800-612-01

SuperKEVO SERIES
Product Guide

Revision 1.4 10-2023

PRODUCT GUIDEThis guide includes information for the following NKT Photonics products:

SuperK EVO Passively Cooled
Supercontinuum White Light Laser in a Compact Form Factor

SuperK EVO HP Air Cooled
Supercontinuum White Light Laser with Regulated Cooling FansSuperK EVO HP Water Cooled
Supercontinuum White Light Laser with a Water Cooled BaseCAUTION: Do not open the laser module. The laser is equipped with warrantylabels (see Figure 40) on the covers of the module. The warranty is void if thesystem is opened.

Manufactured by:

NKT Photonics A/S
Blokken 84, Birkerød-3460 Denmark
The information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
All company and product names mentioned within are either trademarks or registered trademarks of
NKT Photonics.
Specifications are listed as metric units. Imperial units listed are conversions.

Copyright 2023 NKT Photonics A/S. All rights reserved.

Author: W-10456

Guide Overview
This product guide is intended to provide functional, operational andinstallation information for all SuperK EVO laser system models. The guide isdivided into three sections:•SuperK EVO Description – introduces the laser’s theory and functionality,
its interfaces, and chassis variants.

•

Installing the Laser – includes the details on how to install the laser chassis
variants and connect it to the management platform and your application
systems.

•

Operating the Laser – provides information and procedures on how to
configure communications with the laser and manage its operation.

SafetyWARNING: Do not operate the laser before first reading and understanding all
warnings, cautions and handling information stated within the documents:
SuperK EVO Safety, Handling and Regulatory Information
NOTE: The paper copy of this document is included with your laser; however, it
can also be downloaded from:https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/product-manuals/
WARNING: Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures otherthan those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

Target Audience This guide is for technical personnel involved in the selection, planning anddeployment of lasers in laboratory and industrial settings. The guide assumes areasonable knowledge level of lasers, photonic principles and electricalinterface connectivity.

<3>Chapters Inside This guide includes the following chapters:•

Chapter I “Laser Description” — Describes the SuperK EVO laser series
including its general operational principles, management and interfaces.

•

Chapter 2 “Chassis Types” — Describes the laser chassis models available
within the SuperK EVO series.

•

Chapter 3 “Mechanical Installation” — Includes information and procedureson how to correctly install the laser chassis. Procedures within this chapter
focus on providing adequate temperature regulation.

•

Chapter 4 “Connecting the Laser” — This chapter provides the information
on how to physically connect the safety interlock, power, the opticalcollimator, and the optional interfaces.IF•

Chapter 5 “Communicating with the Laser” — Includes procedures on
preparing a PC with the laser’s management software and connecting it to
the laser.

•

Chapter 6 “Turning on the Laser” — Contains procedures on how to safely
turn the laser emission on and off using the management software.

•

Chapter 7 “CONTROL Interface” — Includes descriptions and procedures of
CONTROL software menus and panels.

•

Chapter 8 “Configuring External Control” — This chapter provides details
on implementing a feedback circuit to modulate the laser’s output power.

•

AppendicesAppendicesAppendices — The guide includes multiple
appendices including laser specifications, support contact details,
accessory descriptions and miscellaneous procedures supporting the laser
operation and installation.

Added information Lasers are highly dangerous devices that can cause serious injury and property
and Safety Notices damage. This guide use the following symbols to either highlight importantsafety information or provide further information in relation to a specific topic.
NOTE: Highlights additional information related to the associated topic and/or
provides links or the name of the NKT guides describing the additional information.

CAUTION: Alerts you to a potential hazard that could cause loss of data, or damage the system or equipment.

WARNING: The laser safety warning alerts you to potential serious injury that
may be caused when using the laser.

Revision Revision details are documented in the following table.
<4>

Date

Revision

Comments

October 20191.01

1st release

October 2019

1.02

Numerous technical corrections

November 2019

1.03

CONTROL interface updates and technical corrections

April 2020

1.04

Updated table 20

January 2021

1.10

Release 1.0 includes the following changes:• Updated support contact details in appendix B.
• Appendix D - Reordered accessories and removed
discontinued product Extend-UV.

March 2021

1.00

Revision rolled back to 1.0 due to internal system
requirements.

November 2021

1.10

Minor errors corrected; updated language and figures
throughout.
Water cooled SuperK EVO – Hose and fitting
connections are updated - see “Installing the watercooled chassis” on page 39.

March 2022

1.2

Updated the following:• Added section .“Termination necessary” onpage 48

April 2022

1.3

Updated the following:• Updated the front cover to indicate all EVO series
lasers are included.

• Updated the front cover inside page to list lasers

included as EVO and EVO HP laser forms.
• Updated text and figures in section “Connecting the
Safety Interlock” on page 41 and its subsections.
October 2023

1.4

Updated the style of the manual.

<5>

<6>

CONTENTS
Guide Overview ............................................................................................................... 3
Safety ............................................................................................................................... 3
Target Audience ............................................................................................................... 3
Chapters Inside ................................................................................................................ 4
Added information and Safety Notices ............................................................................. 4
Revision ........................................................................................................................... 4
TABLES ..................................................................................................................................... 13
FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... 15
PROCEDURES .......................................................................................................................... 17

Section 1 Description ........................................................................................ 19
1

Laser Description........................................................................................................... 21
Terminology ................................................................................................................... 21
Accessories .................................................................................................................... 21
CONTROL ...................................................................................................................... 21
Temperature regulation .................................................................................................. 22
Front panel interfaces .......................................................................................................... 22External bus ................................................................................................................... 22
Mounting clamp slot ....................................................................................................... 22
RS-232 Serial port .......................................................................................................... 22
Key switch ...................................................................................................................... 23
Status LEDs ................................................................................................................... 23
Pulse Output .................................................................................................................. 23
DC power input .............................................................................................................. 23
External control input ..................................................................................................... 23
Optical output fiber ......................................................................................................... 23
Interlock .......................................................................................................................... 23
Ethernet .......................................................................................................................... 23
Optical output ....................................................................................................................... 23<7>

Collimator ....................................................................................................................... 23
Configuration and operation overview ................................................................................. 24
CONTROL application ................................................................................................... 24
Custom laser control ...................................................................................................... 25
Laser emission stabilization using feedback .................................................................. 25
External laser emission control ...................................................................................... 25
Key switch and interlock safety ...................................................................................... 25
Synchronizing external equipment ................................................................................. 26
Laser accessory management ....................................................................................... 26
Status LEDs ......................................................................................................................... 27
Chassis labels...................................................................................................................... 28

2

Chassis Types .............................................................................................................. 31
Passively cooled SuperK EVO............................................................................................. 31
Air cooled SuperK EVO ....................................................................................................... 31
Water cooled SuperK EVO .................................................................................................. 32

Section 2 Installing the laser............................................................................. 33
3

Mechanical Installation.................................................................................................. 35
General installation requirements .................................................................................. 35
Installing the passively cooled chassis ................................................................................ 35
Mounting considerations ................................................................................................ 36
Installing the air cooled chassis ........................................................................................... 38
Air cooled SuperK EVO .................................................................................................. 38
Air flow considerations ................................................................................................... 38
Installing the water cooled chassis ...................................................................................... 39
Water cooled SuperK EVO ............................................................................................ 39
Cooling water flow specifications ................................................................................... 39

4

Connecting the Laser.................................................................................................... 41
Connecting the Safety Interlock ........................................................................................... 41
Simplified Interlock Operation ........................................................................................ 41<8>

Connecting Power................................................................................................................ 43
Connecting the optical output (collimator installation).......................................................... 44
Back reflection ................................................................................................................ 44
Installing the collimator ................................................................................................... 44
Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces .............................................................. 46
External Bus ................................................................................................................... 46
Connecting the External Bus .......................................................................................... 46
Pulsed Output ................................................................................................................ 47

Section 3 Operating the laser............................................................................ 49
5

Communicating with the Laser ...................................................................................... 51
CONTROL software ............................................................................................................. 51
Installing the software .................................................................................................... 51
Connecting the Laser to CONTROL .................................................................................... 51
USB connection ............................................................................................................. 51
Ethernet connection ....................................................................................................... 52
Grouping connections .................................................................................................... 55

6

Turning on the Laser ..................................................................................................... 57
Safety ................................................................................................................................... 57
Preparation........................................................................................................................... 57
Controlling the laser emissions ............................................................................................ 58
Turning on the laser ....................................................................................................... 58
Error ............................................................................................................................... 59
Turning off the laser ....................................................................................................... 59

7

CONTROL Interface ...................................................................................................... 61
CONTROL overview ............................................................................................................ 61
Relocating panels ........................................................................................................... 62
Toggling the panels visible ............................................................................................. 63
Connecting to the laser .................................................................................................. 63
Status panel ......................................................................................................................... 64<9>

Status Indicators ............................................................................................................ 64
Interlock Reset (button) .................................................................................................. 65
System Info .................................................................................................................... 65
Measurements ............................................................................................................... 65
Emission button .............................................................................................................. 65
CONTROL Settings ............................................................................................................. 66
Ethernet .......................................................................................................................... 66
Watchdog ....................................................................................................................... 67
Clock .............................................................................................................................. 68
View ............................................................................................................................... 68
CONTROL Menu ................................................................................................................. 69
Key Updater tool ............................................................................................................ 69
Log Downloader ............................................................................................................. 70
Extensions Overview ...................................................................................................... 72
Control Panel – Operating Mode ......................................................................................... 73
Operating modes ............................................................................................................ 73
Application Log panel........................................................................................................... 74
Device Monitor ..................................................................................................................... 75

8

Configuring External Control......................................................................................... 77
Power stabilization using external feedback ........................................................................ 77
Configuring external feedback ....................................................................................... 78
External enable .................................................................................................................... 78
Configuring External enable ........................................................................................... 79A

Specifications................................................................................................................ 83

BService and Support Information .................................................................................. 85
Servicing the laser ............................................................................................................... 85
Opening the laser chassis .............................................................................................. 85
WARRANTY VOID IF REMOVED label ......................................................................... 85
Support contact details ........................................................................................................ 85
Support website ............................................................................................................. 85< 10 >

Shipping address ........................................................................................................... 85

C

Firmware Upgrade......................................................................................................... 87
Upgrading the firmware........................................................................................................ 87

D

Accessories ................................................................................................................... 89
SuperK VARIA ..................................................................................................................... 90
SuperK Select ...................................................................................................................... 91
SuperK LLTF........................................................................................................................ 93
SuperK Split ......................................................................................................................... 94
SuperK Connect and Fiber Deliver System ......................................................................... 95

E

CONTROL Software...................................................................................................... 97
Installing CONTROL ............................................................................................................ 97

F

Troubleshooting and Errors ......................................................................................... 103
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................. 103
Error codes and recovery................................................................................................... 104

G

Unpacking and Packing the Laser............................................................................... 105
Unpacking the laser ........................................................................................................... 105
Accessory kit ................................................................................................................ 105
Prepare and pack the laser for shipping ............................................................................ 108< 11 >

< 12 >TABLES
Table 1: Status LEDs .................................................................................................................. 27
Table 2: Chassis labels............................................................................................................... 28
Table 3: Passively cooled SuperK EVO installation specifications ............................................. 35
Table 4: Air flow considerations .................................................................................................. 38
Table 5: Chiller and hose/fittings recommendations ................................................................... 40
Table 6: Connecting the External Bus ........................................................................................ 46
Table 7: Pulsed Output connection – NIM output pulse.............................................................. 48
Table 8: Operating modes .......................................................................................................... 74
Table 9: Device monitor parameters........................................................................................... 75
Table 10: External control input parameters ............................................................................... 77
Table 11: Optical ....................................................................................................................... 83
Table 12: Interfaces .................................................................................................................... 83
Table 13: Mechanical dimensions............................................................................................... 84
Table 14: Electrical ..................................................................................................................... 84
Table 15: Compliances ............................................................................................................... 84
Table 16: SuperK FIANIUM accessories .................................................................................... 89
Table 17: VARIA specifications................................................................................................... 90
Table 18: Select AOTF types...................................................................................................... 92
Table 19: LLTF Contrast model specifications............................................................................ 93
Table 20: SPLIT wavelength ranges........................................................................................... 94
Table 21: Laser troubleshooting ............................................................................................... 103
Table 22: Errors codes and recovery action ............................................................................. 104< 13 >

