Procedure to align the transport using the HeNe and align the IR beam to the HeNe.

Assumption is that the Laser Startup Procedure procedure has already been completed and thus an auto-aligner GUI and a Laser Room Control Panel is already open and the auto-aligner is running on the laser room cameras.

A) Beam transport alignment: HeNe

  1. Press Stop Alignment (red button) in the auto-aligner. This will stop any scripts running on other machines.
  2. Click SET EXPOSURE (Laser Room Control Panel→Tools). 
  3. Open the Transport Control Panel.
  4. Check that all the laser profiles look fine (see reference image below), cameras are running, and laser is visible.
  5. Verify ROIs match the above image. If the ROI is incorrect, press the ROI button for each camera on the Transport Control Panel.
  6. If the laser is not visible on B4, B5, or B6
    1. Tick boxes in the auto-aligner for HeNe Near and Far, B0 and B1, and B2 and B3.
    2. Click Grab References. This will take ~30 seconds. A message will be printed in the log saying grabbing is completed.
    3. Click Start Alignment. The software will loop through the list of cameras (top to bottom), calculate offsets and then move motors.
    4. Once the laser is visible on B4, B5, and B6, click Stop Alignment (red button).
  7. Tick boxes for the transport cameras: HeNe Near and Far, B0 and B1, B2 and B3, B4, B5, and, B6.
  8. Click Clear References, then Grab References. This might take a few seconds. A message will be printed in the log saying grabbing is completed.
  9. Click Start Alignment. The software will loop through the list of cameras (top to bottom), calculate offsets and then move motors.
  10. Monitor the log to make sure that the offset tolerances were set appropriately and that the auto aligner does its job.
    1. The auto-aligner will write a warning to the log with a reason when it skips an alignment step.
    2. To fix auto-aligner errors, see Procedures to Fix Common Issues.

B) Beam transport alignment: IR

  1. Insert the compressor beam block (Tunnel Control Panel→Compressor Block).
  2. Ensure IPOTR foils are out (IPOTR1, IPOTR2 and IPOTR1P, found at FACETHOME→Profile Monitor→LI20→IP1 Table).
  3. If the RP attenuator is not in, set the energy waveplate to RP ATTENUATOR EQUIV (Laser Room Control Panel→Energy Attenuator). 
    1. If the RP attenuator is in, the waveplate should be at maximum energy.
  4. Verify the transport shutter is still blocking the laser (Laser Room Control Panel→Transport Shutter).
  5. Turn LSS-2 key in the laser room to ON to allow IR beam to go through transport.
  6. On the auto-align GUI, press the button IR mode. This will stop the current alignment and opens a new window (see Figure 2).
  7. Use the buttons in the first line to switch from HeNe to IR:
    1. Block HeNe – drives HeNe block to 10 mm (blocked) from 8 mm (open).
    2. Close Iris – sets iris to -5 mm from -40 mm (full beam size).
    3. Set HWP – rotates wave plate 2 to 65 from 50 (s-pol).
    4. Set B0 B1 exposure – sets exposure on B0 and B1 to 1 s (from 1 ms).
    5. Unblock EPS Shutter – opens EPS shutter.
  8. Check that the IR beam profiles look fine on B0 and B1 (see reference image below).
  9. Click Grab IR References.
  10. Click Start IR alignment.
  11. Monitor the log to make sure that the offset tolerances were set appropriately and that the auto aligner does its job.
    1. The auto-aligner will write a warning to the log with a reason when it skips an alignment step.
    2. To fix auto-aligner errors, see Procedures to Fix Common Issues.
  12. Once converged, press Abort IR alignment.
  13. Then follow the steps in line 4 to return settings to HeNe alignment mode:
    1. Block EPS Shutter – closes EPS shutter.
    2. Open iris – opens iris from -5 mm to -40 mm (full beam size).
    3. Set HWP – rotates wave plate 2 from 65 to 50 (s-pol).
    4. Set B0 B1 exposure – sets exposure on B0 and B1 to 1 ms (from 1 s).
    5. Unblock HeNe – drives HeNe block from 10 mm (blocked) to 8 mm (open).
    6. Close the IR alignment window.
  14. On main window of auto align GUI, click Grab References.
  15. Then click Start alignment to resume HeNe and laser room auto-alignment.
  16. Monitor the log to make sure that the offset tolerances were set appropriately and that the auto aligner does its job.
    1. The auto-aligner will write a warning to the log with a reason when it skips an alignment step.
    2. To fix auto-aligner errors, see Procedures to Fix Common Issues.

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Figure 1: Auto alignment GUI


Figure 2: IR mode GUI

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