Kinesis® K-Cube™ NanoTrak® Fiber Alignment Controllers

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Back View of the K-Cube NanoTrak^® Controller (See the Pin Diagrams Tab for More Information)

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Top View of the K-Cube NanoTrak^® Controller

Features

• Compact Footprint: 121 mm x 60 mm x 47 mm
• Two Piezo Actuator Output Channels Provide Closed-Loop Feedback
• Two Detector Options:
  • Si for 320 to 1000 nm
  • InGaAs for 900 nm to 1700 nm
• Control Using Top Panel or PC Software via USB Plug-and-Play Connectivity
• Tracking Mode Achieves and Maintains Optimum Throughput
• Latched Mode Maintains Stable Positioning
• Full Kinesis^® Software Control Suite Included (See Kinesis Software Tab for Details)
• Magnetic, Clip-On Optical Table Mounting Adapter Included
• Single- and Multi-Channel PSU Options Available Separately

K-Cube™ NanoTrak^® Fiber Alignment Controllers are a part of Thorlabs' new and growing Kinesis^® line of high-end, compact motion controllers. The fiber alignment controllers are designed to maximize the power throughput of a fiber-to-fiber or fiber-to-free-space system. By driving a piezo-actuated stage to move the fiber tip in a circular scan pattern, the controller performs a power gradient search to determine the direction of peak power and positions the fiber for maximum throughput. Two high-voltage output channels provide the drive signal for the associated piezo actuators, eliminating the need for external piezo drivers. In combination with a multi-axis, piezo-driven stage, such as our 3-Axis NanoMax and 6-Axis NanoMax stages, a K-Cube fiber alignment controller creates a complete, compact auto-alignment system (see the Application tab for more details).

The small footprint of this unit (121 mm x 60 mm x 47 mm) and quickly detachable mounting plate allow the K-Cube to be securely mounted to an optical table in close proximity to the system it controls. Each controller comes with a preinstalled detector. The KNA-VIS has a Si detector optimized for the visible spectrum (320 nm to 1000 nm), while the KNA-IR has an InGaAs detector for the infrared (900 nm to 1700 nm). The front of each unit features a power switch that, when turned off, saves all user-adjustable settings. Top panel controls enable convenient standalone operation, and the easy-to-read digital display allows the user to monitor the alignment.

USB connectivity provides easy 'Plug-and-Play' PC-controlled operation with the Kinesis software package, which features new .NET controls that can be used by third-party developers working in the latest C, C#, LabVIEW™ or any .NET compatible languages to create custom applications. A USB 3.0 type A to type Micro B cable is included with each K-Cube NanoTrak controller. For more details, please see the Kinesis Software and Kinesis Tutorials tabs.

Optical Table Mounting Plate
Each unit comes with a mounting plate that clips onto the base of the module. The plate contains two magnets for temporary placement on an optical table and two counterbores for 1/4"-20 (M6) cap screws for a more permanent placement on the tabletop. Please see the Specs for a mechanical drawing of the table mounting plate and the Mounting Options tab for how to mount the plate.

Power Supply Options
The preferred power supply (multi-channel or hub-based) depends on the end user's application and whether you already own compatible power supplies. To that end and in keeping with Thorlabs' green initiative, we do not ship these units bundled with a power supply.

The TPS002 Power Supply Unit should only be used to power a single KNA-VIS or KNA-IR unit to avoid exceeding current limitations. The KCH301 or KCH601 USB Controller Hubs, available below, are ideal for applications involving multiple K-Cubes and/or T-Cubes. The KCH301 features three controller mounting bays while the KCH601 features six controller mounting bays. These K-Cube NanoTrak controllers occupy two mounting bays, so only the KCH601 hub can be used to power multiple K-Cube NanoTrak controllers. All compatible power supply options can be found below.

K-Cube Mounting Options

Two options are available to securely mount our K-Cube controllers onto an optical table. An optical table mounting plate, provided with every K-Cube, allows for a single controller to be attached to an optical table. Alternatively, three- and six-port USB controller hubs are offered (sold separately) that can mount and power our K-Cube controllers. These options are described in further detail below.

Optical Table Mounting Plate
Each K-Cube unit comes with a mounting plate that clips onto the base of the controller, as shown in the animation below. The plate contains two magnets for temporary placement on an optical table and two counterbores for 1/4"-20 (M6) cap screws for a more permanent placement on the tabletop. Please see the Specs tab for a mechanical drawing of the table mounting plate.

Kinesis USB Controller Hubs
Multiple units can be mounted and connected to a single PC by using the KCH301 or KCH601 USB Controller Hubs. They each consist of two parts: the hub, which can support up to three (KCH301) or six (KCH601) K-Cubes or T-Cubes, and a power supply that plugs into a standard wall outlet. K-Cubes simply clip into place using the provided on-unit clips, while current- and previous-generation T-Cubes require the KAP101 Adapter Plate, shown in the animation below. The hub vastly reduces the number of USB and power cables required when operating multiple controllers.

