The CGM Laser Alignment Controller provides feedback control for 9 beams simultaneously at a closed loop control rate of 10kHz. The controller maintains the alignment of the beams for maximum power output. Each beam is independently controlled and monitored using an FPGA coupled with a real-time controller and PC-based software for the user interface.
Controller
The controller enclosure was designed and built by CGM. The front panel has the control IO connections and status indicator for each controlled beam.
Closed Loop Control
The beams are controlled with steering mirrors mounted to piezo actuators. A reference beam on a sensor provides feedback to the controller for beam position. The custom PID control operates at 10kHz and utilizes specialized digital filtering to maintain stability over a broad frequency range. The embedded system consists of an FPGA in combination with a real-time controller.
Client Computer
The client computer connects to the controller through Ethernet and 2 data acquisition cables at the rear of the controller enclosure. The client computer includes a high-speed data acquisition card for monitoring the position and intensity signals.