THORLABS MX100E Series User Manual
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THORLABS MX100E Series User Manual

THORLABS MX100E Series User Manual

Reference transmitters with linear rf amplifiers
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MX100E Series
Reference Transmitters
with Linear RF Amplifiers
User Guide

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Summary of Contents for THORLABS MX100E Series

  • Page 1 MX100E Series Reference Transmitters with Linear RF Amplifiers User Guide...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ....................... 1 Intended Use .........................1 Explanation of Safety Warnings ....................1 Description ..........................1 Technical Data ........................2 1.4.1 Block Diagram ............................. 2 1.4.2 General System Specifications ........................3 1.4.3 Power and Environmental Specifications ..................... 4 1.4.4 Internal Control Specifications ........................
  • Page 4 System Information Page ........................... 29 4.8.3 Accent LED Settings Page ........................... 30 4.8.4 Thorlabs Help Page ............................ 30 Control and PC Connections ....................31 4.9.1 General Purpose I/O, RS-232, and USB Connections................... 31 4.10 The Laser Safety Interlock ....................32 Chapter 5 Maintenance, Repair, and Fuses ................

  • Page 5: Chapter 1 Introduction

    Description Thorlabs' MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters are designed for high-speed fiber optic test and measurement applications. Each transmitter incorporates a telecommunication-grade lithium niobate (LiNbO modulator that is stabilized by a fully automatic bias controller and driven by a high-fidelity linear RF amplifier.

  • Page 6: Technical Data

    Remote control is enabled using simple SCPI-type serial commands from a PC. See the remote- control user guide (RCUG), which can be downloaded from https://www.thorlabs.com/manuals.cfm. The most recent firmware and remote-control software tool can be downloaded by visiting https://www.thorlabs.com/software_pages/viewsoftwarepage.cfm?code=MX.

  • Page 7: General System Specifications

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction 1.4.2 General System Specifications All Specifications are at nominal instrument wavelength (1550 nm for MX100E, 1310 nm for MX100E-1310) and 25 °C ambient temperature, unless otherwise noted. Parameter Typical Values Additional Information...

  • Page 8: Power And Environmental Specifications

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction 1.4.3 Power and Environmental Specifications Parameter Main AC Voltage 100 VAC 250 VAC Power Consumption 60 VA Line Frequency 50 Hz 60 Hz Operating Temperature 10 °C 40 °C Storage Temperature 0 °C...

  • Page 9: Tunable Laser Specifications

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction 1.4.5 Tunable Laser Specifications Tunable laser specifications for MX100E. 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)

  • Page 10: Graphs

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction 1.4.7 Graphs A typical frequency response for each transmitter is plotted below in Figure 2. The phase response is not shown. MX100E MX100E-1310 Figure 2 MX100E Series Typical Frequency Response Figure 3 shows laser frequency noise as a function of optical frequency when the laser is operated with and without dither enabled.

  • Page 11: Mechanical Drawing

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction 1.4.8 Mechanical Drawing Figure 4 Linear Transmitter Mechanical Drawing Rev. A, September 18, 2024 Page 7...

  • Page 12: Components

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction Components 1.5.1 Front and Back Panel Overview Figure 5 Front Panel Callout Description Touchscreen Display Adjustment Knob Key Switch and Indicator Lasing Disabled; Lasing Enabled Grounding Jack (Banana Connector) Earth Ground...

  • Page 13: Simplified Declaration Of Conformity

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 1: Introduction Figure 6 Back Panel Callout Description I/O Port (HD-DB15 Connector, Female) Laser Interlock (2.5 mm Mono Phono Jack) RS232 Port (DB9 Connector, Male) USB Port (USB Type B Connector) Power Connector...

  • Page 14: Chapter 2 Safety

    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 15: Chapter 3 Installation

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 3: Installation ESD Sensitive Component The components inside this instrument are ESD sensitive. Take all appropriate precautions to discharge personnel and equipment before making any connections to the unit. A front panel grounding jack is provided for connection to a wrist strap.

  • Page 16: Unpacking Instructions

    Installation Instructions MX100E series instruments require roughly 9.8" x 12.7" (24.9 cm x 32.3 cm) of table space, not including clearance for mating optical or electrical cables. In addition, the instrument has air intakes on the bottom, left, and right sides of the enclosure, which are perforated to permit air flow.

  • Page 17: Controls On The Home Page

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 3: Installation Figure 10 Interlock Key Switch Figure 11 Indicator Glows Green When Instrument is Fully Enabled 3.4.2 Controls on the Home Page Full access to all of the transmitter's controls and functions is available using the resistive touchscreen display, which is sensitive to finger pressure or the tap of a plastic stylus.

