Introduction

NUPyLab (Northwestern University Python Laboratory) is a suite of tools for instrument communication and experiment control via Python in the Haile Group. Included are high-level GUIs for specific lab stations, low-level instrument drivers, and mid-level instrument classes adapting instrument drivers to the station GUIs.

High-level components are largely built on PyMeasure and Qt. If not already available, instrument drivers are contributed to PyMeasure when compatible and hosted in NUPyLab when not.

Motivation

Python is quickly becoming the favorite programming language of scientists for its popular data analysis and visualization libraries. As a full-fledged programming language, it also has powerful capabilities beyond those uses, as well as a large community that values open-source programming. In contrast, many instrument control systems in research settings are built on tools that:

• are closed source

• have diminishing community expertise

• have high licensing fees

Diminishing expertise in, e.g., LabVIEW, makes diagnosing and fixing issues slow and new systems unreliable. This repository is an effort to take advantage of the growing expertise in Python to convert our lab’s instrument control to a free, open-source, well-supported alternative.