Model D5020 - User Manual, Revision 1.01
Contents
1. My Network P IA Files of type Custom Pattern d _ hex x h 5 Choose the new hex file and click OK The program will check if the new firmware file is valid for the controller if not the following error screen will appear At this point the user may elect to choose a different file or go ahead and program the controller with the chosen file Extreme caution should be exercised when deciding whether to program the controller with a file that may not be compatible If there are questions about choosing the appropriate file please contact Meadowlark Optics at 303 833 4333 D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 24 a Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater meadowlark optics Firmware Erosin CR XI WARNING Specified hex file is For a product File Na other than the controller that is to be programmed d3040_204 Continue Do Not Choose a different fie While Programming 6 After the hex file is loaded and passes validity tests the ready screen appears Click the Program button to reprogram the controller firmware If a final check is desired before reprogramming the firmware the Meadowlark Optics logo may be clicked to display a screen showing the old and new firmware versions 4 Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater me NET Version 1 0 2004 Meadowlark Optics All Rights Reserved Existing Firmware New Firmware 2 04 2 042. 1 2 E v1 v2 0 10000 millivolts t 5 65535 milliseconds _ i ph 0 360 degrees in LC channel 1 2 v1 v2 0 10000 millivolts 1 5 65535 milliseconds a AGENCES ee degrees t pulse length microseconds n channel 1 2 n channel 1 2 1 v2 0 10000 millivolts F Controller returns 16 bit integer i converted to temperature by SENG le Ue 2 eee n channel 1 2 v1 v2 0 10000 millivolts channel 1 2 tis 16 bit integer Controller returns 16 bit integer solutions Table 3 Legacy ASCII commands for the D5020 Controller and conversions from D3050 code Firmware PGA Noles Conversion required Command phor from D3050 code Sets up the specified n LC channel 1 2 Take voltages in counts 1d mv lt CR gt channel to output voltage 0 10000 millivoltsy and divide by 6 5535 If an Idd or Id command was not sent prior to querying If needed convert the controller the output of voltages to count by this command will be multiplying by 6 5535 A Take voltages in counts 1dd vi v2 OA e output t ae E and divide by 6 5535 v and channel 2 s output E lt CR gt millivolts Only two channels to v2 LE EA a If an Idd or ld command was If needed convert not sent prior to querying voltages to counts by the controller the output of multiplying by 6 5535 this command w
3. Retardance p V 0 LC Molecules b Minimum B Retardance PPSS ve applied voltages V gt gt 0 pene A Figure 2 Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder showing molecular alignment a without and b with applied voltage not to scale When voltage is applied liquid crystal molecules begin to tip perpendicular and as voltage increases molecules tip further causing a reduction in the effective retardance Molecules at the surface however are unable to rotate freely because they are pinned at the alignment layer causing a residual retardance even at higher voltage Meadowlark Optics can compensate for this residual retardance with a subtractive fixed polymer retarder called a compensator which is attached to the liquid crystal cell Figure 2 illustrates typical retardance as a function of D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions voltage for an LCVR with and without an attached compensator We also have the ability to provide custom compensation to provide custom voltage operation 0 75 Uncompensated E E I E I I E I I I E E I I I I I E I E L I I i E I I I F I I I I I I I I E E CE CC CELL CCE LE LT Retardance waves CCC eee 0 5 10 15 20 Voltage volts RMS Figure 3 Typical Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder performance versus voltage with and without compensator 1 2 Response time For a standard nematic LC devi
4. application using sub VIs included on the CellDRIVE CD 3 1 CelIDRIVE 5000 CellDRIVE 5000 provides for internal and external waveform generation amplitude modulation of the square wave and temperature sensing and control for those LC devices equipped with our Temperature Sensing and Control TSC option A closed loop proportional feedback control circuit in the digital interface controller implements the temperature control feature with a user defined set point and measured temperature monitoring through the user interface The TSC option uses active heating and passive cooling of the liquid crystal cell to achieve temperature stability within 1 C The user interface Figure 6 consists of a control section left hand side and a waveform display section right hand side Clicking the Meadowlark Optics logo at the top left of the user interface displays the software and firmware version numbers D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 10 smo lt 2 000 5000 fh 20 o smo 2000 eoo E 20 o 950 Plots are a pictoral representation of the waveforms Actual waveforms are generated within the D5020 Figure 6 CellDRIVE 5000 User Interface 3 1 1 Control Panel Along the top of the control section are buttons and indicators that operate as follows e Status Light Above Controller menu button illuminates as shown below also see Port Test below GREEN Port status OK when last checke
5. Check SMA connections and measure LC cell end of the cable with an AC true RMS voltmeter or oscilloscope An oscilloscope will show a 2 kHz square wave with an amplitude set by the last waveform sent to the controller ALTERNATELY Double check the optical alignment of the cell Some cell orientations won t affect polarization if they happen to align with an Eigen axis fast or slow axis of the liquid crystal retarder I can t use the SMA connectors on the back of the device I need BNC BNC jack to SMA plug adapters are available from Meadowlark Optics Meadowlark Optics can also provide SMA to SMB custom cable adapters to attach Meadowlark Optics LC cells I need a particular waveform generated Develop code using LabVIEW development suite and VIs included on the CellDRIVE CD We can also custom program any waveform into CellDRIVE 5000 please contact us for details ALTERNATIVELY Use a signal generator with the external input capability of CellDRIVE 5000 How do I uninstall the CellDRIVE software Use the Add Remove Programs option in the Windows control panel Can I use multiple controllers to control more than two LC cells Yes The CellDRIVE 5000 program is designed to handle up to four controllers connected to USB ports giving a total of 8 channels of control Waveform selection and temperature monitoring is limited to two channels one controller at a ttme However the controller will continue to generate the last se
