Thorlabs MDT693B 3-Channel Open-Loop Piezo Controller
Overview
The Thorlabs MDT693B is a 3-channel open-loop piezo controller designed to drive piezoelectric actuators and nanopositioning stages with precise, low-noise DC output voltage. Each of its three independent output channels can be adjusted from the front panel or through an external analog modulation input, making the Thorlabs MDT693B a practical bench instrument for fine mechanical positioning in optics, microscopy, and photonics alignment tasks. Seven Star LLC supplies the Thorlabs MDT693B across Oman and the GCC as part of its genuine Thorlabs catalog, giving regional photonics laboratories, universities, and precision manufacturing facilities a dependable local source for authentic Thorlabs positioning electronics with responsive technical support.
Optical engineers and lab technicians reach for the Thorlabs MDT693B whenever a project calls for open-loop piezo drive on up to three axes simultaneously, without the added cost or complexity of closed-loop position feedback, while still needing millivolt-level output resolution for repeatable micro-positioning. Working closely with plant engineers in the region, Seven Star LLC proudly supplies the Thorlabs MDT693B across Oman and the wider GCC, backed by genuine stock, manufacturer-standard calibration data, and responsive local technical support.
Measurement and Working Principle
The Thorlabs MDT693B generates a stable, adjustable DC output voltage on each of its three channels using 16-bit digital-to-analog conversion, giving an output step size of roughly 2.75 mV per increment and smooth, low-noise voltage sweeps across the full output range. Depending on the connected piezo actuator’s limit switch configuration, the Thorlabs MDT693B can supply 0-75 V, 0-100 V, or 0-150 V on each channel, with three independent 4-digit, 7-segment LED readouts displaying the live output voltage for each axis to 0.1 V resolution. An external BNC modulation input on each channel accepts a 0-10 V analog signal, allowing the Thorlabs MDT693B to be driven by an external function generator or data acquisition system for dynamic scanning applications such as raster-scan microscopy or beam-steering calibration.
Engineering Design of the Thorlabs MDT693B
Housed in a compact benchtop enclosure, the Thorlabs MDT693B places three BNC output connectors, three BNC modulation inputs, and three rotary adjustment knobs on its front panel, giving a technician direct manual control over each axis alongside the corresponding LED voltage readout. A rear-panel USB Type B port allows the Thorlabs MDT693B to be controlled remotely from a PC for automated alignment routines, while a universal 100-240 VAC power input with a 600 mA slow-blow fuse lets the unit operate without a separate step-down transformer anywhere in Oman or the wider GCC. Output bandwidth on the Thorlabs MDT693B reaches approximately 7 kHz at small signal with no load, tapering to roughly 200 Hz when driving a heavier 1.4 µF piezo actuator at full output amplitude, and typical output noise remains below 5 mVrms with no external load connected. The compact chassis measures 309.4 x 105.5 x 217.1 mm and weighs 3.02 kg, making it easy to integrate into a crowded optical bench.
Key Features
- The Thorlabs MDT693B drives three independent piezo channels from a single benchtop controller, each adjustable from 0 V up to 75 V, 100 V, or 150 V depending on the connected actuator’s rated range.
- The Thorlabs MDT693B uses 16-bit digital-to-analog conversion for smooth, low-noise output with approximately 2.75 mV resolution per step.
- The Thorlabs MDT693B provides a dedicated 4-digit LED voltage readout per channel, so the operator always sees the exact applied voltage on each axis.
- The Thorlabs MDT693B accepts external analog modulation through a 0-10 V BNC input on each channel for computer-controlled scanning.
- This open-loop piezo controller includes a rear-panel USB interface for remote PC control during automated alignment or characterization sequences.
- This Thorlabs positioning instrument operates from a universal 100-240 VAC supply, requiring no external transformer for GCC mains voltages.
Industrial Applications
The Thorlabs MDT693B is widely used in photonics research laboratories and university optics departments across Oman and the GCC for fine alignment of fiber couplers, mirror mounts, and beam-steering elements where sub-micron positioning repeatability is required. In microscopy and imaging system integration, the Thorlabs MDT693B drives piezo-actuated sample stages and objective positioners for focus stacking and z-axis scanning, taking advantage of its external modulation input to synchronize movement with an imaging system’s capture cycle. Precision manufacturing and metrology facilities also rely on the Thorlabs MDT693B to position optical components during assembly and alignment verification of laser systems, interferometers, and fiber-optic test setups.
