PPC001 In Stock

The Thorlabs PPC001 is a highly advanced closed-loop piezo controller designed for critical alignment applications requiring nanometer-level motion control. The PPC001 seamlessly integrates with the PFM450 focus mount to provide unparalleled control and active location feedback, making it the ideal solution for high power applications delivering up to 150V/150mA per channel.

At the heart of the PPC001 lies cutting-edge technology, combining the latest high-speed digital signal processors (DSP) with low-noise analog electronics and ActiveX® software. This innovative combination provides effortless single-axis motion and the ability to connect multiple axes via a standard USB hub. The PPC001 is part of the APT range of controllers and shares many of the associated software benefits including USB connectivity, a fully-featured Graphical User Interface (GUI), and extensive software function libraries for custom application development.

The APT software suite, compatible with all APT controllers, offers a flexible and powerful PC-based control system for both users and software programmers. APTUser and APTConfig utilities make it easier for users to adjust all settings and operating modes without having to develop custom software. This ensures that the equipment can be fully operational straight out of the box. The APT server engine is a great tool for software developers who wish to create automated positioning applications as it offers all the necessary software services for this purpose. This includes creating GUI panels, handling communications with multiple USB units, and logging of all system activity, making it easy to build such applications.

The PPC001 and PFM450 combination forms a closed-loop position control system with a digital PID controller and dual notch filters. The PFM450 actuator is equipped with a capacitive position sensor for accurate position measurement, driven by a sine wave generator and demodulated by a precision 18-bit A/D converter. The output from the capacitive sensor is linearized in the digital domain and individually matched to the sensor for maximum accuracy. The setpoint position is maintained by a PID controller with tunable coefficients, optimized for system response, followed by a dual notch filter that dampens the natural mechanical resonance exhibited by the actuator. The PPC001 and PFM450 can be calibrated together for maximum accuracy.