Function Generator Remote Control Beck Pang Joey Smith

DS345 Function Generator

DS345 Function Generator Creates a periodic function May be controlled using the front panel or a PC Can create waveforms using various wave types and modulation or by using an arbitrary waveform

Control with LabVIEW LabVIEW is a visual programming language and interface Often used to control lab instruments

LabVIEW Front Panel and Block Diagram

VISA “Virtual Instrument Software Architecture” An API (essentially a specification) for communication between instrument hardware and a PC Used to communicate to the function generator Already implemented in LabVIEW

NI I/O Trace A program that monitors VISA communication between the PC and the DS345 Useful in debugging commands sent to DS345 Helped us find problems in our original DS345 driver Can be accessed from the Pixlab 02 terminal with the command “niiotrace”

Original Driver First driver for DS345 function generator that we found Was found using LabVIEW’s “Find drivers and add-ons” feature. Was not optimized for the DS345 function generator Used commands the DS345 can’t accept

srds345 A working driver sent to us by Professor David Pengra Works well with no modifications needed A video of our successful control of DS345 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c43xvvzACqA

Using the srds345 driver Before sending any commands to the function generator, check its address To do this press “SHIFT” “GPIB” “SHIFT” “GPIB” on the front panel of DS345 The default address should be 19 There is more detail in Beck’s elog post here: http://silicon.phys.washington.edu/elog/T3MAPS/54

Information flow from PC to DS345 User Input (e.g. frequency, amplitude, etc. LabVIEW driver VISA DS345 Function Generator

Using the srds345 driver

Set to correct GPIB address

Make sure these are nonzero

Control for simple wave forms

Error Messages

Schedule Completed: To do: Connect to and control the Function Generator using LabVIEW To do: The Next week (by 5/6) Create a pulse using the function generator 5/13 Survey and understand the other equipment in the lab Have most or all drivers ready for the equipment 5/20 Begin working on remote control and monitoring system for lab equipment using labVIEW Work through python example code to gain experience 5/27 Continue work on remote control and monitoring system Continue gaining python experience By the end of the quarter Finish remote control and monitoring system for lab equipment using labVIEW Implement the pulse generation and other LabVIEW code in python

Links Elog post http://silicon.phys.washington.edu/elog/T3MAPS/54 Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c43xvvzACqA

Questions?