< 14 >FIGURES
Figure 1: SuperK EVO (passive) – general view ........................................................................ 21
Figure 2: SuperK EVO front panel .............................................................................................. 22
Figure 3: SuperK collimator ........................................................................................................ 24
Figure 4: Pulse Output port signal as measured by an oscilloscope .......................................... 26
Figure 5: SuperK EVO status LEDs............................................................................................ 27
Figure 6: SuperK EVO chassis panels........................................................................................ 29
Figure 7: Passively cooled SuperK EVO - heat conductive plate ............................................... 31
Figure 8: Air Cooled SuperK EVO - air flow................................................................................ 32
Figure 9: Water cooled SuperK EVO - water flow....................................................................... 32
Figure 10: Installing the passively cooled SuperK EVO ............................................................. 36
Figure 11: Bottom aluminum plate and screw hole locations...................................................... 37
Figure 12: Air cooled SuperK EVO – airflow clearance .............................................................. 38
Figure 13: Water cooled SuperK EVO with chiller ...................................................................... 39
Figure 14: Interlock connected to a door switch - laser ON ........................................................ 42
Figure 15: Interlock connected to a door switch - laser SHUTDOWN ........................................ 42
Figure 16: Inserting a collimator into a holder............................................................................. 45
Figure 17: Collimator installed into a SuperK accessory receptacle........................................... 46
Figure 18: External Bus Circuit - with no accessories used ........................................................ 47
Figure 19: External Bus circuit - two or more accessories in a daisy chain ................................ 47
Figure 20: Pulse synchronization................................................................................................ 48
Figure 21: Pulse (NIM) trigger delay control ............................................................................... 48
Figure 22: CONTROL panel navigation ...................................................................................... 61
Figure 23: Relocating panels within CONTROL ......................................................................... 62
Figure 24: Dragging panels outside the main window ................................................................ 62
Figure 25: Toggling panel visibility.............................................................................................. 63
Figure 26: Quick Connect ........................................................................................................... 63
Figure 27: Status panel............................................................................................................... 64
Figure 28: CONTROL settings.................................................................................................... 66
Figure 29: Ethernet setting.......................................................................................................... 66
Figure 30: Watchdog................................................................................................................... 67
Figure 31: Clock settings ............................................................................................................ 68
Figure 32: View....................................................................................................................... 68

Figure 33: Menu items ................................................................................................................ 69
Figure 34: Extensions Overview ................................................................................................. 72< 15 >

Figure 35: Operating mode ......................................................................................................... 73
Figure 36: Application Log window ............................................................................................. 74
Figure 37: Setting External feedback mode................................................................................ 78
Figure 38: External Enable Trigger vs optical output rise ........................................................... 79
Figure 39: Setting External enable mode.................................................................................... 79
Figure 40: Warranty void label .................................................................................................... 85
Figure 41: VARIA ....................................................................................................................... 90
Figure 42: Select ....................................................................................................................... 91
Figure 43: Select AOTF example output - 640 nm central wavelength ...................................... 92
Figure 44: SuperK LLTF Contrast............................................................................................... 93
Figure 45: SuperK Split............................................................................................................... 94
Figure 46: SuperK Fiber Delivery System using a CONNECT ................................................... 95
Figure 47: Accessory kit components ....................................................................................... 105
Figure 48: SuperK EVO packaging........................................................................................... 107
white< 16 >

PROCEDURES
Procedure 1: Connecting the door interlock circuit .................................................................... 43
Procedure 2: Connecting power ................................................................................................ 43
Procedure 3: Installing the collimator ......................................................................................... 45
Procedure 4: Connecting over USB........................................................................................... 52
Procedure 5: Connecting a PC to the laser using Ethernet ....................................................... 53
Procedure 6: Grouping connections in a collection.................................................................... 55
Procedure 7: Turning on the Laser ............................................................................................ 58
Procedure 8: Turning off the Laser ............................................................................................ 59
Procedure 9: Relocating panels ................................................................................................. 62
Procedure 10: Using the Key Updater tool ................................................................................ 69
Procedure 11: Using the Log Downloader ................................................................................. 71
Procedure 12: Upgrading the firmware ....................................................................................... 87
Procedure 13: Installing CONTROL............................................................................................ 97
Procedure 14: Unpacking the laser........................................................................................... 106
Procedure 15: Packing the laser ............................................................................................... 108< 17 >

< 18 >

SECTION 1
DESCRIPTIONThis section provides a description of the laser and its chassis types.

• “Laser Description” on page 21• “Chassis Types” on page 31< 19 >

Description< 20 >

1

Laser Description
SuperK EVO lasers are a series of compact white light lasers (WLL) with
passive, water, or air cooled variants. The lasers are Class 4 laser sources thatgenerate a pulsed supercontinuum beam. The emitted beam is spatiallycoherent and composed of light frequencies from 400 to 2400 nm with a pulse
rate that is customizable. To synchronize external equipment, the lasers
include a BNC port that outputs a NIM logic output signal at the laser pulse
repetition rate.
Figure 1 SuperK EVO (passive) – general view

Terminology The SuperK EVO series includes the model variants as listed on page 3. This
guide uses the term, “laser” to refer to all model variants. When information
related to a specific variant is noted, the model name is specified. The guide
may also refer to NKT Photonics as simply NKTP.

Accessories A series of accessories are available for use with the laser to modify the output
beam. Accessories can be used for beam delivery and filtering to obtain adesired narrow band, wide band, or extended spectrum. An overview of theaccessories is described in Appendix D.

CONTROL For general use, the laser and its accessories are controlled and configured
using the NKTP CONTROL application on a PC. A CONTROL PC connects tothe laser through either an RS232, serial USB, or Ethernet link. To control
accessories from the same CONTROL PC, the laser is equipped with an
external bus interface which can connect up to eight accessories in a daisy
chain configuration. Connecting and controlling the laser with CONTROL isdescribed in “Communicating with the Laser” on page 51.

< 21 >

Front panel interfaces

Temperature The laser series includes three chassis variants characterized by theirregulation temperature regulation system. The laser’s chassis is either passively cooled,forced-air cooled, or water cooled. Installation requirements differ due to theheat dissipation method employed and this is described in “Mechanical
Installation” on page 35.

Front panel interfaces
The front panel houses all of the laser interfaces as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 SuperK EVO front panel
5
6
7

8

1

2
9
10

1

3

11

4

12
External bus - 15 pin D-sub female

7

Pulse output – 50 ohm BNC

2 Mounting clamp slot (passive variant only)

8 DC power input

3 RS-232 serial port – 9 pin D-sub female

9 External Control Input

4 Type B USB serial port

10 Optical output fiber (not shown)

5 Key switch

11 Interlock - 2 pin Lemo connector

6 Status LEDs

12 Ethernet - RJ-45

External bus This port connects optional optical accessories
to the laser. The port supports
2
communications, power and the interlock signal. See also “Laser accessory
management” on page 26.

Mounting clamp slot Passively cooled variants can be firmly mounted and held against a heat sinkwith clamps holding the laser in these slots. For all variant mounting informationrefer to “Mechanical Installation” on page 35.

RS-232 Serial port As an option, you can use a standard serial cable to connect this port to a
CONTROL PC equipped with a 9 pin serial port.

< 22 >

Optical output

Key switch The key switch provides keyed ON/OFF authorization of laser emission as
follows:•

In the ON position, laser emission can be enabled1•

In the OFF position, laser emission cannot be enabled.

•

Removing the key and storing it securely prevents unauthorized emission.

The switch also resets any interlock breaks once the interlock circuit has been
restored. Also see – “Key switch and interlock safety” on page 25.

Status LEDs See “Status LEDs” on page 27.

Pulse Output Connect external equipment to the port to synchronize it with the laser pulse.
See “Synchronizing external equipment” on page 26

DC power input An AC mains power adapter is included with the laser. Connect it to this port –see “Connecting Power” on page 43.

External control Connect an external feedback signal to this port to stabilized the laser’s emission
input power level. See “Laser emission stabilization using feedback” on page 25

Optical output fiber See “Optical output” on page 23.

Interlock Connect the laser enclosure door switch to this 2 pin LEMO connector. When thecircuit is open, laser emission is disabled. For more information see “Connecting
the Safety Interlock” on page 41.

Ethernet 100 M RJ-45 Ethernet port – see “Remote operation” on page 24.

Optical output
The optical output of the lasers is a 1.5 meter armored fiber connected to an
output collimator.

Collimator The optical output of the laser is a collimator at the end of an armored fiber cableas shown in Figure 3. A collimated beam exits the collimator from a steel sleeveconnector designed for insertion into a receptacle of a target optical device suchas for example, a SuperK accessory, holder, or an optical power meter. Once

1.

Interlock circuit must be closed< 23 >

Configuration and operation overview

inserted, the substantial construction of the collimator maintains the output
beam alignment.
Figure 3 SuperK collimator

44

mm

12 mm

Polarization spacer
Polarization alignment key

3.5 mmConfiguration and operation overview
You can operate the laser using either NKTP’s CONTROL application from aconnected PC or with your own custom application using NKTP’s Software
Development Kit (SDK). The CONTROL application is connected to the laserusing one of the laser’s front panel Ethernet or serial interfaces shown in
Figure 2. To ensure safety, a key switch and door interlock circuit help toprevent accidental exposure to emission.
NOTE: The laser output is rated as Class 4, to enable emission, the laser requires the key switch in the ON position and (door switch) interlock circuit
closed.

CONTROL Connect a PC with the CONTROL application to the laser’s USB2 Type B serial
application port. However, by using a standard RS-232 serial cable you can also connect
the serial port of a CONTROL PC to the laser’s standard DB-9 RS232 port.
Either way, once connected, use CONTROL to operate and monitor the laserand configure its power settings. Other parameters such as line settings andbandwidths of various attached accessories are also configurable with theapplication.
NOTE: If both serial ports are connected, the USB2 port has priority.
Remote operation
When operating a CONTROL PC from a remote location or for multiple laser
management, connect to the standard 100M RJ-45 Ethernet port on the front
panel. The laser supports IPv4 networking and the port must be connected to a
local subnetwork that is accessible to the CONTROL PC’s network connection.
The laser’s Ethernet port is first assigned an IP address using CONTROL on a
PC connected through a serial interface connection. Once the laser IP address
is assigned, the address is added to a list of connections in the CONTROL
application itself.
< 24 >

Configuration and operation overview

Multiple lasers
Multiple devices can be managed from the same PC with CONTROL. The
application detects connected NKTP lasers and their accessories.
NOTE: The Chapter “Communicating with the Laser” on page 51 provides thedetails and procedures on how to connect CONTROL to the laser.

Custom laser If required, you can control the laser from a custom platform connected to either
control the USB, serial, or Ethernet port. To build your own custom control application,
NKTP provides a software development kit (SDK) which can be downloadedfrom:https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/software-drivers/

Laser emission You can control the output power of the emission using external feedback
stabilization using connected to the External Control Input BNC connector. The connector accepts
feedback an input voltage ranging from 0 to 4.1 volts. Using an external detector
monitoring emission power, a circuit can provide a feedback voltage level. The
laser monitors the level at its External Control Input port and adjusts the output
power accordingly to maintain and stabilize emission at the setpoint power level.
(Also known as power lock.)
NOTE: Feedback voltage variations above 100 Hz cannot be accurately detectedby the sampling circuit. Refer to “Power stabilization using external feedback” onpage 77 for further information on how to employ a feedback circuit.

External laser You can also use the External Control Input port for external ON/OFF emission
emission control control. A TTL or CMOS logic level applied at the port, turns the laser’s booster
ON when the signal is high and OFF when the signal is low. See feature “External
enable” on page 78.
Maximizing the laser lifetime
The laser’s lifetime is influenced by usage of the main amplifier. When an
application does not require that the laser is ON continuously, you can optimize
the laser’s lifetime by minimizing the laser ON time.
WARNING: When this feature turns OFF the laser booster, the laser seed is still
ON and residual Class 4 emission is still present at the laser aperture.

WARNING: Do not use the Output Control feature as a safety interlock.

NOTE: The feature is by request only, contact NKT Photonics.

