APE Scan Delay USB Optical Delay

Inside ScanDealy

ScanDelay is a device for a defined linear translation and positioning of optical elements, e.g. in interferometers, pump and probe configurations, correlators or fast scan modules.

The heart of the APE optical delay line series ScanDelay is a special linear translation stage that is supplied together with an appropriate control and drive electronics. The linear drive has been designed especially for optical applications. It combines low moving mass with compactness reaching high precision and resolution. Because of spring bearings the movement is frictionless. The linear drive can be described almost perfectly
by a damped harmonic oscillator allowing precise predictions of the scanner movement and leading to an excellent scan-to-scan reproducibility.

Thus, ScanDelay is capable of generating fast wide scans as well as smallest delays without any stick-slip effects. The actual position is measured in realtime by an analog photoelectrical system with high resolution and wide dynamic range.

The control electronics contains the motor driver and a quartz stabilized signal syntheser. It can be synchronized with an external clock for a precise, phase-locked scanner movement. A software user interface allows easy control and setup of the scanner, a set of LabView drivers allows an easy integration into existing measurement software. The ScanDelay can be operated in fast and slow scan movements with various scan modi, the motor driving force can be sinusoidal, triangular, sawtooth-like or even of a user defined shape.

The scanner movement will respond to this within physical limitations imposed ba a harmonic system.

Features

Control software / LabView driver
User defined delay patterns
Scan phase-locked to external source
Linear and calibrated scaling due to position measurement

Specifications
Version	15	50	150
Scan range	15 ps (± 1.125 mm)	50 ps (± 3.75 mm)	150 ps (± 11.25 mm)
Scan Modes
Internal generator	0.1 ... 20 Hz	0.1 ... 20 Hz	0.1 ... 10 Hz
Externally triggered	0.01 ... 20 Hz	0.01 ... 20 Hz	0.01 ... 10 Hz
External trigger input	TTL, 20 Hz ... < 50 kHz¹⁾
Position output signal	± 10 V / 15 ps²⁾	± 10 V / 50 ps²⁾	± 10 V / 150 ps²⁾
Trigger output (programmable position)	TTL
Linearity of position signal	better < 0.5 %
Coating of the retroreflector	Protected Ag (other coatings on request)
Interface	USB

^{1) fast frequency divider for ~ 80 MHz input optional 2) 10, 100 switchable}

Distributors

Australia: Coherent Scientific

China: Pinnacle / PulsePower

France: Optoprim

Great Britain and Ireland: Photonic Solutions

India: Laser Science

Israel: Ammo Engineering

Japan: Phototechnica

Poland: Eurotec

Scandinavia, Baltic States: Gammadata

Spain, Portugal: Innova Scientific

Switzerland: Dyneos

Taiwan: SuperbIN

USA and Canada: AP&E