RB9603 Monochromator Controller
[Reference Manual]

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Detailed Description

Purpose

Control a Bausch & Lomb monochromator remotely.

Description

The RB9603 Rulbus module enables remote control of a Bausch & Lomb monochromator by driving its nonius with a stepping motor.

The target wavelength can be set manually with Up and Down keys on the Rulbus module and programmatically via the Rulbus computer interface.

The module has a one-line display that shows the target wavelength along with indications if the monochromator is still moving up or down and if the wavelength was set manually or via program control.

Besides setting the wavelength, several properties may be requested from the controller via the computer interface: the target wavelength, the current wavelength, the minimum and maximum wavelengths and the current wavelength as seen by the potentiometer on the stepping motor--potentiometer assembly (see below).

The module's front-panel looks as follows.

  +--------------------------+
  | MONOCHROMATOR CONTROLLER |
  | .----------------------. |
  | | ^ 123.0 nm   manual  | |
  | `----------------------' |
  |                          |
  |                          |
  |   MOTOR    RESET   UP    |
  |                   .--.   |
  |       o      O    |  |   |
  |       /|          `--'   |
  |      | |          DOWN   |
  |      | |          .--.   |
  |       \|          |  |   |
  |       o           `--'   |
  |                          |
  |  RULBUS                  |
  +--------------------------+

The controller module itself sits in a Rulbus rack. A stepping motor--potentiometer assembly is located on the Bausch & Lomb monochromator to drive it. Via a cable the assembly is connected to the MOTOR connector on the controller.

The potentiometer in the assembly records the absolute position of the monochromator. It is used to calibrate the monochromator wavelength at 500 nm initially and to check the position when a new wavelength has been reached.

Configuration

The minimum wavelength that can be used can be set at production time with jumper CN4 to be 0 nm or 100 nm. Minimum and maximum wavelength may be obtained with functions rb9603_monochromator_getMinWavelength() and rb9603_monochromator_getMaxWavelength().

Default configuration

rb9603_monochromator "name"
{
   address = 0xCE
}

When the Rulbus configuration file is read, no configuration steps are made with respect to the monochromator Rulbus module.

Usage

Besides a function to set the target wavelength, there are several functions to request properties, for example: the target wavelength, the current wavelength, the minimum and maximum wavelengths and the current wavelength as seen by the potentiometer on the stepping motor--potentiometer assembly.

int32 handle;
int32 and_wait = true;

rb9603_monochromator_open( &handle, "lamp" );
rb9603_monochromator_setTargetWavelength( handle, 500.0e-9, and_wait );  // in [m]
rb9603_monochromator_close( handle )

Open and close
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_open (int32 *pHandle, CCstr name)
	open a monochromator.
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_close (int32 handle)
	close a monochromator.
Status, wait and calibrate
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_isReady (int32 handle, int32 *pFlag)
	pass true if monochromator is at target wavelength.
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_wait (int32 handle)
	wait until monochromator is at target wavelength.
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_calibrate (int32 handle, int32 and_wait)
	move monochromator to 500 nm for calibration.
Wavelength
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_setTargetWavelength (int32 handle, float32 length, int32 and_wait)
	set target wavelength [m].
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getTargetWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the target wavelength [m].
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getCurrentWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the current wavelength [m].
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getAdcWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the current wavelength [m] according to the measured voltage.
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getAdcMeanWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the current wavelength [m] according to the mean-measured voltage.
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getMinWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the lowest valid wavelength [m].
EXPORT int32 RDL_API	rb9603_monochromator_getMaxWavelength (int32 handle, float32 *pLength)
	get the highest valid wavelength [m].

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