Key switch and To enhance safety, the laser is equipped with an interlock interface and a keyedinterlock safety switch. The two components work together to safely control laser emission. To< 25 >

Configuration and operation overview

permit laser emission, the interlock circuit must be closed (door closed
position) and the laser key switch must be in the ON position.
Connect the interlock LEMO pins to a switch which is activated by an accessdoor to the laser operating enclosure. If the door unexpectedly opens, theswitch opens and laser emission is immediately shut down. “Connecting the
Safety Interlock” on page 41 describes the details on how to connect theinterlock.
Interlock Safety Reset
If the enclosure door opens and closes, the laser is shut down by the interlock.
Despite the door being closed again, you cannot enable the laser again until
the key lock is first cycled to OFF and back to ON. This resets the interlock andyou can enable emission.

Synchronizing The signal from the Pulse Output BNC port can synchronize external devices toexternal equipment the output pulse train of the laser. The port outputs a signal that issynchronized to the pulsed oscillator inside the SuperK EVO. The signal is NIM
compliant (see standard DOE/ER-0457) and ranges from 0 to approximately-1 V.
An example of the pulse output pattern is shown in Figure 4. Data is sampledusing an oscilloscope with a 500 MHz bandwidth. (Use a 100 MHz bandwidth
oscilloscope as a minimum to view the pulse.)
Refer to “Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces” on page 46 formore information regarding the Pulse Output port.
Figure 4 Pulse Output port signal as measured by an oscilloscope

NOTE: The actual output voltages from the Pulsed Output port are negative.

Laser accessory The External Bus port connects optional SuperK EVO accessories. The port
management provides a bus control interface and 12V DC power to optional smart
accessories. When multiple smart accessories are utilized with the laser, thebus supports daisy chain connectivity. Smart accessories connected to the< 26 >

Status LEDs

External Bus are recognized and managed by the CONTROL PC connected to
the laser. For safety, the bus also extends the interlock safety circuit througheach connected accessory. Always place the included bus defeater on theExternal Bus output of the last device in the chain to close the interlock loop
circuit. Emission cannot be enabled unless the interlock circuit is in the closed
state. See also “Connecting the External Bus” on page 46.
NOTE: The External Bus will only prevent the laser from operating when the Interlock circuit is connected as required by safety regulations either local or mandated.

Status LEDs
The front panel houses three status LEDs shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5 SuperK EVO status LEDs

Emission

StatusPower

Table 1 Status LEDs
LED

Condition

Description

Emission

ON White

The laser is ON and emitting Class 4 laser emisison fromthe collimator.

OFF

The laser is OFF.

ON RedThe laser shutdown due to an error. An error code will be
displayed in the status panel of CONTROL – seeTroubleshooting and Errors page 103.

OFF

No errors are detected.

ON Green

24 VDC is supplied.

OFF

No power is connected.

StatusPower< 27 >

Chassis labels

Chassis labels
The SuperK EVO chassis includes multiple labels that indicate hazards,
regulatory and manufacturing information. The labels are located on thepanels, and collimator described in Table 2 with the panel locations shown in
Figure 6.
Table 2 Chassis labels
Label

Panel

Description

Classification

Top

Safety information stating the laser
emission hazards and the laser’s class
rating.

Manufacturing Left

Manufacturing information including
address, part and serial number, datemanufactured and regulatorycompliance.

Laser
Radiation
Warning

Safety information alert indicating thisarea of the laser is near a source of
dangerous laser emission.

Front

Laser Aperture Collimator Safety information alert indicating thelocation of the aperture where laser
radiation is emitted from the laser.
Certification

Top

Regulatory label indicating theregulatory items the laser is compliant
with.

Production
Information

Top

Safety label showing the emission
specifications the laser is capable of.

DC Input

Front

Safety label stating the DC voltage andcurrent ratings of the laser.

WEEE
Compliance

Rear

Environmental label Indicating thelaser can be disposed of following
European Community Directive 2012/
19/EU regulations.

< 28 >

Chassis labels

Figure 6 SuperK EVO chassis panels
Top

Rear
Left
Front

Collimator< 29 >

Chassis labels< 30 >

2

Chassis Types
The SuperK EVO Laser series consists of three separate chassis variants,
defined by their cooling method. This chapter describes the characteristics ofthe cooling method of each variant.

Passively cooled SuperK EVO
The passively cooled SuperK EVO includes a bottom mounting plate machinedfrom an aluminum block. The plate acts as a passive heat sink to conduct
excessive heat away from the laser. By using a passive thermal conduction
design, the laser’s dimensions can be minimized into a compact form factor as
shown in Figure 7. The plate includes four slots machined from its front andrear sides; use these slots with clamps to mount the laser firmly onto a heat
conductive surface. Alternatively, there are four M6 threaded holes machinedin the bottom of the plate to fasten the laser to a mounting surface.
Figure 7 Passively cooled SuperK EVO - heat conductive plate

Heat conductive
bottom plate

4 x L-clamps and bolts

Air cooled SuperK EVO
The air cooled chassis of the SuperK EVO laser uses a fan plenum shelf withdual fans to thermally regulate the laser operation. Cool air drawn from thefront panel grill is forced across the laser components regulating the systemtemperature. Hot air is then blown out through the exhaust grill at the rear of< 31 >

Water cooled SuperK EVO

the laser. Fan speed is adjusted automatically to maintain an optimum
operating temperature.
Figure 8 Air Cooled SuperK EVO - air flow

30 cm clearance

30 cm clearance

Air flow considerations
To avoid obstruction of the airflow, place the air-cooled SuperK EVO laser withat least 30 cm clearance at the front and rear panel vents.

Water cooled SuperK EVO
The water cooled variant is equipped with two 1/8 inch hose fittings connected
to internal channels where chilled coolant flows to regulate the temperature of
the laser. Coolant is chilled and pumped through the laser in any direction
using a suitable external chiller equipped with both flow and temperature
setpoint control. To prevent scaling and corrosion issues, coolant consisting ofwater mixed with ethylene glycol and algaecide is recommended for use withthe system. Tap water and deionized water should be avoided.
Figure 9 Water cooled SuperK EVO - water flow

ille

Note that there is no preferred
ﬂow direction.

Fr

om

ch

To
c

hil

r

ler

Coolant hose ﬁttings

CAUTION: Use coolant with anti-corrosive properties suitable for use withaluminum tubing only.

< 32 >

SECTION 2
INSTALLING THE LASERThis section describes how to install the laser and includes the chapters:• “Mechanical Installation” on page 35• “Connecting the Laser” on page 41< 33 >

Installing the laser< 34 >

3

Mechanical Installation
SuperK EVO lasers generate a substantial amount of heat, therefore
consideration of heat dissipation is essential when installing the laser. To
dissipate the heat, SuperK EVOs are available in three different chassis variants
characterized by their temperature regulation system. This chapter provides
information on how to mechanically install the three versions of the laser withfocus on ensuring optimal regulation of the laser’s temperature.
CAUTION: For reliable operation, do not expose the laser to corrosive agents,
excessive moisture, heat or dust.

General installation Ensure to install SuperK EVO lasers on a level surface that is free fromrequirements vibrations. The ambient temperature surrounding the laser should be stableand free from anything that could cause temperature fluctuations. Temperaturechanges and vibrations may affect the laser’s operation and result in abnormal
operation. When connecting the optical output, any bends in the armored fiber
cable must exceed or equal the minimum bend radius of 15 cm.

Installing the passively cooled chassis
The passive cooling chassis is equipped with a thick aluminum bottom plate.
The plate acts as a heat sink, cooling and conducting heat away from the laser.
To effectively conduct the heat away from the laser, mount the laser on a flatand thermally conductive surface such as an aluminum table. Ensure the laser’s
plate lies flat against the table surface without any gaps.
Table 3 lists the specifications for a passively cooled installation.
Table 3 Passively cooled SuperK EVO installation specifications
Item

Characteristic

Mounting
surface Size

200 mm x 300 mm minimum for maximum contact with the laser’s bottom
plate.

Mounting
surfacematerial

Aluminum - or any material with thermal conductivity that is equal to or better
than aluminum.

ClampsExample: Thorlabs CL5 L-shape clamp with 1/4-20 or M6 bolts (or similar)< 35 >

Installing the passively cooled chassis

Figure 10 Installing the passively cooled SuperK EVO

Heat conductive
bottom plate

4 x L-clamps and bolts

Mounting Mounting surface
considerations When mounting a passively cooled SuperK EVO, place the laser with its bottom
plate secured to a flat metallic surface. Ensure that the mounting surface makes
contact with the entire bottom plate of the laser.
Ambient conditions
Check that the ambient conditions meet the specifications listed in Appendix A.
Further, ensure there are no devices or other heat sources nearby that could
cause temperature fluctuations in the laser.
Mounting slots
Using L-clamps and mounting bolts, firmly clamp the laser to an optical table orother suitable surface. Fit the L-clamps as shown in Figure 10 with the slots inthe front and back sides of the laser’s bottom plate.
Mounting screw holes
As an option, fasten the laser to a surface using the four M6 mounting screw
holes in the bottom plate. The precise screw hole locations are shown in
Figure 11.

2< 36 >

Installing the passively cooled chassis

Figure 11 Bottom aluminum plate and screw hole locations
20 mm

196 mm

20 mm

4 x M6285 mm< 37 >

Installing the air cooled chassis

Installing the air cooled chassis
Air cooled SuperK The air cooled variant uses forced air flow to regulate the laser temperature.
EVO The air is drawn in through the inlet vents on the front panel and blown out
through the exhaust vents on the rear panel. The system features twoelectrically controlled fans that adjust air flow based on the laser operating
temperature. When installing the air cooled variant, ensure there is adequate
clearance from any air flow obstructions.
Figure 12 Air cooled SuperK EVO – airflow clearance

30 cm CLEARANCE

30 cm CLEARANCE

Air flow The air cooled chassis must have sufficient clearance at the front and backconsiderations panels for unobstructed air flow. The clearance and ambient operation
temperature required is listed in Table 4.
Table 4 Air flow considerations
Specification
Front Panel Gap

A minimum of 30 cm must be clear of obstructions

Rear Panel Gap

A minimum of 30 cm must be clear of obstructions

Ambient Operating
Temperature

15°C to 35°C (32° F to 95° F)< 38 >

Installing the water cooled chassis

Installing the water cooled chassis
Water cooled Using integrated water cooling with quick coupling hose connectors ensures
SuperK EVO efficient thermal management and a long maintenance-free lifetime of thousandsof hours. The water cooled chassis allows the parameters of the laser to operate
at extreme levels. Using a chiller as shown in Figure 13, ensure that the there ischilled water entering the inlet hose connection between 18 °C and 30°C and that
there is always an adequate flow to maintain the requirements listed in Table 5.
Figure 13 Water cooled SuperK EVO with chiller

LQ2 hose
couplers*

Chiller

Flexible 1/8
inch hose* Laser male hose couplers are LQ2D4702BLU 1/8 inch
valved liquid cooling coupling inserts

Cooling water flow The water cooled SuperK EVO requires an industrial water chiller connected withspecifications hoses and fittings as recommended in Table 5. Always use an anti-corrosive
coolant mixture and avoid tap water. The coolant can flow in either direction
through the laser, meaning the supply and return from the chiller can beconnected to either of the laser’s hose couplers.

< 39 >

Installing the water cooled chassis

Table 5 Chiller and hose/fittings recommendations
Parameter

Value

Coolant
temperature

18 to 30°C

Hose andfittings

Use 1/8 inch silicone hose or similar.
The laser is fitted with two male LQ2 1/8 inch valved liquid cooling coupling
inserts – LQ2D4702BLU.
For suitable hose fittings, see the examples in the link below:
https://www.cpcworldwide.com/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Everis-LQ2

Coolant flowrate

Typically ~0.5 Liters per second but it is dependent on the laser’s
operational parameters and the thermal efficiency of the chiller.

To protect the aluminum cooling channels, always use a coolant containing ananti-corrosive additive.
Required water (coolant) flow rate and temperature may vary and is dependent
on the actual optical system parameters.
CAUTION: Only use anti-corrosive coolant suitable for use with copper tubing,some coolants may damage the laser. If in doubt, contact NKT Photonics - see“Support contact details” on page 85.