6. Conversion Licensee shall be solely responsible for data conversion data entry and verification of data b Support Licensor may provide Licensee with support services related to the Software Use of Support services is governed by the Licensor policies and programs described in the Service Level Agreement Any supplemental software code modifications or enhancements provided to you as part of the Support service shall be considered part of the Software and subject to the terms of this License Agreement 4 Ownership a Title Licensee and Licensor agree that Licensor owns all proprietary rights including patent copyright trade secret trademark and other proprietary rights in and to the Software and any bug fixes enhancements updates or other modifications including custom modifications to the Software whether made by Licensor or any third party b Transfers Under no circumstances shall Licensee sell license publish display distribute or otherwise transfer to a third party the Software or any copy thereof in whole or in part without Licensor s prior written consent 5 Limited Warranty Support Services a Scope of Warranty Licensor warrants for a period of one year from the date of receipt of the Software against faulty workmanship or the use of defective materials and that such Software will conform to Licensor s accompanying written specifications This limited warranty shall be void in the event of failure from
7. If the parties have not resolved this matter within 45 days from the selection of a mediator the parties shall settle any controversy arising out of this Agreement by arbitration to be held in Boulder Colorado in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association A single arbitrator shall be agree upon by the parties or if the parties cannot agree upon an arbitrator within thirty 30 days then the parties agree that a single arbitrator shall be appointed by the American Arbitration Association The arbitrator will apply the substantive law of the State of Colorado The arbitrator may award attorney s fees and costs as part of the award The award of the arbitrator shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction 12 Notices Any notice under this Agreement will be in writing and delivered by personal delivery overnight courier confirmed facsimile confirmed e mail or certified or registered mail return receipt requested and will be deemed given upon personal delivery 1 day after deposit with an overnight courier 5 days after deposit in the mail or upon confirmation of receipt of facsimile or email Notices will be sent to a party at its address set forth at the end of this Agreement or such other address as a party may specify in writing pursuant to this Section 13 Entire Agreement Amendment Waiver This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding and agreement of the
8. a registered trademark of LEMO USA D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 31 Page intentionally left blank meadoulark optics polarization solutions 5964 Iris Parkway P O Box 1000 US Mail Frederick Colorado 80530 303 833 4333 sales Ameadowlark com www meadowlark com
9. connectors on the master to the I O connectors on the slave The two units will then have synchronized switching to within 500 uS D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 19 3 2 5 Custom LabVIEW VI Control An example VI and a LabVIEW library file are included on the CellDRIVE 5000 CD in the LabVIEW folder These include e Meadowlark USB IO Example VI e Meadowlark USB LLB Meadowlark USB Com VI Performs USB Communication Meadowlark USB Easy Close VI Closes USB connection to controller Meadowlark USB Easy Open VI Opens USB connection to controller Meadowlark USB Get Command VI Helper VI Meadowlark USB Read Config VI Reads D5020 s current configuration Meadowlark USB Read Temp Setpoints VI Reads the D5020 s current temperature setpoints for temperature controlled LC devices O O O O O 9 o Meadowlark USB Read Temperature VI Reads the temperature of connected temperature controlled LC cells o Meadowlark USB Set Temperature Setpoint VI Sets the temperature control setpoints for temperature controlled LC devices o Meadowlark USB Set Waveform VI Sets a waveform output from the D5020 The sample VIs include a LabVIEW library file containing fundamental VIs and an example that implements them in a program which sets and reads controller voltages The LabVIEW back panel of the JO Example VI is user accessible to facilitate independent de
10. externally applied signal must be a sinusoid that varies between 0 V and 4 V amplitude The external input and sync output may not be used for the same channel at the same time as both utilize the same connector e External Input Applying a signal to the front panel I O connector for the appropriate channel and selecting the external input button in the user interface for that channel configures the controller to periodically sample the signal voltage generate the appropriate amplitude square wave and output it to the selected channel Sync out and waveform controls will be disabled for each channel that has external inputs active generation of sync out pulses is not possible if using external inputs Any channel that has not been selected may be controlled normally through the software including generation of sync pulses If the unit has the 20V option this voltage range becomes 20V to 20V D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 15 3 1 5 Waveform display The right hand side of the user interface consists of waveform display options which include the row of tabs along the bottom of the display section The tabs provide choices for numeric or graphic display modes and the user controlled display options are Numeric Shows the instantaneous voltage for each channel and status lights indicating updated voltages on each channel 1 Plot 2 Plots Selects number of channels to
