Here is a list of laboratory instruments and common issues in remote control

Oscilloscope LeCroy 625Zi
BW: 2GHz
OS: Windows 7
Connection types: USB-GPIB, Ethernet

  • USB: be sure to enable remote control from oscilloscope menu Utilities > Remote
  • Ethernet:

Team Viewer: the instrument has TW installed. Install TW on your pc to control the oscilloscope from your machine
Labview driver: http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=07C0AC709BD14C10E0440003BA7CCD71

Oscilloscope LeCroy 6100A
BW: 1GHz
OS: Windows XP
Connection types: USB-GPIB, Ethernet
Note: this device needs a non standard GPIB connector, micro-d25 to GPIB converter is needed (rare)
Labview driver: http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=07C0AC709BD14C10E0440003BA7CCD71

Picosecond laser
Pulsed laser diode (3B class)
Power: 1200 mW
Wavelengths: 1064 nm, 405 nm
Connection types: serial (RS232, USB-serial)
Note: needs RS232 male-male cable (!), in case you don't have one, use USB connection. The connection can be displayed from Control Panel > System > Devices on your pc as UART (USB emulating serial) e.g. on COM3 port, then configure the serial connection as following:

  • Baud rate: 19200
  • Bits: 8
  • Stop bits: 1
  • End of command: carrier return \r (the instrument recognize the command only after carrier return)
  • Command list:

state > display system status

                 debug > display additional information
                 ld=(0 disabled, 1 enabled) > enable/disable laser
                 ld? > ask laser if enabled/disabled
                 tune=(0 max, 1000 min) > set laser attenuation
                 tune? > display laser attenuation
                 te=(0 falling, 1 rising) > set trigger edge
                 te? > display trigger edge

Basic vi example to communicate with laser: provacomandi.zip Labview drivers:

HV CAEN
4 channel high voltage +/- 5000 V DC
Change the channel polarity: positive polarity is set by default. To change the polarity of each single channel, open the instrument from top cover and flip the +- connector with the choosed sign on the side of the channel name.