< 40 >

4

Connecting the Laser
Before operating the laser, follow the procedures in this chapter to ensure
correct and safe operation.
For information on how to connect:•

the Safety Interlock – see “Connecting the Safety Interlock” on page 41•

Power – see “Connecting Power” on page 43•

The Optical Output – see “Connecting the optical output (collimator
installation)” on page 44•

Optional Interfaces – see “Connecting the External Bus and pulseinterfaces” on page 46

Connecting the Safety Interlock
Automatic shutdown from a door switch
To comply with safety regulations and help ensure a safe operating
environment, connect the safety interlock of the laser to a switch activated by
the access door to the laser’s operating enclosure. When emission is on andthe door opens inadvertently, the door switch also opens, breaking theinterlock circuit continuity and immediately shutting off emission.
Key reset confirmation
When the door closes again, emission remains disabled. Before proceeding,confirm the area is safe for emission by cycling the key switch (to OFF then ON)
to re-engage the safety interlock. This resets the interlock relay to permit
emission using CONTROL or SDK software control.

Simplified Interlock Note: this section describes the functional operation of the interlock; toOperation connect a door switch to the interlock, follow the steps in Procedure 1.
The interlock circuit in simple terms is a closed loop circuit. When the interlock
monitor function of the laser controller detects a break or open in the circuit,the controller immediately shuts down the laser. The loop can be opened byeither the keyswitch relay, the door switch circuit or the external bus loop. In
Figure 14, the keyswitch is turned to the On position which a logic circuit in thelaser detects. When a reset command is sent from CONTROL software to thelaser, the controller sends a set signal to an internal logic circuit energizing thenormally open keyswitch relay. When the door switch is closed, and theexternal bus circuit is looped (shorted) using a bus defeater, the controllers
interlock monitor function detects that the interlock circuit is closed and so thecontroller permits laser emission.
NOTE: Software control also requires an interlock reset (a GUI button) when thesystem is first turned on.

< 41 >

Connecting the Safety Interlock

NOTE: See Connecting the External Bus“External Bus” on page 46 for more information on connecting the bus defeater included with the laser.
Figure 14 Interlock connected to a door switch - laser ON
Accessory
Bus Defeater

External Bus
Connector

SuperK EVO
External Bus
Connector

Reset

Normally
Open

Laser
Reset
Controller
Set

CONTROL
interlock reset

Logic
CircuitInterlock
Monitor
Off

Set

Door
SwitchKey switch
relay energizedInterlock
LEMO
Connector

On

Keyswitch turned to “On”

Figure 15 shows the door switch in the open position. This opens the interlock
loop which the interlock monitor detects and the controller immediately sends
a shutdown signal to the laser (the laser’s pump). In addition, the controller
sends a reset to the logic circuit. The reset causes the logic circuit to deenergize the keyswitch and the relay opens preventing emission.
When the door closes again, use either the front panel controls or CONTROL
software to reset the interlock. This sets the logic circuit (a D Flip-Flop) toenergize the coil again closing the keyswitch relay as shown in Figure 14.
Figure 15 Interlock connected to a door switch - laser SHUTDOWN
Accessory
Bus Defeater

External Bus
Connector

SuperK EVO
External Bus
Connector

Shutdown
laser

Normally
Open

Laser
Reset
Controller
Reset

Logic
CircuitInterlock
Monitor
Set
Door
SwitchInterlock
LEMO
Connector

Key switch
relay de-energized

Off

On

Keyswitch turned to “On”

CAUTION: Do not deliberately short-circuit the Interlock Lemo connector. Shortcircuiting the interlock circumvents safety regulations and NKT Photonics does
not take liability for injuries or damage caused by doing so.

< 42 >

Connecting PowerCAUTION: Ensure the door switch connected to the interlock circuit is of an approved type. Further, install the switch so that its operation cannot be fixed in the
open state using a tool to defeat its operation.

WARNING: If the interlock is bypassed, personnel may be exposed to hazardous laser radiation. To reduce the risk to personnel, the person or group responsible for
operation of the equipment must undertake a risk assessment, provide appropriate safety training and issue personal protective equipment.
Follow the steps of Procedure 1 to install the safety interlock circuit.
LEMO Plug
The laser is shipped with a pre-wired LEMO interlock plug. If you need a new
LEMO plug assembly contact NKT Photonics, see “Support contact details” onpage 85.
Procedure 1 Connecting the door interlock circuit
Action1

Install a switch that opens when the door accessing the laser enclosure is opened. Ensure
the switch complies with local regulations.

2 Connect the switch to the prewired interlock plug using insulated wire. Use wire with aminimum of 26 AWG and a maximum length of five meters. For cable lengths longer than
five meters, it is recommended to use shielded cable.
3 Perform a continuity test using a multimeter:a. First connect the multimeter leads to the interlock plug terminals.
b. Confirm when the enclosure door is closed, the meter shows the circuit as closed.
c. Confirm when the enclosure door opens, the meter shows the circuit as open.
4 Insert the LEMO plug into the Interlock connector of the laser.

Connecting PowerPower is supplied to the laser using the AC to DC power adapter included withthe laser. Refer to the specifications in Appendix A for the electrical details of thelaser and the adapter.
To connect power, follow the instructions in Procedure 2.
CAUTION: The laser immediately powers on when DC power is connected to thePower 24 VDC connector.
Procedure 2 Connecting power
Action1

Plug the connector of the power adapter into Power input port of the laser.

2 Connect the adapter’s AC power cord to AC mains.
3 Check the Power Status LED is ON Green – See Status LEDs on page 27.
< 43 >

Connecting the optical output (collimator installation)

Connecting the optical output (collimator installation)
WARNING: Ensure to mount the collimator so that the beam emitted is containedin a protected area without personnel or flammable material.

Back reflection When building and connecting your optical system, avoid creating a pathwhere Back Reflection (BR) can occur. BR occurs when a beam is reflectedback into the laser cavity. This increases noise and may cause the laser beam
to scatter, causing damage or injury.
Always reduce the risk of BR into the laser. For example, in a bulk-optic
system, ensure all reflective optics are securely fixed, minimizing the risk ofback-reflected light into the laser. Also, before turning on the laser the firsttime, check the optical path to confirm no BR is possible from the application
light path.
WARNING: BR is a hazard and may cause injury or damage.
Automatic BR cut-off
For protection, the laser is equipped with an automatic BR cut off. For example,
when aligning the optical path, the laser may automatically turn off. Before
turning the laser on again, check the path for possible sources of BR.

Installing the The collimator is constructed so that its steel sleeve inserts into a holder or acollimator receptacle of a next stage optical device such as a SuperK accessory. To install
the collimator, follow the instructions in Procedure 3.

< 44 >

Connecting the optical output (collimator installation)

Procedure 3 Installing the collimator
Action1

Remove the yellow protective cap from the end of the collimator sleeve.

2 Carefully align the collimator sleeve with the target receptacle as shown in Figure 16 andFigure 17.
3 Slide the collimator into the receptacle and then:– For SuperK accessories:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Slide the collimator sleeve into the optical input receptacle of the device.
Turn the collimator so that its alignment key aligns with the slot in the receptacle.
Push the collimator in until it clicks in place (release button lock).
Tighten the accessory lock screw to securely retain the collimator.
– For holders, power meters etc.:

a. Slide the sleeve into the receptacle until it stops.
b. Tighten any locking screws to securely retain the collimator as shown in B of
Figure 16.

Figure 16 Inserting a collimator into a holderA

B< 45 >

Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces

Figure 17 Collimator installed into a SuperK accessory receptacle

Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces
External Bus The External Bus port is both a data communication bus interface and 12 volt
supply for connected accessories. When SuperK accessories are used with thelaser, they are connected to CONTROL through the External bus connection
with the laser. The bus includes a logic output pin representing laser emission
and importantly extends the laser’s safety interlock circuit through theconnected accessories.

Connecting the If no SuperK accessories are used with the laser, connect the External Bus port
External Bus to the supplied bus defeater. If accessories are used, connect accessories tothe port in daisy chain configuration using the supplied External Bus cable(s).
To loop back the interlock circuit, connect the bus defeater to the lastconnected accessory in the chain. Table 6 lists the methods to connect theExternal bus depending on the number of accessories.
NOTE: Always place the Bus Defeater onto the last open External Bus port for thelaser to operate. Refer to Figure 18 and Figure 19 for connecting the port withand without accessories.
Table 6 Connecting the External Bus# of accessories External Bus connections to makeNo accessories

1. External Bus port –– Bus Defeater

One accessory

1. External Bus port –– External Bus cable –– Accessory bus input
2. Accessory External Bus output –– Bus Defeater< 46 >

Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces# of accessories External Bus connections to make2 or moreaccessories

1. External Bus port –– External Bus cable –– Accessory 1 bus input
2. Accessory 1 bus output –– External Bus cable –– Accessory n bus input
3. Accessory n bus output –– Accessory n+1 bus input
4. Accessory n+1 bus output –– Bus Defeater

Figure 18 External Bus Circuit - with no accessories used

Figure 19 External Bus circuit - two or more accessories in a daisy chain

1

Pulsed Output This port outputs a NIM level pulsed signal conforming to DOE/ER-0457 which
represents the laser’s seed pulse. To obtain the best waveform of the output
signal, connect the seed Pulse Output using the cable and connector
specifications listed in Table 7. You can for example, synchronize to the emission
pulse with a subject under study. A synchronization circuit example is shown in
Figure 20.
NOTE: The NIM signal is an approximately 0 to -0.9 V analog signal when properly
terminated.

< 47 >

Connecting the External Bus and pulse interfaces

Table 7 Pulsed Output connection – NIM output pulse
Item

Description

Cable TypeShielded coaxial - use RG223 type or similar double shielded cable 3M

Connector

BNC

Termination
Impedance

50 Ω

Termination necessary
The NIM output is a current output and it therefore requires to be correctly
terminated to avoid signal degradation. As noted above in Table 7, terminate
the NIM output with 50 Ω.
Figure 20 Pulse synchronization
Pulsed Emission
SuperK EVO

Pulse Output(RG223 Cable)

Synchronizer

Sensor Control
LegendItem 1

Subject Target

Item 2Item 3Item 4

Sensor Output

Item 5Item 6

SensorTrigger Delay
Using the CONTROL user interface, you can delay the NIM output pulse by up
to 10000 ps.
In the control panel of the laser’s graphical interface, slide the NIM trigger delay
slider to the delay required for your synchronization application. In Figure 21,
the slider is highlighted and adjusted to 2990 ps. In this case, the output pulse
occurs 2990 ps later then the seed pulse.
Figure 21 Pulse (NIM) trigger delay control

NIM trigger delay setting< 48 >

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE LASERThis section describes how to manage and operate the laser and includes the chapters:• “Communicating with the Laser” on page 51• “Turning on the Laser” on page 57• “CONTROL Interface” on page 61• “Configuring External Control” on page 77< 49 >

Operating the laser< 50 >

5

Communicating with the Laser
This chapter focuses on how to obtain and install the CONTROL applicationand connect a SuperK EVO laser to a PC using either Ethernet or USB serial
connectivity.

CONTROL software
The laser is shipped with the CONTROL application installer on a USB key. For
an up-to-date version, you can also download the CONTROL installer from thefollowing link:
https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/software-drivers/
CONTROL is capable of operating, configuring and monitoring NKT Photonics
products including this laser and its connected accessories. Both 32 and 64 bit
versions are available for PCs using Microsoft Windows 7, 8, or 10 operating
system.

Installing the After downloading the CONTROL installer software on to your PC, double click
software the installer and follow the built-in wizard. Further details on installing thesoftware is available in Appendix E .

Connecting the Laser to CONTROLYou can connect a PC with CONTROL using either a USB serial or Ethernet
connection. USB connectivity provides a simplified connection option within
three meters (maximum USB cable length < 3m). Using an Ethernet connection
allows you to manage your laser from remote locations limited only by yoursubnetwork’s accessibility.
Once the PC’s port is connected, launch CONTROL and click the red Connect
button. CONTROL’s automatic connect feature discovers and connects to any
compatible NKTP products.
NOTE: Optionally, you can also connect a CONTROL PC to the RS-232 serial connection of the laser.

USB connection Connect the PC directly to the laser using either the supplied USB cable or any
USB Type A-B cable less than 3 meters long and follow the steps ofProcedure 4.

< 51 >

Connecting the Laser to CONTROL

Procedure 4 Connecting over USB
Action1Connect the CONTROL PC to the laser’s USB Type B port using a USB Type A to B cable –see Figure 2.i

2 Connect power – see Connecting Power on page 43.
3 If necessary (when first using the serial USB drivers), wait for the Windows device manager
to install the USB drivers for the connection.