11. parties and supersedes any and all oral or written agreements or understandings between the parties as to the subject matter of the Agreement This Agreement may be changed only by a writing signed by both parties The waiver of a breach of any provision of this D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 30 14 15 Agreement will not operate or be interpreted as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach Severability Headings If any provision herein is held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason the remaining provisions will continue in full force without being impaired or invalidated in any way The parties agree to replace any invalid provision with a valid provision that most closely approximates the intent and economic effect of the invalid provision Headings are for reference purposes only and in no way define limit construe or describe the scope or extent of such section Governing Law This Agreement will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado without giving effect to conflict of laws principles Both parties submit to personal jurisdiction in Colorado Trademarks National Instruments LabVIEW and NI VISA are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation Microsoft Windows and MS DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation LEMO is
12. plot on the waveform display graph For instance if only one channel is being used one might select 1 Plot If one channel is driven by time invariant values while the second is driven in T N E mode one might choose to plot only the T N E channel The choice of display has no effect on output to the LC channel choosing to display channel 2 does not affect the signal output of channel 1 Legend The waveform plotted on a particular graph is selected by clicking left of the number on the plot legend Clicking right of the number on the plot legend gives a menu of options for displaying a plot Y This button auto scales the vertical axis or axes to a range of 0 10 V or 0 20V if using a unit with the 20V option X This button auto scales the horizontal axis to show the most recent 5000 values for voltage or to all of the voltage values if less than 5000 have been acquired Zoom Pan Includes a variety of zoom and pan features for viewing the graph Horizontal Scroll bar Enables scrolling back to review 5000 most recent voltage values Vertical Axis Values These may be double clicked and edited to change the vertical axis range 3 1 6 Temperature Sensing and Control TSC The temperature control interface includes the following Set Temp Allows user to set the temperature C at which a temperature controlled TSC option LC is to be maintained Temp Update Flashes when temperature measurement displayed on the sc
13. such as triggering external lab equipment at specific times The sync output and external input may not be used for the same channel at the same time as both utilize the same connector e Sync Out Toggles sync pulse generation on and off for the specified channel A visual indicator of sync pulse generation is shown as a brief spike on the graph of the generated waveform whenever a sync pulse is output this will appear as a pulse in the waveform charts Sync pulse generation may be enabled for any combination of channels It is up to the user to determine which sync pulses are associated with which channel NOTE The sync pulse is not an actual voltage spike being sent to the LC device e Sync Out Phase Specifies at which point in the waveform the sync pulse is generated and is additive to any phase specified in the respective waveform control e Sync Out Duration Specifies approximate duration for the output sync pulse 3 1 4 External Input Controls CellDRIVE 5000 provides the capability to drive the channel outputs via an externally generated signal applied to the front panel I O connector The input DC signal must be between OV corresponds to a square wave of OV amplitude on the output channel and 5V corresponds to a square wave varying between 10V and 10V amplitude on the output channel As an example using a standard D5020 if the user desires a sinusoid on the output channel that varies between 0 V and 8 V then the
14. 65535 milliseconds ph 0 360 degrees dc 0 100 percent E tv 0 10000 millivolts 1t 0 255 milliseconds 0 n channel 1 2 ph phase relative to waveform Sets up the specified channel to n vl v2 tph dc lt CR gt output a square wave varying between v and v2 with period 1 phase ph and duty cycle dc Produces sync pulse high low on front panel I O connector specified by n with phase ph and _itimet _ Enables output channels tobe driven by signal applied to front i panel I O connector J O connector n is monitored fae if less than 2 5V output V1 _ Otherwise output is V2 _ Query current temperature of temperature controlled LC on I O connector n is monitored for pulses When a pulse is received if the output is at V1 it switches to V2 If the output is at V2 it i switches to V1 Sets temperature setpoint for temperature control for channel n Query current temperature setpoint for channel n Controller returns firmware version Query firmware version Qu y kd and copyright string Tf the unit has the 20V option the voltage becomes 20000mV meadouwlark optics D5020 Digital Controller User Manual rev 1 01 polarization 18 n LC channel 1 2 vl 0 10000 millivolts _ in LC channel 1 2 yl v2 0 10000 millivolts t 5 65535 milliseconds Eph 0 360 degrees a n LC channel
15. 7 As the firmware is being erased and reprogrammed the status will be displayed as shown DO NOT disturb power to the controller while it is erasing or reprogramming If power is disturbed the controller s memory will be corrupted requiring the unit to be returned to Meadowlark Optics for reprogramming D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 23 dA Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater meadowlark optics Firmware Erasing Programming Updater a File Name Code Size RS e WARNING Do Not Disturb Power to the Controller While Programming 4 Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater x meadowlark optics Firmware Erasing Programming Updater File Name Code Size Progam d3040_204 hex 16CE fogem WARNING Do Not Disturb Power to the Controller While Programming 8 After programming is complete the following screen appears When the controller power is cycled the status light should flash a pattern corresponding to the version number of the new firmware The new firmware version may also be determined by clicking the Meadowlark Optics logo in the upper left corner of CellDRIVE endana optics rare Uraaa E meadowlark optics Firmware Erasing Programming complete Cycle power on the controller File Name 43040 204 hex Thank you for using the Meadowlark Optics firmware updater Have a nice day D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual
