Optics: measuring and testing – Lamp beam direction or pattern
Patent
1989-04-27
1992-03-31
Rosenberger, Richard A.
Optics: measuring and testing
Lamp beam direction or pattern
G01J 100
Patent
active
051002310
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for determining the quality of a multimode laser beam (10). In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a lens (32) for creating a transformed or imaged waist from the input beam. The location of the transformed beam waist and its diameter are then determined. These steps can be carried out by chopping the beam using a rotating hub (34) having apertures (36,38) for selectively passing the beam. Preferably, one of the apertures has a pair of 45.degree. knife edges (40,42). The transmission of the beam past the knife edge is monitored by a detector (30). In operation, the lens focal position is varied while the transmission of the beam past the knife edge is monitored in order to locate and measure the diameter of the transformed waist. The diameter of the beam at one other known location is measured. A processor then calculates beam quality by fitting these measurements to a mathematical model. Once the quality of the beam is calculated, the location of the original beam waist and its diameter can be derived. Once all of the beam parameters are derived, the propagation characteristics of the beam can be predicted.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3469087 (1969-09-01), Seaton
patent: 3617755 (1971-11-01), Arnaud
patent: 3680965 (1972-08-01), Dilworth
patent: 3794431 (1974-02-01), Rothrock
patent: 3880527 (1975-04-01), Mansell
patent: 4160598 (1979-07-01), Firester et al.
patent: 4291988 (1981-09-01), Dixon et al.
patent: 4548496 (1985-10-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4745280 (1988-05-01), Gi et al.
patent: 4871250 (1989-10-01), Koseki
A. G. Fox & T. Li (Ref. 1), Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 40 (1961), pp. 453-488, "Reasonant Modes in a Maser Interferometer".
H. Kogelnik & W. W. Rigrod (Ref. 2), Proceedings of the IRE, vol. 50 (Feb. 1962), p. 220, "Visual Display of Isolated Optical-Resonator Modes".
G. D. Boyd & H. Kogelnik (Ref. 3), Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 41 (Jul. 1962), pp. 1347-1369, "Generalized Confocal Resonator Theory".
W. W. Rigrod (Ref. 4), Applied Physics Letters, vol. 2 (1 Feb. 63), pp. 51-53, "Isolation of Axi-symmetrical Optical Resonator Modes".
H. Kogelnik (Ref. 5), Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 44 (Mar. 1969), pp. 445-494, "Imaging of Optical Modes--Resonators with Internal Lenses".
H. Kogelnik & T. Ki (Ref. 6), Applied Optics, vol. 5 (Oct. '66), pp. 1550-1566, "Laser Beams and Resonators".
R. J. Freiberg & A. S. Halsted (Ref. 7), Applied Optics, vol. 8 (Feb. '69), pp. 355-362, "Properties of Low Order Transverse Modes in Argon Ion Lasers".
H. Kogelnik & T. Li (Ref. 8), CRC Laser Handbook, R. J. Pressley, Ed., Cleveland, OH (1971), pp. 421-441, "Beams, Modes and Resonators".
L. Marshall (Ref. 9), Laser Focus, Apr. '71, pp. 26-28, "Applications a la mode".
J. A. Arnaud et al. (Ref. 10), Applied Optics, vol. 10 (Dec. '71), pp. 2775-2776, "Technique for Fast Measurement of Gaussian Laser Beam Parameters".
D. R. Skinner & R. E. Whitcher (Ref. 11), Journal of Physics E: Scientific Instruments, vol. 5 (May '72), pp. 237-238, "Measurement of the radius of a high-power laser beam near the focus of a lens".
W. B. Bridges (Ref. 12), Applied Optics, vol. 14 (Oct. 75), pp. 2346-2347, "Divergence of high order Gaussian modes".
Y. Suzaki & A. Tachibana (Ref. 13), Applied Optics, vol. 14 (Dec. '75), pp. 2809-2810, "Measurement of the micron-sized radius of Gaussian laser beam using the scanning knife-edge".
Y. Suzaki & A. Tachibana (Ref. 14), Applied Optics, vol. 16 (Jun. '77), pp. 1481-1482, "Measurement of the Gaussian laser beam divergence".
H. M. Lamberton & V. G. Roper (Ref. 14a), The Institute of Physics (1978), Ministry of Defence, UK, pp. 1102-1103, "Beam divergence of a highly multimode CO.sub.2 laser".
L. D. Dickson (Ref. 15), Optical Engineering, vol. 18 (Jan-Feb. '79), pp. 70-75, "Ronchi Ruling Method for Measuring Gaussian Beam Diameter".
S. Nemoto & T. Makimoto (Ref. 16), Journal of the Optical Society of America, vol. 69 (Apr. '79), pp. 578-580, "Generalized Spot Size for a Higher-order Beam Mode".
