Features

• Long Travel Range: 220 mm
• High Speeds: Up To 300 mm/s
• High Repeatability: 0.25 µm
• Positional Accuracy: <3.0 µm
• Low Profile: 45 mm (1.77")
• Integrated, Brushless DC Linear Servo Motor Actuators
• Linear Optical Encoders
• High-Quality, Precision-Engineered Linear Bearings

Thorlabs' DDS220 low-profile, direct-drive translation stage provides 220 mm of travel with 50 nm resolution and a maximum speed of 300 mm/s. This stage is ideal for applications that require high speeds and high positioning accuracy, including automated alignment, surface inspection, mapping, and probing.

An innovative, low-profile design with integrated, brushless linear motors eliminates the external housings that create mechanical clash points and impede access to the moving platform. The direct-drive technology removes the need for a lead screw, eliminating backlash and internal flexible ducting ensures cables cannot become trapped as the mechanism moves. Twin, precision-grooved linear bearings provide superior rigidity and linearity with excellent on-axis accuracy. This backlash-free operation coupled with high-resolution, closed-loop optical feedback ensures a minimal bidirectional repeatability of ±0.25 μm. The DDS220 stage is an integral part of our ODL220-FS Optical Delay Line kit.

Dual-Axis Configuration
For dual-axis applications, two stages can be directly bolted together in an XY configuration without the need for an adapter or spacer plate, thereby keeping the vertical profile to a minimum. Furthermore, end users can choose to bolt the upper stage on centrally (as shown at the top of the page) or off center (as shown to the left).

Please note that these stages are not suitable for operation in a vertical (Z-axis) orientation.

Controller Options
The recommended controller for the DDS220 direct-drive, linear translation stage is the BBD201 single-axis or BBD202 dual-axis Brushless DC Motor Controller. These controllers provide a user-configurable, S-curve acceleration/deceleration profile that enables fast, smooth positioning without vibration or shock. See below for a brief overview, or click here to view the full presentation for these Brushless DC Motor Controllers.

Joystick Option
An optional 2-axis joystick console (MJC001) is also available for remote positioning applications. See the presentation below for more details.

Accessory Mounting Plates
A range of mounting plates is also available. The DDSA01 and DDSA02 adapter plates allow accessories to be fixed to the moving platform, or either end of the stage. The DDSA03 riser plate raises the deck height of the stage to the standard 62.5 mm for compatibility with our NanoMax, MicroBlock and RollerBlock stages. Finally, the DDS220P1 allows a NanoMax or MicroBlock stage to be bolted to the moving platform of the DDS220 stage. See the presentations below for more details.

The flying leads are terminated in a male 15-pin D-Type and male 8-pin round DIN connector. Pin details are given below.

Applications

• Pulsed Pump-Probe Experiments
• Auto-Correlation, Cross-Correlation, and Optical Sampling
• Pulse Synchronization
• Interferometric Sensors and Instruments
• Coherent Communication Systems
• Reconfigurable Switching, Buffering, and Processing

Thorlabs' ODL220-FS Free-Space Optical Delay Line Kit offers customers a tested set of Thorlabs components to build an optical delay line. The kit is based on our DDS220 long-travel, low-profile direct drive stage, capable of tuning the optical delay up to 1466 ps. Repeatable delay shifts down to 0.67 fs are achievable. The high accuracy and long-term stability of the stage make this system a suitable choice for pump-probe spectroscopy, THz spectroscopy, interferometry, and related applications.

The direct-drive technology used in this delay line kit eliminates the need for a lead screw, which enables backlash-free operation. The absolute position of the stage is determined using a high-resolution, closed-loop optical feedback signal that provides bidirectional repeatability of 0.25 µm. The stage also features twin, precision-grooved linear bearings that provide superior linearity and on-axis accuracy, which makes the stage an ideal choice for a delay line setup.

Optical Alignment
The optical delay line kit includes a periscope assembly that can accommodate input beam heights from 2.4" to 6 " (60 mm to 152 mm). By purchasing additional Ø1" (Ø25 mm) Pillar Posts, the input beam height that can be accommodated is easily increased. The first POLARIS-K1^TM mirror mount is used to align the beam parallel to the translation axis of the DDS220 stage. The stage's V-block contains two kinematic mirror mounts and two irises for beam alignment. The iris mounts are based on our FiberBench Mounts, and many of our FiberBench accessories may be used in place of the irises. Finally, a second POLARIS-K1 mount is then used to steer the output beam. The optical path is shown in the figure to the right.

Six Ø1" protected silver mirrors, which provide an average reflectivity in excess of 96% over the entire 450 nm to 2 µm range, are included. If your application would benefit from gold, aluminum, broadband dielectric, dielectric laser line, or ultrafast mirrors, please contact Technical Support to discuss the various options.

Click to Enlarge

Custom GUI Software for Optical Delay Control

The optical delay line includes GUI software to control timing changes of the stage. With this software, it is possible to precisely choose the optical delay you wish to add or subtract from your beam path. For interferometry experiments, the option to scan the stage continuously or in discrete steps is available, with each step's position being held for a specific time period.

The kit also includes the apt^TM software package for computer control of the stage. The apt software also allows for advanced custom control applications and sequences in various programming languages through ActiveX.