16. accident abuse or misapplication D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 28 b Disclaimer of Any Other Warranty THE LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION 5 a IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE 6 No Consequential Damages NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOST PROFITS RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR RESULTING FROM LICENSEE S USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE ARISING FROM ANY CAUSE OF ACTION WHATSOEVER INCLUDING CONTRACT WARRANTY STRICT LIABILITY OR NEGLIGENCE EVEN IF THAT PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES I Limitation on Recovery Under no circumstances shall the liability of Licensor to Licensee exceed the amounts paid by Licensee to Licensor under this Agreement 8 Indemnity Licensor shall indemnify and hold harmless Licensee from and against any claims based on infringement of any United States copyright or patent by the Software Licensee agrees to cooperate fully with Licensor during such proceedings Licensor shall defend and settle at its sole expense all proceedings arising out of the foregoing In the event of such infringement Licensor may replace in whole or in part the Software with a substantially equivalent com
17. ce switching response time depends on several parameters layer thickness viscosity temperature variations in drive voltage surface treatment and the direction of the retardance change Typical response time for a standard visible LCVR is shown in Figure 3 It takes about 5 ms to switch from one half to zero waves low to high voltage and about 20 ms to switch from zero to one half wave high to low voltage At temperatures greater than room ambient LC material viscosity decreases contributing to a faster response D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 90 Response to normal square wave 4ms 10 0 t 90 Response to T N E waveform 10 0 Figure 4 Typical Transient response of standard LCVR Another control technique involves the Transient Nematic Effect TNE to improve response times This technique uses a very short duration higher voltage spike to accelerate the molecular alignment parallel to the applied field Voltage is then reduced to achieve the desired retardance When switching from low to high retardance all voltage is momentarily removed allowing the liquid crystal molecules to undergo natural relaxation D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 2 Hardware Setup and Configuration 2 1 Laboratory and computer requirements e One or Two voltage controlled liquid crystal cells with SMA to SMB cables t
18. connected from the computer Please note that when using this mode the external power supply must be used Note If the D5020 is powered off and then powered on it will use the previously programmed configuration D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions Temperature Power Supply Control Required with the optional LC Cell D5020 20V eus or if using VO temperature control otherwise the D5020 may be USB powered USB VO Connectors for external equipment Interface Figure 1 Block diagram showing D5020 s connections and control options D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 1 Nematic Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder Basics 1 1 Physical architecture Typical nematic Liquid Crystal Variable Retarders LCVRs such as Meadowlark Optics LVR and LRC series are constructed using two optically flat fused silica windows coated with a transparent conductive coating A thin dielectric layer is applied over this coating which is the molecular alignment layer The two windows are then assembled creating a cavity that is filled with a birefringent nematic liquid crystal material With no voltage applied the liquid crystal molecules nominally lie parallel to the glass substrates and maximum retardation 1s achieved lt lt Fused Silica lt ITO a Alignment Layer Maximum s Spacer
19. d YELLOW User initiated port test underway RED Last user initiated port test failed e Controller 7 Pull Down menu to select between multiple controllers connected to the same computer e Port Test Initiates a read write test of controller The status light illuminates 110 during the test then GREEN or RED upon completion A GREEN light indicates proper communication between the controller and the computer and a RED light indicates a communication issue between the controller and computer In the event of a RED light 1 Check the cable connections 2 Exit CellDRIVE turn the controller off and back on wait for the LED on the controller to stop flashing then restart CellDRIVE 3 Try a different USB cable 4 Try running the unit with a different computer 5 If all else fails contact Meadowlark Optics for assistance D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 11 e Autonomous Mode Start Quits CellDRIVE and displays information regarding the D5020 Controller s autonomous mode thus allowing the computer to be disconnected from the controller The controller will continue executing the last set of parameters until reconnected to the computer and changed e Exit CelIDRIVE Quits CellDRIVE The last voltages generated by CelIDRIVE will remain on the controller outputs until the controller is powered off The temperature will also be maintained until the controller is powered of
