SS-OCT Laser Engine
Delivery is Here!
Congratulations, your Axsun SS-OCT Laser Engine has been delivered! First inspect the packaging for external signs of damage. If there is any obvious physical damage, take photographs and request that the carrier's agent be present when the packaging is opened.
NOTE: Retain the shipping container and packing materials so that they may be reused if necessary.
Remove your Engine from its packaging and confirm that all components are present and not damaged. If a component is missing, notify Axsun. If a component appears damaged, notify Axsun and the carrier then follow the carrier's instructions for damage claims.
What's in the Box?
NOTE: This guide includes information for several physical configurations in which Axsun SS-OCT lasers are manufactured and packaged. Please select the tabbed content below for your specific configuration: Benchtop (with enclosure), Standard OEM (with or without EMI shield), Small Form Factor OEM (SFF), or Azmyth OEM.
Installing OCT Host Software
Follow these instructions to install the USB device driver and the OCT Host application (OCTHost.exe) on your Windows PC.
NOTE: to use OCT Host with an Azmyth OEM Laser Engine, download and install the most current OCT Host (i.e. version 2.x.x). The Azmyth OEM Laser Engine is not compatible with OCT Host versions 1.x.x.
NOTE: Software media and manuals may not be physically included with your laser. Please visit the Software Downloads page for up-to-date software. Manuals and other documentation are available in this Knowledge Base linked from the Table of Contents in the left sidebar.
Making Connections
WARNING: Insure the stated environmental requirements are satisfied before connecting and operating your Engine. Operation of the Engine outside of the stated environmental requirements could cause performance degradation or damage.
NOTE: Before optical fiber connections are made, perform fiber endface inspection (and clean if necessary) per industry standards.
WARNING: Stop laser emission prior to making or breaking fiber optic connections. This is especially important for lasers in the 1060 nm spectral range which use smaller fiber core diameters that are susceptible to endface damage when exposed to high power densities.
Connect one end of the fiber optic patch cable supplied with your Engine to the enclosure's FC/APC bulkhead adapter and connect the other end to your desired external component (e.g. OCT interferometer fibers).
Connect the AC/DC power adapter via AC power cable to mains power (100-240 VAC).
Plug the DC connector on the power adapter into its receptacle on the back of the Engine enclosure.
(Optional) Connect the USB cable between the type-B USB port on the back of the Engine enclosure and an available USB 2.0 port on your PC.
(Optional) Connect the Sweep Trigger and K-Clock outputs to an appropriate oscilloscope or digitizer using an SMA-terminated coax cable (50 Ohm).
Insert the key supplied with your Engine into the power switch keyhole and turn the key switch to the ON position.
The startup sequence takes approximately 10 seconds. During this time, the power indicator on the front enclosure may blink while the Engine performs its start-up protocols and self-test.
WARNING: Always connect the fiber patch cable between the enclosure's FC/APC bulkhead adapter and your external component before powering-on the Engine and starting laser emission. Damage to the core of the unconnected fiber behind the bulkhead adapter can occur when exposed to high power densities.
Laser Emission
The default power-on laser emission behavior is configurable as Laser-ON or Laser-OFF. Your Engine will initially behave depending on the setting configured at the factory. (The Hardware Control Tool can be used to reconfigure your Engine for a different power-on default behavior if desired.)
If your Engine's default power-on emission state is Laser-ON, then swept spectrum optical energy will be emitted from the optical output automatically:
after approximately 10 seconds from turning the key switch to the ON position on a Benchtop engine. A laser indicator will be lit on the Benchtop engine while the laser is emitting.
after approximately 10 seconds from applying power to a Standard OEM or SFF OEM engine.
If your Engine's default power-on emission state is Laser-OFF, enable laser emission by pressing the Run button in OCT Host on the Engine Control tab.
Disable laser emission without powering-off the Engine by pressing the Stop button in OCT Host on the Engine Control tab.
Verify laser emission is on or off using an optical power meter connected to the source output fiber, or by viewing the emitted light on an infrared phosphor card.
NOTE: Laser emission can also be enabled and disabled through:
Your custom software application by calling methods in the AxsunOCTControl API or AxsunOCTControl_LW API.
A direct digital input line, avoiding the need for a PC connection and any GUI or API interaction.
WARNING: Disable laser emission when not actively using the laser.
Laser Start-Up Sequence and Stabilization Timing
The Engine depends on closed-loop TEC (thermo-electric cooler) control to maintain stable laser operation. Following application of power to the Engine, several events must occur to stabilize the TEC before a laser's optimal performance characteristics are achieved (approximate times given):
Microprocessor boots (several seconds)
Initial TEC stabilization (several more seconds, depending on relative temperature between target TEC setting and environmental temperature)
Ready to start laser emission (per default emission setting discussed above)
Re-stabilization of TEC (a few more seconds) following all transitions from Laser-OFF to Laser-ON, due to thermal perturbation from starting the laser's optical amplifier.
Powering Off
NOTE: If your Engine is connected to a PC with software control, it is good practice to first disable laser emission prior to powering-off, but this is not a required step if operating your Engine without a PC connection.
To power-off your Engine:
on a Benchtop Engine, turn the key switch to the OFF position.
on a Standard OEM or SFF OEM Engine, unplug the DC power cable.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed, connected, and operated your Axsun SS-OCT Laser Engine. Now learn more about the Advanced Features of your Engine.
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