QCL LAB Series Low Noise Laser Drivers

AMS item number: SW10820

Output Current LD 0.5-2 A; Benchtop or Rack Mount; Compatible with Quantum Cascade Lasers... more

Product information "QCL LAB Series Low Noise Laser Drivers"

Output Current LD 0.5-2 A; Benchtop or Rack Mount; Compatible with Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs)

In order to maintain their characteristically tight center linewidths and minimize jitter, quantum cascade lasers (QCL) must be powered by drivers with exceptionally low current noise density.

Wavelength Electronics’ QCL LAB series of instrument type low noise quantum cascade laser drivers for benchtop use have the lowest current noise density of any commercially available driver. They enable lower detection thresholds in gas, liquid, and material sensing systems. Powering your QCL with this patented driver gives you narrower linewidths, stable center wavelength and repeatable scans.

This is the right instrument for lasers that require a high-precision and ultra-low noise current source to measure concentrations lower than ever before. The 2 A QCL LAB low noise laser driver exhibits noise performance of 1.3 μA RMS to 100 kHz and an average current noise density of 4 nA/√Hz. The high modulation bandwidth and fast rise-time maintains modulation waveform integrity so you can shape the laser output profile exactly as your application requires.

The QCL LAB driver family is available in four different models with output currents from 0.5 up to 2 A, so that you can choose the ideal one for your application. Due to their unique construction, QCL LAB laser drivers operate with high power in the near-IR through terahertz ranges. These wavelengths are particularly suited to detection of molecules significant to humans.

With Wavelength’s plug and play instrument, controls are set quickly using either the instrument touchscreen or a remote computer, and results are easy to monitor. This allows taking your revolutionary QCL application from the test bench to market quickly and efficiently. Remote operation is possible with a LabVIEW Virtual Instrument application or using the USB and Ethernet Test and Measurement Class Command Set.

All the essential control and monitor functions expected in a Wavelength Electronics product are incorporated into this QCL LAB low noise laser driver, along with protection circuitry to safeguard the QCL from minor power source faults, over-temperature conditions and electrical faults. In addition to a soft-clamping current limit, the QCL instrument comes standard with many other safety features like protection against power supply over current, brown-out, overvoltage and driver over-temperature. A relay shorts the output when current is disabled.An Interlock Kit, which includes a BNC terminator and modified D-SUB connector to override interlocks, is included with the instrument. Single and dual rack mount kits are available. Windows-based software also comes with the instrument.

The QCL LAB series of benchtop or rack mount low noise laser drivers have a matching temperature controller family – the TC LAB series, available with 5 to 15 A TEC output current. And once your test and design work is finalized, the QCL circuitry is available in compact OEM versions – please refer to the QCL OEM series of low noise laser drivers.

To help you get the best performance from your QCL LAB laser driver, please download the following application and technical notes: Manage Grounding to Minimize Noise with the QCL Drivers; Troubleshooting Low Noise Systems; How is Current Noise Measured at Wavelength Electronics.

Free, effective and responsive technical support is available to simplify integration of Wavelength products into your OEM design. Standard product can be easily modified to meet your application requirements. Get in touch with the AMS Technologies laser diode driver experts to discuss your customized solution!

Key Features:

Instrument Type, Benchtop
Size: 89 x 221 x 450 mm
19" Rack Mountable: 2 U and 1/2 Rack
Low Noise: <1.3 μA RMS up to 100 kHz
Average Current Noise Density: 4 nA / √Hz
Up to 2.0 A QCL Current
Supply Range: 115/230 VAC ±15%
Adjustable Compliance Voltage: up to 20 V
Analog Modulation Bandwidth up to 2 to 3 MHz
Adjustable Soft-clamping Current Limit
Brown-out, Reverse-voltage, & Over-voltage Protection
Driver Over-temperature Protection Circuit
Constant Current Mode Operation
Intuitive Touchscreen User Interface
USB, Ethernet Interfaces With Software
Store Data on Computer or Flash Drive
Maximum Safety Features for Your QCL
Rise / Fall Times: 250/200 ns

Applications: Remote Detection of Explosive Materials; Medical Diagnosis Using the Breath; Non-invasive Glucose Testing; Emissions Monitoring of the Atmosphere or Marine Environments; Pharmaceutical Process Quality Control; Anesthesia and Hospital Air Quality Monitoring; Leak Detection; Remote Imaging; Cavity ring-down Spectroscopy