20. e menu e Once CellDRIVE 5000 is installed the menu will re load 3 The USB driver must be installed prior to connecting controller to the computer The installers are located in the USB drivers directory of the CD and can be installed via the Autorun menu Please choose the 32 bit or 64 bit installer as appropriate for your Windows version Windows XP Vista 7 and 8 are all available in either 32 bit or 64 bit versions 4 Hardware configuration of the controller e If using the external power supply connect the 12VDC supply to the controller Plug the power supply into a properly grounded AC outlet Please note that the external power supply is required for the D5020 20V e To use the USB interface attach the USB cable to the USB connector on the rear of the controller and connect the other end to the USB port on the computer e Connect cables to attach up to two liquid crystal cells to the D5020 controller e If needed connect the temperature sensing and control TSC cable to the five pin LEMO connector on the temperature enabled controller channel The controller is capable of TSC on either channel 5 Turn on the front panel power switch and observe the LED in the switch The LED will initially illuminate 0 The LED will then blink the firmware version in GREEN and then remain illuminated GREEN as long as the controller is powered on and no error has occurred If an error has occurred the LED will flash RED It
21. er USB DRIVERS 32 bit 64 bit Windows Vista amp newer USB DRIVERS 64 bit Plug the USB cable into the appropriate connector on the digital interface controller Plug the other end into an appropriate USB port on the computer Connect up to two Meadowlark Optics liquid crystal LC devices to appropriate connectors on the controller s back panel If a liquid crystal device has the temperature control TSC option installed connect the temperature control cable to the appropriate five pin LEMO connector The D5020 controller is capable of independent TSC on both channels Plug the power supply into the appropriate connector on the controller back panel Connect the power to a properly grounded outlet Please note that the D5020 is capable of being USB powered however the temperature control circuitry will not function when the D5020 is being powered by the USB port on the PC The D5020 20V is not capable of being USB powered Turn on the controller power The LED in the switch will illuminate YELLOW initially and then flash the firmware version in GREEN followed by a steady GREEN Please note that the previous D5020 settings are automatically used until changed by the user Start the CellDRIVE software by clicking Start gt All Programs gt Meadowlark Optics gt CellDRIVE 5000 CellDRIVE 5000 Once the unit has been configured it can be placed in autonomous mode where it will output the configured waveforms even when dis
22. ever is O 10V greater over user specified period and then 0 5 co sec i dropping instantly to the lower voltage The 360 360 phase relative to the other output channel 0 10 V The I O connector is monitored and if less Threshold V 0 10 V than 2 5V output V1 Otherwise output S nnu EET TON V2 Vi i 0 10 V Transient Nematic ic Effect Identical i in V2 O 10V behavior to square wave with the following T 0 5 sec exception a voltage spike occurs for a brief D 360 360 interval immediately following a positive Duty Cycle O 100 transition and similarly the voltage drops to gt Vinge O 10V Zero for a brief interval immediately jon E 0255 ms following a negative transition Invariant 0 10 ve Triangle Sawtooth E The I O connector is monitored for pulses V O 10V When a pulse is received if the output is at 0 10 V VI it switches to V2 If the output is at V2 E it switches to V1 Trigger Tf the unit has the 20V option the maximum voltage becomes 20V D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 14 3 1 3 Sync Pulse Controls CellDRIVE 5000 provides the capability to output a TTL sync pulse high for approximately the selected period on the front panel I O connector at specified points in the CellDRIVE generated waveform This sync pulse may be used for purposes
23. f 3 1 2 Waveform Control In addition to the time invariant setting CelIDRIVE 5000 provides the capability to select from and configure a variety of CellDRIVE generated waveforms for each individual output channel Table 1 lists configuration parameters available with each waveform Please note that the waveforms are synthesized within the controller to avoid any timing issues due to the computer and the waveform display is a graphical representation of the waveform being generated by the controller 3 1 2 1 More on T N E The CellDRIVE 5000 user waveform display with T N E mode configured on one channel Vrne 10V and True 150 msec is shown in Figure 7 An example T N E output envelope is shown in Figure 8 the 2 kHz square wave is shown within the envelope the shaded region By considering positive voltage top half of the signal shown in Figure 8 one can distinguish a square wave varying between 3 and 7 volts Immediately preceding the positive going transition a 10 volt spike is observed Similarly immediately following the negative going transition a zero volt spike is observed The purpose of these spikes is to drive the state change in the liquid crystal faster than what would otherwise occur When the T N E waveform is selected the user may specify the duration of the T N E spike as well as the magnitude of the positive transition spike the negative transition spike is always zero D5020 Digital Controller meadowla
24. he D5020 will instead return to the last state set using the commands shown in table 2 To ensure expected operation and consistent power on state of the D5020 please use the commands shown in table 2 D5020 Digital Controller meadouwlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 17 Table 2 ASCII commands for the Digital Interface Controller Lovin vi n v1 v2 tph lt CR gt n v1 v2 tph lt CR gt i n vl v2 t ph lt CR gt tnew n v1 v2 t ph dc tv tt lt CR gt sync n ph t lt CR gt extin n lt CR gt n vl v2 lt CR gt n 2 lt CR gt n 2 lt CR gt n t lt CR gt N 1 lt CR gt lt CR gt Sets up the specified channel to Output a square wave varying between v and v2 with period t phase ph duty cycle dc with pulses to TNE voltage tv and of duration TNE time ff Sets up the specified channel to output an invariant voltage v e Sets up the specified channel to Output a sine wave varying between v and v2 with period t and phase ph P Sets up the specified channel to output a sawtooth wave varying between v and v2 with period t __ and phase ph Sets up the specified channel to output a triangle wave varying between v and v2 with period t n LC channel 1 2 v v2 0 10000 millivolts i t 5 65535 milliseconds E ph 0 360 degrees dd dc 0 100 percent _ LC channel 1 2 E v v2 0 10000 millivolts 1 5
