Chapter 7 Maintenance And Troubleshooting - THORLABS GSL Series User Manual

GSL Series Gain-Switched Lasers
Chapter 7 Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Maintenance
The GSL laser should not require regular maintenance. If necessary, the housing can be cleaned using a soft cloth
moistened with a mild glass cleaner. Do not use acetone, chemical solvents, or harsh cleaning solutions, and do
not spray cleaning solutions directly onto the unit. See Section 7.2 for advice on cleaning the lens.
Aside from the procedure outlined in section 7.3, there are no user serviceable components in GSL series lasers.
If malfunctions occur, please contact Thorlabs' technical support (
the unit.
See the troubleshooting guide below for basic help.
Troubleshooting
Problem
No Output
Power is Low
Status LED
Blinking Amber
Status LED
Blinking Red
Fiber Inspection and Cleaning
Should an issue arise with low output power or a distorted beam out of the laser, please follow these instructions
to inspect and clean the end face of the fiber.
1. Turn off the power to the unit and disconnect the power supply.
2. Using a 1.3 mm hex wrench, remove the mating sleeve at the laser output (Figure 8).
3. Pull out the mating sleeve to give access to the fiber connector. Take care not to pull out more than 10 cm
of fiber to allow for inspection and cleaning with fiber cleaner.
4. Once the endface has been inspected and/or cleaned, replace the mating sleeve and test for performance.
Figure 8 Removal of Fiber Mating Sleeve (Left) and Fiber Connector Pulled Out for Cleaning (Right)
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Check that power is supplied and connected properly.
Check that key switch is turned on.
Confirm that laser is warmed up (30 - 60 s).
Confirm the interlock circuit is complete.
Check that the indicator LED is glowing continuously.
Check that a trigger signal is being provided for REP RATE position "A" and "B".
Check to see if the fiber end face is dirty.
If so, see the cleaning instructions in section 7.3.
Internal or externally provided repetition rate is out of range for pulse width.
Check that the repetition rate falls into the allowable range provided in section 4.5.
Temperature control or communications error.
Check that the unit is being operated within the ambient temperature range.
Contact Tech Support to assist with this error.
Chapter 7: Maintenance and Troubleshooting
techsupport@thorlabs.com
Suggested Checks
). Do not disassemble
TTN311232-D02