Because the Thorlabs MDT693B provides three fully independent output channels, integrators building multi-axis alignment fixtures can control tip, tilt, and translation from a single compact instrument rather than stacking three separate single-channel controllers, simplifying rack space and cabling in laboratory and production environments alike. With fast quotation turnaround and technical support, Seven Star LLC supplies the Thorlabs MDT693B to laboratories, industrial facilities, and research institutions throughout Oman, Muscat, and the Sohar and Salalah economic zones, with lead time confirmed at quotation.
Educational and training laboratories in Omani and GCC universities also deploy the Thorlabs MDT693B in photonics and precision-instrumentation coursework, giving students hands-on experience with open-loop piezo drive electronics and manual/computer-controlled positioning before they progress to more advanced closed-loop nanopositioning systems.
System integrators commissioning laser alignment fixtures, fiber-optic test benches, and automated optical inspection stations across the region use the Thorlabs MDT693B as the drive electronics behind piezo tip-tilt mounts and fine linear stages, valuing its combination of manual front-panel control and remote USB operation during both initial setup and ongoing production use.
Seven Star LLC’s Thorlabs catalog, including the MDT693B, gives regional photonics buyers a single trusted local partner for piezo controllers, optical power meters, laser diode drivers, and related precision positioning electronics, simplifying procurement for multi-vendor lab setups that previously required importing individual items from overseas suppliers.
Technical Specifications
| Model | Thorlabs MDT693B |
|---|---|
| Type | 3-channel open-loop piezo controller |
| Output Voltage Range | 0-75 V, 0-100 V, or 0-150 V DC per channel (limit-switch dependent) |
| Channels | 3 independent output channels |
| Resolution | 16-bit DAC, approx. 2.75 mV/step |
| Display | 3 x 4-digit, 7-segment LED, 0.1 V resolution |
| Modulation Input | 0-10 V analog, BNC, per channel |
| Interface | USB Type B (remote PC control) |
| Noise | <5 mVrms (no load) |
| Power Supply | 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 60 VA max |
| Dimensions | 309.4 x 105.5 x 217.1 mm |
| Weight | 3.02 kg |
Also available: Thorlabs PM100D Handheld Digital Optical Power and Energy Meter Console
Request a Quote for Thorlabs MDT693B 3-Channel Open-Loop Piezo Controller
Seven Star LLC supplies the Thorlabs MDT693B and the broader Thorlabs range of piezo controllers, optical power meters, and laser diode electronics with genuine stock and technical support across Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC. Contact Seven Star LLC today for a fast quotation and expert guidance on selecting the right Thorlabs MDT693B configuration for your alignment, microscopy, or precision-positioning application. With engineering support in Muscat, Seven Star LLC supplies the Thorlabs MDT693B on request with regional technical support.
- Instruction Manual Thorlabs MDT693B Manual Download
Thorlabs instruments listed here
The listed items fall into four groups. Thorlabs power meter consoles: the handheld PM100D, the touchscreen PM400 and the PM100USB interface, all of which read the manufacturer's photodiode, thermal and pyroelectric sensor heads. Laser diode control: the LDC205C current driver, the TED200C thermoelectric temperature controller, the combined ITC4001 laser diode and TEC controller, and the compact CLD1015 driver and TEC controller with a mount for butterfly-packaged lasers. Motion control: the BPC303 three-channel benchtop piezo controller, the MDT693B three-channel open-loop piezo controller and the KDC101 K-Cube brushed DC servo controller. Detection: the PDA200C photodiode amplifier.Where Thorlabs equipment is used
Typical users are university physics and engineering departments, fiber-optic and telecom test benches, laser development groups, spectroscopy and sensing laboratories, and production lines that align or test optical assemblies. Buyers in the GCC usually need a specific item number that is named in a setup description or a published method.Ordering Thorlabs items: what we need
Thorlabs item numbers are exact, so PM100D, PM400 and PM100USB are different products, and a console is normally ordered with a separately numbered sensor. Send the item numbers and quantities. For a power meter, add the wavelength, the power or energy range and the beam size, so the sensor can be checked. For laser diode drivers, give the diode pin configuration, the operating current and the TEC current. For motion controllers, name the actuator or stage to be driven. Mention the mains voltage and plug type you need.Browse Thorlabs products by category: Controllers & Data Acquisition, Portable Test & Measurement, Sensors & Transmitters.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.