25. hich has been built with National Instruments LabVIEW Application Builder b Restrictions on Use Licensee agrees to use the Software only for Licensee s own business Licensee shall not 1 permit any parent subsidiaries affiliated entities or third parties to use the Software 11 process or permit to be processed the data of any other party 111 use the Software in the operation of a service bureau or iv allow access to the Software through any terminals located outside of Licensee s Site c Copies Licensee solely to enable it to use the Software may make one archival copy of the Software computer program provided that the copy shall include Licensor s copyright and any D5020 Digital Controller meadouwlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 27 other propriety notices The Software delivered by Licensor to Licensee and the archival copy shall be stored at Licensee s Site d Modifications Reverse Engineering Licensee agrees that only Licensor shall have the right to alter maintain enhance or otherwise modify the Software Licensee shall not disassemble decompile or reverse engineer the Software e Material Terms and Conditions Licensee specifically agrees that the terms and Conditions of this Section 2 are material and that failure of Licensee to comply with these terms and conditions shall constitute sufficient cause to terminate this Agreement 3 Data Conversion Support a Data
26. ill be Only two channels are undefined available OBS TENET TEETER ETE TTT OR NN deu K Convert to decimal Works the same as ldd _ 7 sii lt CR gt but i and are the i i2 0x0000 OxFFFF divide result by 6 5535 hexadecimal and convert to voltages in hexadecimal 21 Setsup the specified n LC channel 1 2 channel to perform TNE t 0 255 milliseconds E laces ET n tv lt CR gt switching with a TNE v 0 10000 millivolts E and divide by 6 5535 a of duration f at Useful only with Id Idd and pen 0 uae the TNE If needed convert configuration for the n LC channel 1 2 voltages to counts by specified channel multiplying by 6 5535 If the unit has the 20V option the voltage becomes 20000 mV The range stays 0x0 OxFFFF for hexadecimal though Query the voltage setting n ld n lt CR gt on the specified channel Ouen the voltage on both channels 3 2 4 Synchronizing two D5020 units If control of four LCs is needed two D5020s may be synchronized This is done by first setting up one unit the master to output a square wave on both channels Then sync out should be configured for either one or both channels If only one channel is used a tee will be needed for connection to the second unit Next configure the second unit the slave to use the triggered waveform for both channels Finally connect cables from the I O
27. lay ieerrnrennee 15 3 1 6 Temperature Sensing and Control 15 3 2 Additional Digital Interface Control Options 17 3 2 2 Multistate Control Software 17 3 2 2 USB Control via C C Program 17 3 2 3 ASCII Commands and Conversions 18 3 2 4 Custom LabVIEW VI ContrOl 20 4 Frequently Asked Questions sssseseecceecececeeeeaeessesseseeeeeeees 21 Appendix A Firmware Updater cccccccccccccececceeeeeeessssseeeeeeeeees 23 Appendix B Software licensing c ssccecceeeeeeeeceeaseasesesseeeeeeeeees 21 Software License Agreement 21 Tade Matk CE 31 D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions Page intentionally left blank D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Quick Start Guide Requires a computer running Microsoft Windows XP or later Place the included CD in the CD ROM drive wait for the CellDRIVE menu to appear and click on the Install CellDRIVE button The USB driver will need to be installed prior to connecting the controller to the computer The CellDRIVE menu has an option to install the drivers Otherwise the driver installers are on the CellDRIVE CD in the following directories 32 bit Windows XP amp new
28. lected waveform even if it is not currently being monitored D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 21 Q In TNE mode the graphical display shows that TNE spikes are sometimes missing from the waveform Extremely short TNE spikes are occasionally misrepresented on the CelIDRIVE 5000 interface but viewing the controller s output with an oscilloscope will verify that they are consistently produced and delivered to the LC cell E What are the power on default voltage and temperature values The controller will remember its previous settings The LED on the controller is currently blinking RED There has been an internal error Try turning the controller off and back on If the controller does not return to normal operation contact Meadowlark Optics for assistance PO ZQ D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 22 Appendix A Firmware Updater The user can reprogram the internal firmware when new versions are released Update is accomplished by using the firmware updater program included on the CellDRIVE CD In order to use the firmware updater program the controller must be powered on and connected to an available USB port on the host computer Perform the following steps to reprogram the controller firmware 1 Install firmware updater software on a computer running Microsoft Windows XP or later Place CellDRIVE CD i
29. meadowlark optics polarization solutions D5020 D5020 20V Liquid Crystal Controller Manual Revision 1 01 Information in this document is subject to change without notice Meadowlark Optics may have patents patent applications trademarks copyrights or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Meadowlark Optics the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents trademarks copyrights or other intellectual property Please contact Meadowlark Optics for a list of applicable patents trademarks and or copyrights 2014 Meadowlark Optics Incorporated All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Table of Contents QUICK Start GIS sara ane EEE A E 3 1 Nematic Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder Basics 5 1 1 Physical AC MISES steam 5 1 2 Response AIME de ee ue an ue 7 2 Hardware Setup and Configuration 8 2 1 Laboratory and system requirements 8 2 2 Using the digital interface controller 8 3 Computer COMO i ai enka kad vai Anal kata 10 Salt CONDRIV ES OO a a eee e 10 3 11 Control Panel a ieae 11 3 1 2 Waveform Control 12 31 2 1 More on LNE 12 3 1 3 Sync Pulse Controls ssrs 15 3 1 4 External Input Controls rree 15 3 1 5 Waveform Disp