4 Launch the CONTROL software by either:• clicking on Windows – Start – Programs – NKT Photonics –CONTROL– or –• double clicking the CONTROL shortcut on the desktop
5 The CONTROL window opens.
Click on the red Connect
button in the Quick Connect
panel.

6 CONTROL automatically scansfor connected lasers andaccessories available on both
COM and configured Ethernet
ports.

7 In the Device Selector panel,click on the laser icon to bringup its controls.

2i.

As an option, connect the PC using a standard RS232 serial cable to the 9-pin D-sub serial port ofthe laser.

Ethernet connection To connect the laser to a PC over Ethernet, connect the PC and the laser
Ethernet ports connected to the same or separate IPv4 subnets. If the PC andlaser are on separate subnets, their IP addresses must be reachable to eachother. To configure the laser’s IPv4 address, first connect to the laser using a< 52 >

Connecting the Laser to CONTROL

USB cable directly from a PC using CONTROL and then configure it’s IP address see “Ethernet” on page 66.
Procedure 5 Connecting a PC to the laser using Ethernet
Action1Connect to the laser from your CONTROL PC using a USB cable as described in Procedure 4.

2 Using CONTROL - configure the laser’s IPv4 address and port - see Ethernet on page 66.
3 From the Connect menu list select Config
to open the Port Configuration window.

4 In the Port Configuration window, click on
the Create new port button.

< 53 >Create (add)Connecting the Laser to CONTROL

Action5 The Create new network port window
appears. Configure the port parameters
as described below:
Name – Enter a name for the Ethernet
connection (e.g. Lab-Laser-2).
Host IP Addr. – Select a Host IP address(PC) from the drop down list of thecomputer’s available network adapters.
System IP Addr. – Enter the laser IPv4
address configured in step 2.
Protocol – Select either UDP or TCP. UDP is the default and recommended.
Host Port – Enter a TCP or UDP port the PC will use for communications with the laser. The
default value is 10001.
System Port – Enter a TCP or UDP port the laser will use for communication with the
CONTROL PC. The default value is 10001 and set in step 2.
NOTE: To connect multiple lasers over IP with the same NKTP CONTROL PC, configure eachlaser with a unique local system port.
Timeout (ms) – Enter a timeout value in milliseconds. When CONTROL sends a request to thelaser, it waits for a reply from the laser until the timeout value expires. Default value is 100
milliseconds.
Click OK to accept the configuration of the new Ethernet connection port.

6 Click the Save button to save theconfiguration of the new Ethernet
connection.

7

To delete or modify a configured port:
a. Highlight the port and:• click the delete button.
- or -• click the edit button.
b. Click Save when finished.

< 54 >

DeleteEdit

Connecting the Laser to CONTROL

Action8 Using a CAT5 or better Ethernet cable, connect the laser’s Ethernet port to a local subnet or
directly to the CONTROL PC’s Ethernet port.
9 Click the CONTROL Connect drop down menu item and click on the newly created Ethernet
connection name.
10 In the Device Selector panel, click on thelaser icon to bring up its controls.
NOTE: If CONTROL cannot reach thelaser over Ethernet, verify that the
CONTROL PC has connectivity with thelaser by executing a PING test.

Click the icon

Grouping You can group configured lasers into a collection and then connect to all lasers inconnections the group from the Connect drop down list. Use the Port Configuration dialog
box to create the group and then click the Connect menu item and select thegroup from the drop down list. To create a collection group, follow the steps inProcedure 6.
Procedure 6 Grouping connections in a collection
Action1

Access the laser from a CONTROL PC using a USB cable or Ethernet cable as described inConnecting over USB on page 52 or Connecting a PC to the laser using Ethernet on page 53.

2 From the Connect drop down menu list,
select Config to open the Port
Configuration window.

3 Create Ethernet connections for the lasers to be added to the collection – see Procedure 5.
4 In the Port Configuration window,
click on the Create new collection
button.
In the Enter new collection namedialog box, enter the name of the
new collection and click OK.

< 55 >Create new collection

C ick
Cl
Click
ick

Connecting the Laser to CONTROL

Action5 To add a connection to thecollection, highlight theconnection and click the rightarrow button.
NOTE: Before adding a newconnection, ensure the collectiongroup created is selected in thedrop down menu near the top of
the right panel.
To remove a connection from thecollection, highlight theconnection and click the left
arrow button.
6 When you have added allconnections to the collection,
click Save.

7 Open the Connect drop downmenu and click on the collection.
CONTROL scans only the ports
included in the collection.
NOTE: Collection groups are
separated from connections by athin grey line in the drop downmenu.

< 56 >Create new collection

6

Turning on the Laser

SafetyBefore turning on the laser, ensure that you are completely familiar and follow
all safety information and recommendations stated within this document andthe document:
SuperK EVO Safety, Handling, and Regulatory Information
WARNING: Follow all safety regulations required for the location where the laser
will be operated.

Preparation
The laser is ready to be turned on when the following steps are completed.
1. The laser is securely installed and connected according to the proceduresin “Mechanical Installation” on page 35 and “Connecting the Laser” onpage 41. This means the laser is installed in the recommended environment
with power applied and at the very minimum, the door switch interlock andCONTROL PC connected.
2. The laser is communicating with the CONTROL application according to theprocedures in “Communicating with the Laser” on page 51.
WARNING: Turning on the laser emits hazardous laser Class 4 radiation. Ensure
to observe and implement all safety regulations, warnings and cautions in thisguide and the SuperK EVO Safety, Handling and Regulatory Information document before continuing.

CAUTION: Do not turn on the laser if it has been exposed to temperature andhumidity beyond the operating specifications. The SuperK EVO is designed tooperated in a non-condensing environment from +18 to +30°C. Before turningon the laser, allow it at least 30 minutes to reach room temperature. Turning ona laser that is too cold or hot may lead to the system being damaged.

< 57 >

Controlling the laser emissions

Controlling the laser emissions
Turning on the laser Follow the steps in Table 7 to turn on the laser.
Procedure 7 Turning on the Laser
Action1

On the front panel of the laser, turn the key
switch to the ON position.
When the key is in the ON position, emission
can be enabled from the CONTROL software.

ON position

Note: The interlock circuit must also be
closed; the enclosure door switch is in theclosed state and the bus defeater isconnected.

2 Adjust the laser power using the Output
control slider in the Control Panel - seeControl Panel – Operating Mode on page 73.

3 If the all interlock circuits are closed (doorand accessories), click the RESET button toclear the software interlock.
Click Reset

Note: This is a software confirmation toproceed with turning on emission.
4 Turn on emission by clicking the Emission
button – see Emission button on page 65.

OFF

The Emission button light turns from green(OFF) to RED (ON).

2< 58 >ON

Controlling the laser emissions

Error If the laser does not turn on or is unexpectedly disabled, an error condition may
have occurred. Errors occur when the laser controller detects one or more
operation conditions not within the normally expected range. When an alarm israised, the laser is disabled, the emission LED is off, and status LED is lit red - see“Status LEDs” on page 27.
For a list of errors and their appropriate responses see Appendix F.

Turning off the Follow the steps in Table 8 on page 59 to turn off the emission.
laser
Procedure 8 Turning off the Laser
Action1Turn off emission by clicking the Emission
button.

ON

OFF

The Emission button light turns from RED (ON)to green (OFF).

2 Turn the key switch to the 0 position to disable
the laser.
Note: If you plan to leave the laser unattended,
to prevent unauthorized operation, remove andstore the key in a secure location.

< 59 >

OFF position

Controlling the laser emissions< 60 >

7

CONTROL Interface

CONTROL overview
The CONTROL user interface includes multiple panels and a selection of menu
drop down items in the upper left corner. Using the drop down menu, you can
add or remove panels. The panels can also be repositioned within the main
window or into separate windows. Figure 22 shows CONTROL’s panels andmenu items; their functions are briefly described in the table below.
Panel

Function

See

DeviceSelector

Selectable list of connected devices (lasers andaccessories) sorted by the PC port they areconnected to.

Connecting the Laser to
CONTROL on page 51.

Quick Connect Provides a button when clicked, scans all
Connecting to the laser onavailable PC ports for connected NKTP products. page 63
Status Panel

This panel displays the selected device status,
emission control and a CONTROL settings drop
down menu.

Status panel on page 64

Menu Items

Five drop down menus with multiple functions.

CONTROL Menu on page 69

Control Panel

Includes slider controls for output control andControl Panel – Operating
trigger delay plus an operating mode drop down Mode on page 73
menu.

Application
Log

This panel displays a debugging log that can be Application Log panel on
saved to a file.
page 74

Device Monitor To also help debugging issues, this panel
displays multiple port and device moduleparameters.

Device Monitor on page 75

Figure 22 CONTROL panel navigation
Menu
items

Control panel

Deviceselector
list

Quick
connect

Device monitor< 61 >

Status panel

Applicationlog

CONTROL overview

Relocating panels You can be drag the different panels of CONTROL to any location within themain interface or into a separate floating panel. Procedure 9 describes how to
relocate a panel within the main window:
Procedure 9 Relocating panels
Action1

Left click and hold the top title bar of the panel.

2 While holding the left mouse button down, drag the panel to another location in the main
window.
3 In the new location. when the background turns blue, release the mouse button – see
Figure 23.
4 Alternatively, drag the panel out from the main window and release the mouse button. A
separate window for the panel is created. (see Figure 24)

Figure 23 Relocating panels within CONTROL
Left hold click
and drag the panel

Release the mousewhen the backgroundturns blue

Figure 24 Dragging panels outside the main window

2

Panels dragged outside
the main window
Quickconnect< 62 >

CONTROL overview

Toggling the panels Click Menu > Window and check or uncheck the items in the drop down menu.
visible Checking (clicking it) an item shows the panel and unchecking the item (clicking it
again) removes it from view.
Figure 25 Toggling panel visibility

Check the panels todisplay them

Deviceselectorlist

NOTE: You can also close the panels by clicking the X in the upper right corner ofthe panel.

Connecting to the When CONTROL is launched, a “Welcome” panel is displayed as in Figure 26. Bylaser default, on the left is the Quick Connect panel. Click the Connect button and
CONTROL scans all available ports for NKTP devices that it can connect to. Once
CONTROL finishes the scan, a list of the devices is presented.
See either “Connecting over USB” on page 52
or “Connecting a PC to the laser using Ethernet” on page 53.
Figure 26 Quick Connect

Click

CONTROL scans forconnected devices

NOTE: Devices must already be connected to the CONTROL PC for quick connect
to find them. A connected device means the laser USB connector is connected
and a Windows COM port is assigned to it. For Ethernet connected lasers, theEthernet parameters must already be configured. See “Connecting the Laser to
CONTROL” on page 51.

< 63 >

Status panel

Status panel
The status panel provides status indicators, error messages, emission control
function and a CONTROL settings menu.
Figure 27 Status panel

Status Indicators The panel displays the following indicators:
Interlock
Indicates the status of the Interlock circuit and whether emission can be turnedon or not. The indicator is either:•

ON RED – the interlock circuit is open or shorted to ground – No emission
allowed•ON AMBER – the interlock circuit is closed but a software reset is needed(press the RESET button)•

OFF GREY – the interlock circuit is closed and reset – emission allowed

To clear the ON RED indicator, the interlock circuit must be closed and reset.
Any shorts to ground must be removed.

< 64 >

Status panel

StatusIndicates the operational status of the laser. The indicator has the following
states:•ON GREEN – The laser emission can be turned on.

•

ON RED – There is a fault, laser emission is shutdown and cannot be turned
ON. A fault message is displayed when the indicator turns ON RED:
Fault Message

ActionInterlock opened while emission ona) Cycle the key switch to OFF and then ONb) Close the external interlock circuit

Watchdog timeout

Reconnect NKTP CONTROL and reset the interlockby cycling the key switch.

See “Connecting the Safety Interlock” on page 41.

Interlock Reset The Interlock Reset button confirms that it is safe to permit emission. Pressing the(button) button, clears the software interlock reset. If the interlock circuit opens, thesoftware interlock is also set to prohibit emission. Once the hardware interlock
circuit is closed and reset again, confirm that the operational area is safe before
pressing the software Interlock Reset button.

System Info The System Info section shows the following:•

Laser Serial Number•

Laser Firmware Revision

Measurements The Measurements section displays the laser’s pump temperature.

Emission button The emission button turns laser emission ON or OFF – See “Controlling the laser
emissions” on page 58. The button indicator turns ON RED when laser emission
is generated. Otherwise, it is OFF Grey.