  • Page 18: Controls On The Settings

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 3: Installation Disabled Low Power Functions Warnings Interlock Warning Figure 13 Home Screen Warnings and Indicators 3.4.3 Controls on the Settings Pages The Settings pages all possess the same general design and functionality as shown in the example screen shot below.

  • Page 19: Quick Start

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 3: Installation MIN/MAX warnings indicate that the setting limit for a particular parameter has been reached. Figure 15 MAX and MIN Warnings Indicate Parameter's Upper or Lower Setting Limit Reached 3.4.4 Quick Start The following steps summarize the setup procedure required to operate the transmitter in the standard mode.

  • Page 20: Safe Shutdown

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 3: Installation i. Be sure the input cable is discharged before attaching it to the connector. ii. Do not overtighten the connection. Tighten connections using a standard 4 lb-in torque wrench design for 1.0 mm coaxial connectors.

  • Page 21: Chapter 4 Operating Instructions

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Figure 17 Bias Voltage Ramping Down Status Message 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.

  • Page 22: Control Loop Diagram

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions The purpose of the Bias settings (Section 4.3) 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 23: Bias Settings Page

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Figure 20 Block Diagram of the MX100E Transmitter Showing Control Loops Bias Settings Page The Bias Settings page is accessed by tapping the center bias monitors pane on the Home page. When the MZM Bias control is first turned on, the MX100E transmitter performs a calibration routine to determine the approximate bias voltages required for the various MZM operating points.

  • Page 24: Quadrature Mode

    Bias Settings Screen to Select Operating Mode Note that on MX100E series transmitters, two bias voltages are displayed on the Bias Settings pages: Bias Voltage V1 and Bias Voltage V2. The modulators internal to MX100E instruments have two DC bias ports for controlling a thermo-optic phase shifter in each arm of the MZM.

  • Page 25: Peak Mode

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions 4.3.2 Peak Mode The Peak Mode adjusts the DC bias voltage so the transmission is centered at a nearby transmission maximum. Peak and Null modes are often used to obtain phase modulation and non-linear frequency doubling. The optical phase is 180°...

  • Page 26: Null Mode

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions The dither tone amplitude can also be adjusted to any amplitude between 20 mV and 2 V with 1 mV resolution by tapping the Dither Amplitude field highlighted in Figure 26. Higher amplitudes will typically be more stable in the presence of MZM drift and broadband RF signals, but larger dither tones also decrease SNR.
  • Page 27 MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Manual mode is active; tap this field to change the mode. Tap here to adjust Bias voltage. Tap here to select Hold mode: Constant Bias or Constant Ratio. Figure 28 Constant Bias Manual Mode Settings Constant Bias is the most basic mode of operation and will apply a user selected DC voltage to the MZM bias ports.

  • Page 28: Amplifier Information

    MZM at the same location on the transmission function. Amplifier Information The MX100E series transmitters contain a fixed-gain linear amplifier with approximately 11 dB of gain, which corresponds to a typical voltage gain of 3.55 V/V.

  • Page 29: Variable Optical Attenuator Settings Page

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters 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 30: Laser Settings Page (Tunable Laser Only)

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters 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. Turning the dither off will result in lower phase and intensity noise, but the wavelength may drift slightly over time.

  • Page 31: Load Page

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions In "STEP 1GHz" mode you can edit the fine-tuning frequency offset in steps of 1 GHz. Figure 36 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 32: Menu Page

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 4: Operating Instructions Tap to preview the settings of the preset state. Figure 38 Preset State Options on the Load Page Tapping on one of the presets will bring up a window that displays all the stored settings. The user can then review the choice before confirming with the green checkmark.

  • Page 33: Display And Sound Settings 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 42 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 34: Accent Led Settings 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 44 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 35: 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 36: The Laser Safety Interlock

    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 37: Chapter 5 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 38: Replacement Parts

    Chapter 5: Maintenance, Repair, and Fuses Thorlabs FBC250 Fiber End-Face Cleaner for Bulkheads Replacement Parts The following parts can be obtained by contacting Thorlabs Technical Support: • 1.0 mm Dust Cap (Used for Front Panel RF Connector) • Laser Interlock Keys for Front Panel Switch •...

  • Page 39: Chapter 6 Troubleshooting

    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 40: Chapter 7 Disposal

    Contact Thorlabs for more 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 41: Chapter 8 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts

    MX100E Series of Linear Reference Transmitters Chapter 8: Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts Chapter 8 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. Corporate Headquarters Product Manufacturer Thorlabs, Inc. Thorlabs Ultrafast Optoelectronics...
  • Page 42 www.thorlabs.com...

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