30. n the CD ROM drive wait for the CD menu to appear and click on the Install Firmware Updater button 2 Start the firmware updater software by clicking Start Programs Meadowlark Optics Firmware updater The following screen will appear meadowlark optics Firmware Erasing Programming Updater x File Name Cycle power on the controller in preparation for programming Do Not Disturb Power to the Controller While Programming 3 Cycle power on the controller to ensure the USB connection is properly made Wait until the front panel status LED is done flashing before clicking OK If the power is not cycled or the OK button is clicked before the front panel status LED is done flashing the following error will be displayed If this error appears close the firmware updater program and re run it D5020 Digital Controller meadouslark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 23 4 Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater i Xi meadowlark optics Firmware E x LabVIEW An exception occurred within the external code called by a Call Library Node This might have corrupted LabVIEW s memory Save any work to a new location and restart LabVIEW VI loader vi was stopped at node 0x1C48 of subyI loader vi 4 4 Meadowlark Optics Firmware Updater l Choose Hex File zi xf Look in 3 TEE ag a d3040_204 hex History t Da My Documents a My Computer was e File name 43040 204
31. o connect the LC cells Please note that LC cells are not included with the controller e 100 240 VAC 47 63 Hz 500 mA power if using autonomous mode or temperature controlled LC cells e A computer with an available USB port Minimum computer system requirements to run the included CellDRIVE 5000 software are 256 MB RAM 250 MB hard drive space 800x600 pixel 16 bit color graphics display a CD ROM drive and Microsoft Windows XP Vista Windows 7 or Windows 8 meadoullark optics I O 1 POWER STATUS D5020 LIQUID CRYSTAL DIGITAL INTERFACE MADE IN USA TEMP1 TEMP 2 12V LE Key 6S Figure 5 D5020 Front and back panel connections D5020 20V connections are identical and the front panel is labeled D5020 20V 2 2 Using the digital controller 1 Unpack controller and cables from shipping container Please verify that your shipment included Controller Controller to LCVR cable 12V power supply and power cord USB cable CellDRIVE software CD User s manual D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 2 Install the CellDRIVE 5000 software and USB driver e Place the CellDRIVE 5000 CD in the CD ROM drive e A menu should automatically load If not open the CD in Windows Explorer and double click on the AutorunCDSK EXE file Please note that this file s icon is a picture of a CD e Click the Install Cell DRIVE 5000 button in th
32. puter program or modify the Software to avoid the infringement 9 Term and Termination a Term This license agreement is effective from the date of receipt of this agreement and shall remain in full force until terminated Without prejudice to any other right Licensor may terminate this agreement if you fail to comply with any of the terms and conditions of this license agreement b Procedure upon Termination Within ten 10 days after termination of this Agreement Licensee will return to Licensor at Licensee s expense the Software and all copies thereof delete or destroy all other copies of the Software and deliver to Licensor a D5020 Digital Controller meadouwlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 29 certification signed by an officer of Licensee that the Software has been returned all copies deleted or destroyed and its use discontinued 10 Force Majeure If performance hereunder other than payment is interfered with by any condition beyond a party s reasonable control including any Act of God the affected party shall be excused from such performance to the extent of such condition However if a force majeure detrimentally affects a party s performance of a material obligation hereunder for 14 days or more the other party can terminate this Agreement 11 Mediation Arbitration The parties shall endeavor to resolve any dispute by mediation in Boulder CO under the CPR Mediation Procedure
33. reen 1s updated Current Temp Displays present temperature of a temperature controlled LC If temperature is within 1 degree of the set point the number will be in GREEN text otherwise it will be RED D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 16 3 2 Additional Digital Interface Control Options There are other digital interface control options multistate control software a user created program to communicate with the controller via USB or by using custom LabVIEW VIs supplied by Meadowlark Optics Table 2 details a complete list of ASCII firmware commands that may be used when performing USB or HyperTerminal control Note that all commands are lower case 3 2 1 Multistate Control Software There is software available for the D5020 that allows preconfiguration of up to 16 voltage states for LC control The D5020 is capable of switching states randomly in a fixed pattern or when receiving a pulse at the I O 1 connector When changing state randomly or in a fixed pattern the time the LC remains each state is set independently With this software the state is switched for both LCs at the same time Please contact Meadowlark Optics at sales meadowlark com for details 3 2 2 USB Control via C C Program The user can write a program that communicates directly with the controller through a USB connection Included on the CellDRIVE CD Source Code folder is a source code file usb_ver cpp