Thorlabs' Kinesis^® software can be used to control devices in the Kinesis or APT family, which covers a wide range of devices ranging from small, low-powered, single-channel drivers (such as the K-Cubes and T-Cubes) to high-power, multi-channel, modular 19" rack nanopositioning systems (the APT Rack System).

The Kinesis Software features new .NET controls which can be used by 3rd party developers working in the latest C#, Visual Basic, LabVIEW™ or any .NET compatible languages to create custom applications. Low level DLL libraries are included for applications not expected to use the .NET framework. A Central Sequence Manager supports integration and synchronization of all Thorlabs motion control hardware.

The software packages allow two methods of usage: graphical user interface (GUI) utilities for direct interaction with and control of the controllers 'out of the box', and a set of programming interfaces that allow custom-integrated positioning and alignment solutions to be easily programmed in the development language of choice.

Software

Kinesis Version 1.14.24

The Kinesis Software Package, which includes a GUI for control of Thorlabs' Kinesis and APT™ system controllers.

Also Available:

• Communications Protocol

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Kinesis GUI Screen for K-Cube NanoTrak^® Controllers

K-Cube vs. T-Cube Feature Comparison
Feature	KNA-VIS & KNA-IR K-Cubes	TNA001/VIS & TNA001/IR T-Cubes
Kinesis Software Compatibility
APT Software Compatibility	N/A
Kinesis USB Controller Hubs Compatibility		Requires KAP101 Adapter
TCH002 T-Cube USB Controller Hubs Compatibility	N/A
Power Switch		N/A
Piezo Control	High Voltage Output to Drive Piezo Actuators	Closed-Loop Feedback to Piezo Drivers
Bidirectional SMA I/O Porta	2	N/A
SMA Monitor Outputa	2
SMA External Analog Inputa	2
Computer Connectiona	USB 3.0 Micro B (USB 2.0 Compliant)	USB 2.0 Mini-B (USB 2.0 Compliant)
Included Mounting Plate
Size (L x W x H)	121.0 mm x 60.0 mm x 47.0 mm (4.76" x 2.36" x 1.85")	60.0 mm x 60.0 mm x 47.0 mm (4.76" x 2.36" x 1.85")
On-Unit Controls	Color LCD Display with Wheel	LED Display with Buttons
Track/Latch Modes
Piezo Drive Voltage		N/A
I/O Signal		N/A
Screen Brightness		N/A

• Please see the Pin Diagrams tab for details.

Introducing Thorlabs' Kinesis^® Motion Controllers

A major upgrade to the former-generation T-Cubes™, the growing K-Cube™ line of high-end controllers provides increased versatility not only through the new Kinesis software, but through an overhaul and updating of their physical design and firmware.

Every K-Cube controller includes a digital display. In addition to basic input and output readouts, this display hosts a number of menu options that include go-to-position commands, homing, velocity control, and jogging. The on-unit velocity wheel and menu button are used to scroll through the available options. Each unit contains a front-located power switch that, when turned off, saves all user-adjustable settings as well as two bidirectional SMA trigger ports that accept or output a 5 V TTL logic signal.

Please see the table to the right for a full comparison of the features offered by our new KNA-VIS and KNA-IR K-Cubes and previous-generation T-Cube fiber alignment controllers.

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KNA-VIS K-Cube Kinesis NanoTrak^® Controller

Kinesis USB Controller Hubs
Complementing our K-Cubes are our Kinesis USB 2.0 controller hubs. With two versions available for three or six K- or T-Cubes, these USB hubs are designed specifically for communication between multiple controllers and the host control PC. These hubs are backward compatible with our T-Cubes.

K-Cubes simply clip into place using the provided on-unit clips, while current- and previous-generation T-Cubes require the KAP101 Adapter Plate, shown in the animation to the below right. The hub vastly reduces the number of USB and power cables required when operating multiple controllers.

K-Cube™ NanoTrak® Fiber Alignment Application

A K-Cube™ NanoTrak^® Fiber Alignment Controller can be used in conjunction with a NanoMax Flexure Stage to create a continuous active fiber alignment system. Light from a K-Cube laser source is transmitted through the input fiber to the fiber end attached to the moving world of the stage. An output fiber is fixed to the stationary portion of the stage, and the light transmitted through the second fiber is fed into the power sensor on the NanoTrak controller.

The NanoTrak controller looks for the gradient in the power signal to determine the direction of peak power. This is achieved by scanning the stage in a circular path. As the input fiber is driven in a circle, the optical power coupling between the two fibers will fluctuate. The NanoTrak samples the power at multiple points around the test circle and then directs the piezos to move the stage in the direction of the highest signal. This process is continued until the highest power lies in the center of the circle and the power at every point on the circle is equal.

Continuous active alignment (Tracking Mode) can be used to maintain alignment in a setup, or the gradient search can be halted (Latched Mode) for next step assembly or R&D operations. The setup below can be used for fiber characterization and testing. If the output fiber is replaced with one of our Fiber Optic Couplers, the same setup may be used to maintain high power throughput to an entire fiber-based setup.

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Fiber-to-Fiber Auto-Alignment Setup Using a K-Cube NanoTrak^® to Control a NanoMax Stage