< 65 >

CONTROL Settings

CONTROL Settings
CONTROL settings are accessible by clicking the gear iconin the upper
right corner of the status panel. Clicking the icon displays a drop down menu ofsetting items as shown in Figure 28:
Figure 28 CONTROL settings

Click the gear icon
to access the menu

Setting Item

Function

See

Ethernet

Configures network settings for Ethernet
connectivity.

Ethernet on page 66.

Watchdog

Enables or disables a watchdog between
CONTROL and connected devices.

Watchdog on page 67

Clock

Sets the time and date that CONTROL uses fortime stamping log messages.

Clock on page 68

View

Enables and disables items displayed in the
Status panel.

View on page 68

Ethernet Configures the network settings of the laser when using an Ethernet
connection. Over a USB/serial connection, configure the settings in this panel
first before setting up an Ethernet connection for the laser in CONTROL – seeProcedure 5 on page 53.
Figure 29 Ethernet setting

System IP addressEnter the IP address assigned to the laser. The IP address set must be
reachable from the subnet that the CONTROL PC is connected to.

< 66 >

CONTROL Settings

System port
The System port sets the port address the laser uses for reception of TCP or UDP
packets. The System Port address set in the network connection of CONTROL
must match this address – default: 10001.
Host IP address
To help prevent unauthorized access, the laser can be configured to only accept
packets from a single IP address assigned to the CONTROL PC.
Configure the Host IP address with the IP address of your CONTROL PC. Whenset, the laser only accepts packets with a source address that matches the Host
IP address and ignores all others. When set to 000.000.000.000 (default
setting), the laser accepts packets from any source IP address.
Host port
The Host port sets the port address the laser uses for transmission of TCP or
UDP packets. The Host Port address set in the network connection of CONTROL
must match this address – default: 0.
NOTE: If the Host port is set to 0, the laser uses the same port address for transmission as for reception i.e. the System port setting. The ports addresses set in thelaser and in CONTROL must match.
MAC Address
The unique MAC address (Ethernet hardware address) of the EVO is displayed
only and cannot be set.

Watchdog As an added safety feature, the watchdog automatically turns off laser emission if
communications with CONTROL are lost. The feature can be enabled or disabled
and has an adjustable timeout. When communication is lost with the laser, thewatchdog timer counts down from the timeout setting value (1 to 255 seconds).
Upon expiry, the watchdog shuts down laser emission by internally opening theinterlock circuit.
NOTE: Setting the timeout to 0 seconds turns OFF the watchdog.
Figure 30 Watchdog

Set the timer:
1 to 255 seconds,
0 to turn off.

< 67 >

CONTROL Settings

Clock You can view and set the laser system time and date using this setting panel.
Click the Set button to synchronize the laser system clock with the PC time anddate. The clock setting is used when time stamping the recorded system logs.
Figure 31 Clock settings

Click to synchronize
the laser system clockwith the PC

View This menu toggles on and off the display of System Info and Moduletemperature within the Status panel. Check the box next to each item todisplay it. Uncheck the box to remove the item from being displayed.
Figure 32 View

Check to display< 68 >

CONTROL Menu

CONTROL Menu
There are five drop down menu items at the top left of the main CONTROL
window. highlighted in Figure 33. Clicking on each item, reveals its drop down
menu.
Figure 33 Menu items

Menu Item

Function

See

File

Click File>Exit to exit the CONTROL program

N/A

Disconnect

Click Disconnect>Close All to disconnect thecurrently connected device from CONTROL.

N/A

Tools

Select from one of three special tools to use withyour laser. Tools available are:• Key Updater Tool

Key Updater tool on page 69• Log Downloader• Extensions Overview

Log Downloader on page 70
Extensions Overview on
page 72

Window

Sets whether certain panels are visible or not.

Toggling the panels visibleon page 63

Help

Displays the current version of CONTROL andN/Aprovides access to the included CONTROL user
help.

Key Updater tool The Key Updater tool applies special features and corrections to modules andsystems of the laser.
To use the Key Updater tool follow Procedure 10.
Procedure 10 Using the Key Updater tool
Action1Enter a key code in the field “Enter
key code”.
NOTE: Key codes are generated
by NKT Photonics.

2 In the list of modules, check thebox on the right of each applicable
module.

< 69 >

CONTROL Menu

Action3 Click “Apply”

NOTE: Certain keys can generate a new locally generated key code. These locally generated keys are usually required during a support session and are sent
to NKT Photonics support personnel.

Log Downloader If your laser requires support from NKT Photonics, our support engineers may
request you send them log files collected by the laser. You can use the log
downloader tool to save laser log files to your CONTROL PC.
NKTP CONTROL automatically downloads log files from modules of any
connected devices. The log files are stored in a local database of the
CONTROL PC. However, certain NKTP modules, including the SuperK EVO
mainboard, do not support automatic download of log files. For these modules,
you can use the Log Downloader tool to put the device into dedicated log
download mode by enabling a collect log function.
NOTE: When the collect log function is enabled, it temporarily disables automatic
log collection from all other devices. The CONTROL interface turns gray, andcommunication with the laser and log collection with all other modules is disabled
To download log files, use the Log Downloader as described in Procedure 11.

< 70 >

CONTROL Menu

Procedure 11 Using the Log Downloader
Action1

Click the Tools menu and clickon Log Download to start the
Log Downloader tool.

2 The tool displays all connected
modules with log capability. To
decrease the download time of
the module log files, CONTROL
continuously collects module
log data and stores this log
data in a local database on the
PC. Logs are collected fromeach module and each has apercentage indicator thatshows the percentage (%)
collected of the module’s totallog data.

Connected
Modules

Percent
Collected

3 To download and save a log
file to the CONTROL PC, rightclick the percentage indicatorand select either:• Save log – Immediately

saves the file onto the
CONTROL PC. If thepercentage shows less than
100%, the log is firstcollected. See Collect log
below.

Right click
the % indicator• Collect log – Starts a

dedicated log collection
mode that disables all other
CONTROL activity.

4 If you select Save log, a dialog
box prompts for a filename andfolder to store the log in.

Connected
Modules< 71 >

Percent
Collected

CONTROL Menu

Action5 If you select Collect log, the log
is collected and saved in
dedicated mode. The
CONTROL panel turns grey
and all other functions are
disabled.
When the log collection isfinished, all other CONTROL
functions are accessible again.

Dedicated Collection Mode

6 Select Restart to clear out allcollected log data and restartlog data collection.

Extensions Overview Use this tool to view the installed extensions (similar to plugins) that areincluded with CONTROL. The extensions are found in the following folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\NKT Photonics\NKTP CONTROL\Plugins

To view the extensions, open the Tools menu and click on Extensions
Overview. The Extensions Overview window is launched as shown in
Figure 34.
Figure 34 Extensions Overview

NOTE: To show a short description of the release notes as seen in Figure 34,
hover the mouse pointer over the “Release notes” text

< 72 >

Control Panel – Operating Mode

The PubEVOLib.dll details highlighted in Figure 34 shows the version of the .dll
file (1.1.2.303), the included extensions (SuperK EVO Extension) and which
module types they support.
NOTE: Multiple extensions for a wide range of NKTP lasers types are typically installed when using the default installation of CONTROL.

Control Panel – Operating Mode
The control panel configures the following:•

Operating mode – enables the External control input port to operate in oneof three modes – see Table 8.

•

Output control – adjusts the current flow of the laser pump in percentage ofmaximum current.

•

NIM trigger delay – sets the delay of the NIM output pulse in picoseconds(see “Synchronizing external equipment” on page 26.

Operating modes Control of the laser emission depends on the operating mode chosen. To selectone of the modes listed in Table 8, click on the operating mode selection menu
located on the right side of the panel – See Figure 8.
Figure 35 Operating mode

Operating mode selection% current setpoint slider

NIM trigger delay slider< 73 >

Application Log panel

Table 8 Operating modes
Mode

Description

NormalIn this mode, the External control input port is disabled:
Operation • Current level of the laser pump is set by the Output control slider.
• Enabling and disabling emission is controlled by both the Emission ON/OFF
button and Interlock.
External
enableIn this mode the External control input port is enabled:• Current level of the laser pump is set by the Output control slider.
• Enabling and disabling emission is controlled by the Emission ON/OFF button,
interlock and a logic signal applied to the External control input port – seeExternal enable on page 78.

External
feedback

In this mode the External control input port is enabled:• Current level in the laser pump is varied by applying a varying analog input

voltage at the External control input port – see Power stabilization using external
feedback on page 77.
• The Output control slider setting is the set point level for the external feedback
control.
• Enabling and disabling emission is controlled by the Emission ON/OFF button andInterlock circuit.

Application Log panel
The Application Log panel displays and logs communication messages. The
log is useful for debugging connection issues between CONTROL and NKTPhotonics devices.
The panel displays and timestamps the following types of log messages:•

Port Scans•

Discovered Devices•

Closed Communication Ports

The panel includes three buttons in the upper left corner. Use the buttons toclear, save or print the log. Click on the X in the upper right corner of the
Application Log window to close it.
Figure 36 Application Log window
Clear the log
Save the log
Print the log< 74 >

Device Monitor

Device Monitor
The device monitor shows a live streaming display of transmit and receive
parameters for the laser’s communication ports and any connected device
modules.
The display parameter values are continuously updated and are useful to help
debug issues with connected devices. The parameters are described in Table 9.
Table 9 Device monitor parameters
Parameter

Description

Interface

The PC port interface the device(s) is connected to. Click the “greaterthan” symbol to the left of the port to display the connected device(s)parameters.

TxTlgsSec

The number of telegrams per second being transmitted to theconnected device.

RxTlgsSec

The number of telegrams received per second from the connected
device.

Addr

The address of the connected module.

Type

The type of the connected module; read from the module.

SysType

The system type, default 0 – can be used to describe system variants
and is read from the module.

Name

The name of the connected device module.

P/N

The device module part number.

Mode

The mode or status of the connected module: connected,
disconnected, or disabled.

Status bits

The actual status bits read from the connected module.

Error code

The actual error code read from the connected module.

AccessProtected/Locked status of the module.

FW Ver.

The device module’s firmware release date.

Module Serial

The serial number of the device module.

PCB Serial

The device module’s printed circuit board serial number.

PCB Ver,

The version of the device module’s printed circuit board.

Sp. Cap/

The module speed capability in bits per second as read from themodule – values: 0=(default) 115200, 1=230400, 2=460800, 3=921600

Pri Ext

Primary extension/GUI loaded for this module. Hover over the icon tolist more details – Note that there can only be 1 primary.

Fast Log

0%-100% collected. Note only if the module has a fast log and onlyinternal modules have fast and slow logs.

Slow Log

0%-100% collected. Note only if the module has a slow log.

Mainboard Log

0%-100% collected. Note only if the module has a main log. Only mainboards have main and system logs.

System Log

0%-100% collected. Note only if the module has a system log. Only mainboards have main and system logs.

Timeout

Time in milliseconds since the last telegram was received from thedevice module.

< 75 >

Device Monitor

Parameter

Description

NackTotal number of negative acknowledgments received from the device
module.

CRC

Total number of received telegrams with CRC failures.

COM

Total number of communication errors with framing or protocol errors.
Hover over the icon to list more details.

Busy

Total number of busy responses from the module. Busy responses
occur when a module receives a message but cannot process it due toits current work load.

< 76 >

8

Configuring External Control
This chapter includes information for:•“Configuring external feedback” – describes how to connect a feedback
circuit to the laser to stabilize the output power level.

•“Configuring External enable”– describes how to connect an external logic
signal to the laser to turn ON or OFF the laser emission.

