pyThorlabsPM100x

pyThorlabsPM100x is a Python library/GUI interface to control the Thorlabs consoles PM100A and PM100D. The package is composed of two parts, a low-level driver to perform basic operations, and high-level GUI, written with PyQt5, which can be easily embedded into other GUIs.

The interface can work either as a stand-alone application, or as a module of ergastirio.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage via the low-level driver
  • Creating a driver instance
  • Virtual mode (no hardware needed)
  • Properties
  • Other attributes
  • Methods
  • Examples
• Usage as a stand-alone GUI interface
• Embed the GUI within another GUI

Installation

Use the package manager pip to install,

pip install pyThorlabsPM100x

This will install pyThorlabsPM100x together with all libraries required to run the low-level driver. In order to use the GUI, it is necessary to install additional libraries, specified in the requirements.txt files,

pip install abstract_instrument_interface>=0.10
pip install "PyQt5>=5.15.6"
pip install "pyqtgraph>=0.12.4"
pip install numpy

Important: in order to be accessible from this library, the console needs to be set to "PM100D NI-VISA" modality, and not to "TLPM modality". Typically, if you used recent Thorlabs software to acquire from a console, that will automatically set the console to "TLPM modality". You can use the utility Power Meter Driver Switcher to switch between modalities.

Usage via the low-level driver

pyThorlabsPM100x provides also a low-level driver, based on the library pyvisa, to directly interface with the powermeter console.

from pyThorlabsPM100x.driver import ThorlabsPM100x
powermeter = ThorlabsPM100x()
available_devices = powermeter.list_devices()
print(available_devices)
powermeter.connect_device(device_addr = available_devices[0][0])
print(powermeter.power)
powermeter.disconnect_device()

The method list_devices() returns a list, with each element representing one available device in the format [address,identity,model]. The string address contains the physical address of the device. The line powermeter.connect_device(device_addr = available_devices[0][0]) establishes a connection to the first device found. We then print the power currently read by the console, and finally disconnect from it.

The class ThorlabsPM100x supports several properties and methods to communicate with the console and to read/change its settings. Some of the properties are read-only, while others can be set. A full list of properties, attributes, and methods is available below. Note: the documentation below was partially compiled with the help of Claude - mistakes are possible.

Creating a driver instance

ThorlabsPM100x(model=None, virtual=False)

Virtual mode (no hardware needed)

Passing virtual=True makes the driver simulate three virtual PM100x consoles (one PM100A and two PM100D, with different wavelength ranges) instead of talking to real hardware over pyvisa. This is useful for testing or demoing the package without a physical instrument, and works even if pyvisa/NI-VISA is not installed.

from pyThorlabsPM100x.driver import ThorlabsPM100x
powermeter = ThorlabsPM100x(virtual=True)
available_devices = powermeter.list_devices()
print(available_devices)
powermeter.connect_device(device_addr = available_devices[0][0])
print(powermeter.power)   # returns a simulated, time-varying power reading
powermeter.disconnect_device()

Properties

The following are implemented as Python @property, i.e. they are accessed without parentheses (e.g. powermeter.power) and, when settable, assigned with = (e.g. powermeter.wavelength = 800). Reading or setting any of these (except where noted) requires a device to be connected, otherwise a RuntimeError is raised.

Other attributes

These are plain instance attributes (not @property) that are also useful to read directly.

Methods

Examples

from pyThorlabsPM100x.driver import ThorlabsPM100x
powermeter = ThorlabsPM100x()
available_devices = powermeter.list_devices() #Check which devices are available
print(available_devices)
powermeter.connect_device(device_addr = available_devices[0][0]) #Connect to the first available device
print(powermeter.power) #print the power currently read
print(powermeter.wavelength) #print the operating wavelength
(minWL,maxWL) = powermeter.read_min_max_wavelength() #read max and min available wavelengths
powermeter.wavelength = maxWL #set wavelength to the max
print(powermeter.power_range) #print current power range
powermeter.move_to_next_power_range(direction=+1) #increaase power range
print(powermeter.power_range) #print new power range
powermeter.disconnect_device() #disconnect the device

Usage as a stand-alone GUI interface

The installation should set up an entry point for the GUI. Just typing

pyThorlabsPM100x

in the command prompt will start the GUI.

Embed the GUI within another GUI

The GUI controller can also be easily integrated within a larger graphical interface, as shown in the example here.

import PyQt5.QtWidgets as Qt  # QApplication, QWidget, QGridLayout, QLabel, QVBoxLayout
import pyThorlabsPM100x

app = Qt.QApplication([])
window = Qt.QWidget()

# The GUI needs to be contained inside a widget object
widget_containing_interface_GUI = Qt.QWidget()
widget_containing_interface_GUI.setStyleSheet(
    ".QWidget {\n"
    "border: 1px solid black;\n"
    "border-radius: 4px;\n"
    "}"
)

# Create the interface object for the powermeter
Interface = pyThorlabsPM100x.interface(app=app)
Interface.verbose = False  # set the verbosity of the interface logger to False
# At any time during the software execution, the power read by the instrument can be accessed via Interface.output['Power']
# Moreover, one could also set up a signal to automatically call another function whenever the power is updated, by
#
#       Interface.sig_updated_data.connect(foo)
#
# Every time the power is read from the instrument, the function foo is called and the list [power,power_units] is passed as argument

# Create the GUI for the powermeter
view = pyThorlabsPM100x.gui(interface=Interface, parent=widget_containing_interface_GUI, plot=False)

# Create additional GUI
gridlayoutwidget = Qt.QWidget()
gridlayout = Qt.QGridLayout()
gridlayout.addWidget(Qt.QLabel("Additional GUI 1"), 0, 0)
gridlayout.addWidget(Qt.QLabel("Additional GUI 2"), 1, 0)
gridlayout.addWidget(Qt.QLabel("Additional GUI 3"), 0, 1)
gridlayout.addWidget(Qt.QLabel("Additional GUI 4"), 1, 1)
gridlayoutwidget.setLayout(gridlayout)

layout = Qt.QVBoxLayout()
layout.addWidget(widget_containing_interface_GUI)
layout.addWidget(gridlayoutwidget)
layout.addStretch(1)
window.setLayout(layout)

window.show()
app.exec()  # Start the event loop.