Noah Bareket (Ref. 16a), Journal of the Optical Society of America, vol. 69 (Sep. '79), pp. 1311-1312, "Second Moment of the Diffraction Point Spread Function as an Image Quality Criterion".
W. H. Carter (Ref. 17), Applied Optics, vol. 19 (1 Apr. '80), pp. 1027-1029, "Spot Size and Divergence for Hermite Gaussian Beams of any Order", (and errata, App. Op., vol. 21, 1 Jan. '82), p. 7, Energy Carried Over the Rectangular Spot Within a Hermite-Gaussian Beam.
Stephen C. Pohlig (Ref. 17a), Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 68 (May '80), pp. 629-630, "Signal Duration and the Fourier Transform".
Marija S. Scholl (Ref. 17b), Applied Optics, vol. 19 (1 Nov. '80), pp. 3655-3659, "Measured Spatial Properties of the cw Nd:YAG Laser Beam".
J. T. Luxon & D. E. Parker (Ref. 18), Applied Optics, vol. 20 (15 May '81), pp. 1728-1729, "Practical Spot Size Definition for Signal Higher-order Rectangular-mode Beams".
J. T. Luxon & D. E Parker (Ref. 19), Applied Optics, vol. 20 (1 Jun. '81), pp. 1933-1935, "Higher-order CO.sub.2 Laser Beam Spot Size and Depth of Focus Determined".
G. C. Lim & W. M. Steen (Ref. 20), Optics and Laser Technology, Jun. '82, pp. 149-153, "Measurement of the Temporal and Spatial Power Distribution of a High-Power CO.sub.2 -Laser Beam".
Michael Reed Teague (Ref. 20a), Journal of the Optical Society of America, vol. 72 (Sep. '82), pp. 1199-1209, "Irradiance Moments: Their Propagation and Use for Unique Retrieval of Phase".
R. L. Phillips & L. C. Andrews (Ref. 21), Applied Optics, vol. 22 (1 Mar. '82), pp. 643-644, "Spot Size and Divergence for Laguerre Gaussian Beams of any Order".
J. M. Khosrofian & B. A. Garetz (Ref. 22), Applied Optics, vol. 22 (1 Nov. '83), pp. 3406-3410, "Measurement of a Gaussian Laser Beam Diameter Through the Direct Inversion of Knife-edge Data".
D. K. Cohen et al, (Ref. 23), Applied Optics, vol. 23 (15 Feb. '84), pp. 637-640, "Techniques for Measuring 1-micron Diameter Gaussian Beams".
R. L. McCally (Ref. 24), Applied Optics, vol. 23 (Jul. 15, 1984), p. 2227, "Measurement of Gaussian Beam Parameters".
J. T. Luxon et al (Ref. 25), Applied Optics, vol. 23 (Jul. 1, 1984), pp. 2088-2090, "Waist Location and Rayleigh Range for Higher-order Mode Laser Beams".
G. C. Lim & W. M. Steen (Ref. 26), Journal of Physics E: Scientific Instruments, vol. 17 (1984), pp. 999-1007, "Instruments for Instantaneous in situ Analysis of the Mode Structure of a High-power Laser Beam".
A. Siegman (Ref. 27), Lasers, University Science Books, Mill Valley, CA (1986).
J. M. Fleischer & C. B. Hitz (Ref. 28), Lasers & Optronics, May '87, pp. 61-64, "Gaussian Beam Profiling: How and Why?".
W. Koechner (Ref. 29), Solid State Laser Engineering, Second Edition, Spring-Verlag, New York, 1988.
Julian G. Edwards (Ref. 30), Laser Focus/Electro-Optics, May 1987, pp. 76-84, "Choosing and Using Laser-Beam-Profile Monitors".
Brochure of Photon, Inc. (Ref. 31), BeamScan Model 1180-CP Compact Optical Profiler, printed Sep. 1987.
Brochure of DATASCAN (Ref. 32), The Complete Beam Profiling System.
Brochure, Lasers & Optronics (Ref. 33), Apr. '89, Beam Scope Profiler Analyzes Laser Beams.
Brochure of Photon Technology (Ref. 34), Laser Beam Analyser.
Brochure, Spiricon Laser Beam Diagnostics (Ref. 35), Circle No. 148, May 1988.
Abstract from talk by M. W. Sasnett (Ref. 36), CLEO Conference, 27 Apr. 27, 1988, "Propagation of nonfundamental-mode laser beams".
"Generalized Beam Parameters and Transformation Laws for Partially Coherent Light", Shimon Lavi, Ron Prochaska and Eliezer Keren, Applied Optics, vol. 27, No. 17, 1 Sep. 1988.
Johnston, Jr. Thomas F.
Sasnett Michael W.
Coherent Inc.
Rosenberger Richard A.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for measuring the mode quality of a laser beam does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for measuring the mode quality of a laser beam, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for measuring the mode quality of a laser beam will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2254618