content type

RunViewer: Streamlining Modern Quantum and Atomic Physics Experiments

Modern AMO (atomic, molecular, and optical) physics laboratories rely on intricate temporal control systems to execute complex experimental sequences. In these environments, researchers manipulate laser frequencies, magnetic fields, and radiofrequency pulses down to microsecond and nanosecond precision. Managing and verifying these dense instruction sequences is highly complex. The labscript suite, an open-source workflow control software toolset built for precision physics, features a core data-visualization component built specifically for this challenge: RunViewer.

RunViewer serves as the dedicated visual diagnostic tool within the control infrastructure. It allows researchers to compile, review, and double-check high-frequency hardware instructions before and after a shot is executed. The Core Architecture: Reconstructing the Physical Shot

Unlike generic plotting utilities or telemetry dashboards, RunViewer operates by directly processing compiled hardware instructions stored inside the experiment’s HDF5 shot files.

[ Labscript Experiment Logic ] │ ▼ [ Compiled HDF5 File ] ────► [ Physical Control Hardware ] │ ▼ [ RunViewer ] ────► [ Reconstructed Output Device Traces ]

RunViewer parses the lowest-level description of experimental logic to mathematically reconstruct exactly what the output hardware will execute during a run. To maintain a hardware-agnostic architecture while accurately representing distinct instruments, the tool splits its pipeline into two layers:

The Core Rendering Engine: This infrastructure manages the overall visualization timeline, synchronizes multiple channels, and handles user-facing interactions.

Device-Specific Simulation Drivers: Individual hardware devices require custom underlying code written by developers. These localized scripts simulate how that specific device processes digital clock pulses or analog voltage steps, transforming raw bitstreams into a high-fidelity preview of output states. Key Capabilities of the Interface

The system’s user interface is split into three core sections optimized for lab diagnostics:

Shot Management & Comparison Panel: Researchers load individual or multiple HDF5 execution files simultaneously. Users can toggled specific runs on or off, assign unique plot colors to distinct test variables, and overlay shutter markers to check exact mechanical state transitions.

Time-Series Logic Visualization: This canvas tracks analog waveforms, digital trigger sequences, and specialized bus protocols side-by-side on a unified temporal grid.

Non-Linear Time Scaling: Quantum sequences often feature long atomic loading phases (seconds) paired with lightning-fast manipulation phases (microseconds). RunViewer’s timeline dynamically compresses dead time while expanding regions of high clock activity, ensuring visibility across massive order-of-magnitude scale shifts. Why Pre-Execution Verification Matters

Verifying code logic visually through an integrated tool like RunViewer solves critical operational challenges in the laboratory:

Hardware Protection: Sending an over-voltage signal or an overlapping RF pulse can ruin custom-designed electronics. RunViewer lets you spot software compile errors before they reach physical outputs.

Timing Alignment: When laser cooling relies on nanosecond precision between a shutter closing and an AOM (acousto-optic modulator) shifting frequency, visual alignment checks reveal compilation drifts instantly.

Dead-Time Troubleshooting: Compressing the timeline highlights unnecessary dead space in a sequence, allowing labs to shorten cycle times and maximize data-collection rates.

RunViewer bridges the gap between high-level pythonic experiment design and the physical hardware signals driving modern quantum research labs. By compiling and visualizing the true low-level instructions, it remains an essential asset for ensuring experimental reliability, speed, and safety. If you want to tailor this overview, please let me know:

Do you need to include specific information about hardware device integration (like NI DAQmx cards or arbitrary waveform generators)?

Should the tone be adapted for a peer-reviewed journal entry or a software documentation guide? runviewer – the labscript suite