Power stabilization using external feedback
When a variable voltage is applied to the External Control Input connector andthe connector is enabled within CONTROL, the output power level of the laser
is directly varied according the voltage level. Using this connector, the output
level can be stabilized using an feedback signal. A description of the interface
is described in the section: “Laser emission stabilization using feedback” onpage 25.
Microprocessor control within the laser, samples the voltage at the External
Control input and proportionally steps up or down the output emission level ofthe laser. A feedback circuit may employ a photodiode sensing device thatgenerates a current proportional to the laser radiance. You can feed thephotodiode current into an op-amp to convert it into a voltage level formeasurement at the External Control Input connector. The external feedback
circuit uses a 470k Ω pull-up resistor at its input. If no signal is applied at the
input, the optical output is set to the minimum level. The output from a custom
feedback circuit or otherwise must conform within the parameters specified inTable 10. Note that once the laser is in feedback mode, the internal feedback
circuit varies the pump current in relation to the input feedback voltage.
Table 10 External control input parameters
Parameter
DC Voltage Range

0 – 4.1 VDC

Maximum Modulation Rate 100 Hz

NOTE: The sample rate of the microprocessor detector is 200 Hz, therefore input
modulations occurring faster than 100 Hz cannot be accurately detected.
NOTE: With a feedback signal at 0 VDC, laser output level is at the minimum, at
4.1 VDC, laser output level is at the maximum. For optimal performance, it is recommended to provide a feedback signal that varies in the upper scale of the input range. It is unsuitable to use a feedback signal at the limits of the input range,
this results in incorrect operation.

< 77 >

External enable

Configuring external To vary the laser output level using an external analog signal, set the laser tofeedback External feedback mode. Figure 39 shows the Operating mode drop downmenu, select External feedback.
Figure 37 Setting External feedback mode

NOTE: When External feedback mode is selected and no digital signal is appliedat the External Control Input connector, the laser resumes normal operation.

External enable
You can apply a TTL or CMOS level logic signal at the External Control Input toenable and disable laser emission using the External enable feature. When thefeature is enabled, a logic high applied at the port turns ON laser emission witha fast rise time. When a logic low is applied, the output emission is turned OFF.
The feature works by enabling or disabling the main amplifier. Figure 38 showsa trigger signal applied at the External Control Input. When the trigger signal
rises to a logic high, the output emission shown in the graph of the detector
output rises correspondingly with a fast rise time. The booster output can riseup to its 100% output power level within 80 ms, and without overshooting.
WARNING: The laser emission is still ON when the booster is OFF, however residual laser emission are still produced.

2< 78 >

External enable

Figure 38 External Enable Trigger vs optical output rise
5V
TTL CMOS Trigger 0 V

External Control
Input

SuperK EVO

Detector

Configuring Set the laser to External enable mode with a logic signal applied to the port.
External enable Figure 39 shows the Operating mode drop down menu, select External enable toturn on the feature.
Figure 39 Setting External enable mode

NOTE: If External enable mode is selected and no digital signal is applied at theExternal Control Input connector, the laser resumes normal operation.

< 79 >

External enable< 80 >

APPENDICESThe appendices include:• Appendix A on page 83:

Specifications•

Appendix B on page 85:

Service and Support•

Appendix C on page 87:

Firmware Upgrade•

Appendix D on page 93:

Accessories•

Appendix E on page 97:

CONTROL Software•

Appendix F on page 103:

Troubleshooting and Errors•

Appendix G on page 105:

Preparing the Laser for Shipment< 81 >

< 82 >

A

Specifications

Table 11 OpticalParameter All SuperK EVO models i
Repetition Rate 20 – 78 MHz
Spectral Coverage 410 – 2400 nm
Total Power < 10 W
Total VIS Power < 2000 mW
Total Power Stability ± 1% RMS
Polarization Unpolarized
Beam Output Gaussian, Single Mode
Typical M2 < 1.1
Optical Output Collimated or FC/APC
Length of Output Cable 1.5 m
Beam Diameter ~1 mm at 633 nm~2 mm at 1060 nm
Beam Divergence (over < 3 milliradians
400 - 1100 nm)i.

Values listed are a general range encompassed by allmodels. For exact optical specifications, refer to thetest report that is shipped with your laser or the latest
datasheet at www.nktphotonics.com.

Table 12 Interfaces
All chassis models
PC and micro processor in- RS-232 serial COM - 9 Pin D-Sub Female Connector
terfaces USB 2.0 - Type B Female Connector
Ethernet - RJ-45 Female Connector
Pulse Output (Synchroni- NIM Logic - BNC Female Connector
zation)External Bus RS-485 Bus - 15pin D-Sub Female Connector
External Control Input NIM logic - BNC Female Connector
Door Interlock 2 pin Connector - LEMO Part Number FGG.0B.302
Polarization Unpolarized
Beam Output Gaussian, Single Mode
Typical M2 (>430nm) < 1.1
Optical Output Collimated or FC/APC
Length of Output Cable 1.5 m< 83 >

Table 13 Mechanical dimensions
Chassis Model

Passive

Air Cooled

Water Cooled

Size (H x W x D)

80 x 200 x 372 mm (3.15 x
7.87 x 14.65 in)

166.5 x 200 x 325 mm (6.54 93 x 200 x 346 mm (3.66 x
x 7.87 x 12.80 in)
7.87 x 13.63 in)

Weight6 kg (13.23 lb)

12 kg (26.46 lb)

8 kg (17.64 lb)

Operating Temperature

18°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F)

18°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F)

18°C to 35°C (59°F to 95°F)

Operating Humidity (non-condensing)

20 to 80%

20 to 80%

20 to 80%

Storage Temperature-10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F) -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F) -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F)

Maximum Output Cable Length

1.5 m (59 in)

1.5 m (59 in)

1.5 m (59 in)

Chassis Model

Passive

Air Cooled

Water Cooled

AC to DC Power Adapter

Input 100-240 VAC 50-60
Hz 2.5 A
Output +24 VDC 6.25 A

Input 100-240 VAC 50-60 Input 100-240 VAC 50-60
Hz 2.5 A
Hz 2.5 A
Output +24 VDC 6.25 A
Output +24 VDC 6.25 A

Maximum Power ConsumptionLess than 90 W

Less than 120 W

Table 14 Electrical

Table 15 Compliances
Emissions and Immunity

Safety

BS EN 61326-1:2013

BS EN 60825-1:2014 (laser class 4)
BE EN 61010-1:2010

CE Mark – Declaration of Conformance for EMI and Safety (EEC)

2< 84 >

Less than 120 W

BService and Support Information

Servicing the laser
The SuperK EVO series lasers have no user serviceable components. In caseof malfunction, contact NKT Photonics using the support channels in section“Support contact details”.
End of line safety tests according to EN61010-1 Annex F are performed on all
Laser chassis.

Opening the laser There are no user serviceable components inside the SuperK EVO chassis.
chassis Should your laser malfunction, and it cannot be serviced on site, it must be
shipped to the NKT Photonics Headquarters in Denmark.
The laser may experience damage during shipping. To minimize the chance ofshipping damage, follow the packing procedures in Appendix G.

WARRANTY VOID IF The unit is sealed with a label “WARRANTY VOID IF REMOVED”. It is strictly
REMOVED label prohibited to remove the chassis cover.
Figure 40 Warranty void label

WARRANTY VOID IF SEAL
IS BROKEN OR REMOVED

Support contact details
If you need help or have questions regarding your SuperK EVO laser or its
accessories, contact NKT Photonics through the support website below:

Support website 1. Go to:https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/technical-support-andcustomer-service/
2. Scroll down and click or press:

3. Select the help type, fill in the form, and click or press Submit.

Shipping address NKT Photonics A/S
Blokken 84
DK-3460 Birkerød
Denmark< 85 >

Support contact details

2< 86 >

C

Firmware UpgradeUpgrading the firmware
NKTP upgrades firmware periodically to support new functionality and occasional
fixes. Follow the steps of Procedure 12 to upgrade your laser to the latest firmware.
Procedure 12 Upgrading the firmware
Action1 Download the Firmware updater tool from the NKTP support
website to a PC :https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/softwaredrivers/
2 The tool is an executable, after extracting the file, double click
the tool’s .exe icon to open it.

3 When the updater opens, click on the Connect button.

4 USB connection – click the drop down Communication list andselect the USB port connected to the laser and click theConnect button and go to Step 6.
Ethernet connection – click the network connection button on
the left of the USB drop down list and go to step 5.
5 Append network connection – In the Remote Addr text field,
input the laser’s IP address and port settings (see Ethernet on
page 66) and click OK.
In the main window, click the Connect button.

6

To check if the list of Module type codes correspond with yourlaser model, click the
button in the main upgrade window.
A new window appears with a list of all possible module type
codes, their descriptions and their latest FW.
Confirm the Module types match your laser.

< 87 >

Upgrading the firmware

Action7 For each Module type listed, compare its Module firmware
revision with the firmware revision listed under Available
firmware. If the available firmware revision is higher, the laser
can be upgraded.
To upgrade:• for each Module type, click the Upload Firmware button.
- or -• click the Upload All button to upgrade all modules
8 During the firmware upgrade, the progress bar indicates the
progress of the upload in percent.

9 Click the Disconnect button when all firmware upgrades
required are completed. This is indicated by a 100% progress
bar and a check mark in the box next to the module upgrade.

2< 88 >

D

Accessories
This appendix provides a brief overview of the accessories available for yourlaser. Table 16 lists the accessories and their functions and provides a link to
descriptions of the SuperK EVO advanced accessories.

Table 16 SuperK EVO accessories
Advanced accessories

Function

Part number

VARIA

Variable bandpass filter

A301-100-000“SuperK VARIA” on page 90.

SELECT

Multi-wavelength AOTF

A203-XXX-000 or
A203-XXX-010“SuperK SELECT” on page 91.

LLTF

Narrow laser line filter

A371-500-000 or
A371-200-000“SuperK LLTF” on page 93.

SPLIT

Broadband filter

A102-200-000 or
A102-500-000“SuperK SPLIT” on page 94.

CONNECT

Delivery fiber

A401-000-000 or
A401-200-000 or
A401-500-000“SuperK CONNECT and Fiber
Deliver System” on page 95.

Connect Holder

Optical table mount forConnect accessory.

000-000-003

Collimator Holder

Receptacle for laser oraccessory collimator.

M0002-4041-00

External Filter Holder

Beam path 1” filter mountfor any filter accessory.

A000-000-004

TL30 mm Adapter

Accessory adapter for
Thorlabs 30 mm cage
system.

A000-000-005

USB Adapter Kit

USB to RS485 adapter,used to connect
accessories to a PC.

A911-100-103

Key

Spare key for the laser’s
key switch.

A911-100-009

Other accessories

External Bus Defeater

Spare bus defeater for the A911-100-007
External Bus ports.

Door Interlock Connector Spare Lemo connector
assembly for the door
interlock circuit.

A911-100-005

Bus Cable

Used to connect the laser
to any accessories.

A911-100-006

USB Cable

Spare Type A to B USB
cable.

A911-100-004

BNC Cable

Used to connect External
Control Input or Pulse
Output.

A911-100-008< 89 >

SuperK VARIA

SuperK VARIA
VARIA accessories act as bandpass filters when connected to the collimator ofa SuperK EVO laser. A portion of the beam from the SuperK EVO is diverted to
the VARIA’s bandpass filter which removes the light wavelengths that falloutside a variable wavelength range. The filtered beam is then emitted fromthe main optical output of the VARIA. A CONTROL PC connected to the SuperK
EVO controls the VARIA through the laser’s front panel External Bus connector
connected to the VARIA’s bus input connector. CONTROL is used to configure
the variable range of the VARIA’s bandpass filter. The beam portion notdiverted to the bandpass filter is output from the auxiliary optical output of the
VARIA. A diagram of the accessory connected to the laser is shown in
Figure 41.
Figure 41 VARIA

Output aperture

Input aperture

VARIA specifications
The bandpass filter specifications of the VARIA are shown in Table 17.
Table 17 VARIA specifications
Specification

Function

Bandpass filter range (wavelength)

400 to 8002nm

Minimum linewidth

10 nm

Transmission efficiency

Approximately 80%

Filter suppression

Approximately 50 dB

NOTE: For further details, refer to the SuperK VARIA Product Guide.

