adapter.
  • Page 41 5. Investigate the fuse. This can be done with a simple continuity check. If in doubt, replace the fuse. A spare fuse is stored in the fuse holder. Additional replacement fuses can be purchased from Thorlabs. Always use fuses of the same type as the original.

  • Page 42: Chapter 9 Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting Below is some information about status indicators and a few checks to help in troubleshooting general problems. If you have any questions, please contact your local Thorlabs Technical Support office. • If the unit does not appear to turn on correctly, please check the following items: •...

  • Page 43: Chapter 10 Certifications And Compliance

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 10: Certifications and Compliance Chapter 10 Certifications and Compliance Rev. A, June 8, 2023 Page 39...

  • Page 44: Chapter 11 Warranty And Rma Information

    Waste treatment is your own responsibility. “End of life” units must be returned to Thorlabs or handed to a company specializing in waste recovery. Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site. It is the user’s responsibility to delete all private data stored on the device prior to disposal.

  • Page 45: Chapter 12 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts

    MX110G Series of E-O Converters Chapter 12: Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts Chapter 12 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts For technical support or sales inquiries, please visit us at for our most up-to-date www.thorlabs.com/contact contact information. USA, Canada, and South America UK and Ireland Thorlabs, Inc.
  • Page 46 www.thorlabs.com...

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