34. rev 1 01 polarization solutions 26 Appendix B Software Licensing IMPORTANT CAREFULLY READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT BEFORE USING THIS SOFTWARE This Meadowlark Optics Inc License Agreement is a legal agreement between you Licensee and Meadowlark Optics Inc Licensor for the enclosed computer software and any associated media printed materials and online or electronic documentation Software By installing or otherwise using the Software Product you agree to be bound by the terms of this License Agreement If you do not agree to the terms of this License Agreement do not use or install the Software Product you may however return it to your place of purchase for a refund SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT This Software License Agreement Agreement is entered into between Meadowlark Optics Inc Licensor and you as Licensee Licensee 1 Definitions a Software The term Software shall mean the enclosed computer software and any associated media printed materials and online or electronic documentation The term Software includes any corrections bugs fixes enhancements updates or other modifications including custom modifications to such computer programs 2 License a Grant of License Licensor grants Licensee pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement a limited revocable non exclusive non transferable license to use the Software w
35. rk optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 12 ja l Figure 7 CellDRIVE software display of T N E waveform NLC Driver Signal volts Time arbitrary units Figure 8 T N E envelope D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 13 Table 1 CellDRIVE 5000 waveform options Available Parameters MAN Off E Output is 0 0 V Output is time invariant square wave with n user specified amplitude 0 _ 10 Ve Output is a square wave within an envelope i i 0 10 V that varies sinusoidally between V and V gt Sinusoid over user specified period The Phase i 0 5 A Ed ee relative to the other output channel can also _ 7360 360 i be varied 0 _ 10 Ve Output i isa square wave within an envelope 0 10 V that varies linearly from V to V and back to V over a user specified period The phase 0 5 A vee relative to the other output channel can also _ 7360 360 be varied n 0 Z 10 Vs Output i isa square wave within an envelope 0 10 V varying instantly between V and V over De 2 user specified period Phase relative to gt other output channel and duty cycle ratio of 360 360 positive voltage duration to total period aae Duty Cycle OT ee expressed as percent can also be varied Output is a square wave within an envelope 0 10 V rising linearly to V or V gt which
36. that initializes a USB connection to the controller sends a ver command and reads the status response after sending any command status must be read before another command can be sent This program may be used as a starting point and modified as necessary to perform the desired task s Header file usbdrvd h must be included in the source code and either the library file usbdrvd dil or usbdrvd lib all included on the CellDRIVE CD must be linked in the final program The sample code uses usbdrvd dll however some compilers will require the usbdrvd lib file If a user developed or modified application program is to be distributed in any way please contact Meadowlark Optics for licensing and copyright details 3 2 3 ASCII Commands and Conversions The D5020 s available ASCII commands are summarized in Table 2 Please see notes regarding number conversion as well as compatibility below To convert the 16 bit integer values for temperature in Table 2 use the following conversion formulae Convert from Set point t to temperature T C T t 500 65535 273 15 Convert to Set point from temperature C t T 273 15 65535 500 The D5020 will accept the Id Idd Idx and tne commands from the D3040 and D3050 controllers for compatibility reasons See table 3 for a summary of these commands These commands are not recommended for use as the voltages set by them will not be retained by the D5020 when it is powered off and back on T
37. velopment Programmers are encouraged to open and examine the JO Example diagram screen Please note that the LabVIEW development suite version 2010 or newer from National Instruments is required to use the included VIs and is not provided with any version of CellDRIVE software It is assumed that the customer has experience programming in LabVIEW and understands good programming practices Meadowlark Optics cannot offer customer support for LabVIEW application development If a developed or modified LabVIEW application is to be distributed in any way please contact Meadowlark Optics for licensing and copyright details D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 20 2 7 Frequently Asked Questions The controller is not working Check the power supply is plugged in front panel switch is on and the green power light is steady If using a USB interface check the status of the controller under Windows Device Manager by looking for a Meadowlark Optics D5020 Occasionally it helps to turn off the controller wait a few seconds and then turn it back on Q I started the CellDRIVE software and then turned on the controller and now the software is behaving erratically What is happening A The controller must be turned on and have completed its power on self test 7 7 ee PO FO before starting the CellDRIVE software Liquid crystal cells are not changing state
38. will flash RED and return to GREEN when the controller receives a USB command D5020 Digital Controller meadowlark optics User Manual rev 1 01 polarization solutions 6 3 Computer Control There are several computer based methods by which to control the amplitude of the 2 kHz square wave output signals Therefore signals and waveforms in this manual refer to an amplitude envelope about a 2 kHz square wave For instance a driver signal described as invariant actually refers to a square wave with a steady amplitude the envelope is unchanging in time but the signal itself if measured with an oscilloscope oscillates about the zero voltage axis It is important to note that the square wave is always symmetric about the zero voltage axis thus time invariant does not actually mean that a DC voltage is applied to a liquid crystal cell As previously mentioned zero offset is critical for nematic liquid crystal cells Voltage levels herein refer to the amplitude envelope of a 2 kHz square wave with near zero DC offset Applying any significant DC component to a liquid crystal cell may significantly decrease lifetime of the device The most common methods of interfacing to the controller are 1 Using CellDRIVE 5000 nematic liquid crystal driver software package from Meadowlark Optics or using the external input capability 2 Using a C C program that communicates with the controller via USB 3 Developing a custom LabVIEW
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