< 90 >

SuperK SELECT

SuperK SELECT
SuperK SELECT accessories can be fitted to extract multiple specific lightwavelengths from the broadband spectrum output of the SuperK EVO laser. The
SELECT accessory uses Acousto-optic Tunable Filter (AOTF) technology using
tellurium dioxide crystal(s) that diffracts the desired beam wavelength. The
specific wavelength diffracted by each crystal is tuned by applying an RF signal
to it. A single SELECT crystal filter can output up to eight tunable wavelengths
configurable through CONTROL. A SELECT accessory is fitted with either one or
two AOTF crystal filters to deliver a maximum of 16 specific wavelengths tuned
and extracted from the laser’s broadband output. A SELECT connected to a
SuperK EVO is shown in Figure 42.
Figure 42 SELECT

Output aperture
Output aperture
RF driver inputs

Input aperture

Output delivery
The beam delivery from the SELECT output is either a free space collimatedbeam or fiber coupled using SuperK Fiber Delivery (FD) with a SuperK CONNECT(fiber coupling connector). The AOTF crystal output naturally includes powerfrom numerous sidebands, see Figure 43 on page 92. Free space delivery
implements a small aperture to suppress the bulk of the side lobe power beyond
the first order. However, when using a fiber delivery system with the SuperK
CONNECT, a small aperture is not required; the delivery system aperture
provides the suppression.
Output beam specifications
The AOTF type(s) is specified when ordering a SuperK SELECT. The type of
AOTF determines the possible wavelength range and bandwidth that can bediffracted from the crystal. Table 18 lists the available AOTFs that can be fitted toa SuperK SELECT.

< 91 >

SuperK SELECT

Table 18 SELECT AOTF types1
AOTF Type

Wavelength Range (nm)i

UV-VIS

400-650

VIS (1x)430-700

VIS (4x)450-700

VIS-nIR

500-900

nIR1

640-1100nIR2

800-1400

IR

1100-2000

i.

Subject to change, refer to thecurrent product datasheet for thelatest specifications.

As noted earlier, the tuned beam which is defracted from a SELECT crystal filter
also includes a number of n’th order side lobes. A typical example is shown in
the output spectrum graph of Figure 43. In this case, the tuned wavelength isset to 640 nm and the energy of the 1st order side lobe is approximately 10 dB
less than the central wavelength.
Figure 43 SELECT AOTF example output - 640 nm central wavelength

NOTE: For further details, refer to the SuperK SELECT Product Guide.

1.

Ranges subject to change, refer to the latest NKT Photonics datasheet.
< 92 >

SuperK LLTF

SuperK LLTF
A Laser Line Tunable Filter (LLTF) Contrast accessory provides a tunable andextremely narrow bandpass filter with out-of-band (OOB) suppression in theorder of 60 dB. The filter is continuously tuned over the entire spectrum of thesupercontinuum laser, converting the wide band beam to a finely tuned ps laser.
The LLTF Contrast uses a non-dispersive filter that maintains the intrinsic
single-mode beam quality of the laser.
There are four LLTF Contrast models, each with a specific tuning range as shownin table Table 19. Depending on the tuning range required, the LLTF accessory
supports filters that cover both visible and NIR tuning ranges. Note that aseparate PC-based GUI application is required to provide filter tuning control
using USB 2.0 connectivity. The LLTF Contrast connected to a SuperK EVO isillustrated in Figure 44.
Output Delivery
The beam delivery from the LLTF Contrast is fiber coupled using a Fiber Deliver(FD) such as a SuperK Connect (fiber coupling connector).
Figure 44 SuperK LLTF Contrast

Output aperture

Input aperture

Table 19 LLTF Contrast model specifications
LLTF model

Wavelength range

LLTF Contrast VIS

400-1000 nm

1.0-2.0 nm

8W

LLTF Contrast SWIR

1000-2300 nm

2.0-5.0 nm

8W< 93 >

Spectral bandwidth Maximum powerSuperK SPLIT

SuperK SPLIT
Use a SuperK SPLIT to divide the SuperK FIANIUM emission into two separate
spectral outputs. A SPLIT is a passive filter and it is available in two standard
models where the spectral outputs are configured as either:•

VIS/IR – Visible and Infrared– or –•

nIR/IR – Near Infrared and Infrared

NOTE: A SPLIT can be ordered with custom wavelength splits, see Table 20 forthe details regarding the wavelengths.
The separate outputs are both collimated and free-space and can be fitted withadditional filters, polarizers, attenuators and for beam deliver, the CONNECT
accessory.
A diagram of the SPLIT connected to the laser is shown in Figure 45.
Figure 45 SuperK SPLIT

Output aperture
Input aperture
Output aperture

SuperK SPLIT specifications
The specifications of the SPLIT are shown in Table 20.

Table 20 SPLIT wavelength ranges
Model

Wavelength Ranges

VIR/IR

400-800 and 915-2400 nanometers

nIR/IR

600-1120 and 1180-2400 nanometers

NOTE: For further details, refer to the SuperK SPLIT Product Guide.

< 94 >

SuperK CONNECT and Fiber Deliver System

SuperK CONNECT and Fiber Deliver System
A CONNECT is a single mode fiber coupling device which can terminate to acollimator and an FC /PC or FC/APC connector. As a fiber delivery system,
CONNECT can be used with the laser or its accessories. It combines highcoupling efficiency with power handling up to 500 mW over a spectrum from 400
to 2000 nm. You can disconnect and reconnect it to a photonic system without
needing to realign the coupling. There are multiple CONNECT models built tomatch the emission characteristics of the application, contact NKT Photonics formore information on the available models.
A general view of the Connect accessory showing the location of the collimator
input is shown in Figure 46.
Figure 46 SuperK Fiber Delivery System using a CONNECT< 95 >

SuperK CONNECT and Fiber Deliver System< 96 >

E

CONTROL Software

Installing CONTROL
Download the software from:https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/support/software-drivers/
Follow the steps of Procedure 13.
Procedure 13 Installing CONTROL
Action1

2

On your PC, launch the installer package and click the
Run button.

The installation wizard appears.
Click Next to continue.

< 97 >

Installer

Installing CONTROL

Action3

Click Next to accept the default installation directory or
select another directory by clicking the Browse button
and then clicking Next once the new directory is selected.

4Uncheck any components not required. By default, allcomponents are checked and installed.
Click Next to continue.

5

Read the End-User License Agreement, and select: “Iaccept the license.”.
Selecting: “I do not accept the license” ends theinstallation wizard.
Click Next to continue.

2< 98 >

Installing CONTROL

Action6

The wizard creates a start menu folder with program
short-cuts.
Use the default name or enter a new name for the folder.
Click Next to continue.

7

Check the box to create a desktop shortcut to access
CONTROL.
Click Next to continue

8

Check the Silicon Labs driver installation (recommended)
and click Next.

< 99 >

Installing CONTROL

Action9

Click Install to install NKTP CONTROL software on yourPC.
Click Cancel to abort the installation.

The wizard displays a progress meter for the installation.
NOTE: a normal install should only take a few seconds.

10

Click Next to install the UART drivers for the PC USB port.

11

Read the end-user License Agreement, and select “I
accept this agreement”.
Selecting “I don’t accept this agreement” aborts thedriver installation. Otherwise, check the “I accept thisagreement” button and click Next to install the driver.

< 100 >

Installing CONTROL

Action12

A drivers installation window appears. Wait for the
installation to finish.

13

The Silicon Labs drivers is installed successfully.
Click Finish to end the installation wizard.

14

CONTROL is now installed.
Check the Run... box to launch CONTROL when the Finish
button is clicked.
Click Finish.

< 101 >

Installing CONTROL< 102 >

F

Troubleshooting and Errors

Troubleshooting
Table 21 Laser troubleshooting
Symptom

Possible cause

Laser DisabledInterlock signals shorted to
ground.

No
Communication
with CONTROL

1.
2.
3.
4.

No Power
COM port setting incorrect
Defective USB Cable
Ethernet or IP network
issue

No Emissions

1. Key Switch is OFF
2. Interlock Circuit is open
3. The laser experiences afailure due to an alarm
condition.

Action1.

Disconnect the power to the laser. Locate and remove theinterlock circuit short to ground.
2. Turn on the SuperK EVO system and reset the interlock withthe key switch.
1. Check the AC mains and the AC power cord/power supply.
2. Check that the PC has assigned a COM port to the laser.
3. Check the USB cable condition or swap it with a known
working cable.
4. Ping the laser from the CONTROL PC or connect another PC tothe lasers Ethernet connector and ping the CONTROL PC.
Check that the laser’s IP settings are correct for the connectedsubnetwork.
1. Turn the Key to the ON position
2. Correct the circuit open and reset the key switch. The circuit
open could be one of the following:• External Bus Defeater loose or not connected• External Bus accessory cable loose or defective• Door switch defective or an open in its connecting cable to the
LEMO plug.

• LEMO plug loose or defective
3. Check the laser alarms and refer to Table 22, “Errors codes
and recovery action,” on page 104.

< 103 >

Error codes and recovery

Error codes and recovery
Table 22 lists the errors and their appropriate responses.
Table 22 Errors codes and recovery action
Error Code

Recovery Action

2

Check if the interlock has been activated, otherwise turn the key switch to the on position
to enable the laser.

5

Check the communication links between the PC and CONTROL software.
Enable the laser by clicking the Emission button OFF/ON.
If problem persists disable watchdog mode

7,12

48

Ensure the ambient temperature in the environment surrounding the laser is within thespecified range. See A .
Also ensure the cooling requirements such as air or water flow are met depending on the
chassis. See “Mechanical Installation” on page 35.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Move the beam delivery collimator head against a power meter.
Set to 0% power (slider all the way to the left in CONTROL software)
Enable the laser by clicking the Emission button on.
Slowly increase power to 100%.

If the alarm clears:
Before returning the laser to normal operation, check the installation for back reflections
to the laser (e.g. from a lens mounted in front of the collimator). See “Connecting theoptical output (collimator installation)” on page 44
If the alarm persists:– or –
If the laser emission are disabled:
Contact NKT Photonics. See B .

3,49,50,55

1. Set to 0% power (slider all the way to the left in CONTROL software)
2. Enable the laser by clicking the Emission button on.
3. Slowly increase power to 100%.
.
If the problem is not resolved contact NKT Photonics. See B .

2

Any other code Contact NKT Photonics. See B .

< 104 >

G

Unpacking and Packing the Laser

Unpacking the laser
NOTE: NKT Photonics recommends that you save the original packaging in a secure dry location. The packaging is designed to help prevent damage to yourlaser for future shipping or storage requirements.
Carefully unpack the laser following the instructions in Procedure 14.
CAUTION: The laser is calibrated precisely at the factory, avoid jarring the laser
when unpacking it.

Accessory kit Once you have unpacked the laser, check that all the components of theaccessory kit, as shown in Figure 47, are included.
Figure 47 Accessory kit components

NOTE: Paper documents not shown: emission output Test Report sheet, andSafety, Handling and Regulatory Information document.

< 105 >

Unpacking the laser

Procedure 14 Unpacking the laser
Actionii.

1Open the top flaps of the packing carton by cutting the packing tape along the seams of the flaps.

2

Remove the power supply from the top foam packing and then holding the foam, slide it out from the box.

3

Remove the anti-static bag containing the laser and its accessories (accessory foam) from the carton.

4

Open the anti-static bag and remove the accessory foam and the laser from the bag.

5

Carefully remove the collimator with its armored fiber cable from the accessory foam.

6

Put all the packing material back into the carton and store it in a safe dry location.
Refer to Figure 48

2< 106 >

Unpacking the laser

Figure 48 SuperK EVO packaging
Power supply

Top foam

Fiber collimator foam
8 9 10 11

Anti-static bag
SuperK EVO laser

Bottom foam

Shipping carton< 107 >

Prepare and pack the laser for shipping

Prepare and pack the laser for shipping
CAUTION: NKT Photonics recommends to use the laser’s original packaging. Using any other packaging may increase the chance of shipping damage to occur.
Contact NKT Photonics support if you require replacement packaging.
Carefully pack the laser following the instructions in Procedure 15.
Procedure 15 Packing the laser
Actionii.

1Remove all packing material from the shipping carton except for the bottom foam.

2

Put the accessory foam on top of the laser and carefully place the collimator and armored fiber cable into the foam.

3

Put the laser and accessory foam into the anti-static bag and then seal the bag.

4

Place the anti-static bag containing the laser into the shipping carton, sliding it into the bottom foam.

5

Place the top foam into the carton over the laser.

6

Place the power supply into the top foam and then seal the carton flaps with tape using an H-pattern.
Refer to Figure 48< 108 >

Item:Customer Revision:
NKT Photonics Revision:
Release Date:NKT Photonics A/S

800-612-01
1.4
4-0
10-2023

support@nktphotonics.com

Blokken 84, Birkerød-3460 Denmark
The information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
All company and product names mentioned within are either trademarks or registered trademarks of NKT Photonics.
Specifications are listed as metric units. Imperial units listed are conversions.
Copyright 2023 NKT Photonics A/S. All rights reserved.

SuperK EVO Product Guide