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High Resolution Beam Characterization: Iso Compliant M in One Shot

This document describes a new technique for measuring the beam propagation ratio M2 of lasers in a single shot using a wavefront sensor. The standard ISO 11146 method for measuring M2 is time-consuming, requires multiple measurements along the beam axis, and cannot handle pulsed or low repetition rate lasers. The new PHASICS sensor measures both the phase and intensity of the laser beam in a single acquisition and uses light propagation equations to determine the beam width and M2, complying fully with the ISO standard. Tests comparing the PHASICS method to the ISO standard on various lasers found the results agreed to within 0.4%, demonstrating the new technique is accurate and reproducible for characterizing beam quality.

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Du Roy
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63 views

High Resolution Beam Characterization: Iso Compliant M in One Shot

This document describes a new technique for measuring the beam propagation ratio M2 of lasers in a single shot using a wavefront sensor. The standard ISO 11146 method for measuring M2 is time-consuming, requires multiple measurements along the beam axis, and cannot handle pulsed or low repetition rate lasers. The new PHASICS sensor measures both the phase and intensity of the laser beam in a single acquisition and uses light propagation equations to determine the beam width and M2, complying fully with the ISO standard. Tests comparing the PHASICS method to the ISO standard on various lasers found the results agreed to within 0.4%, demonstrating the new technique is accurate and reproducible for characterizing beam quality.

Uploaded by

Du Roy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HIGH RESOLUTION

BEAM CHARACTERIZATION

ISO COMPLIANT M² IN ONE SHOT

By quantifying how a beam departs from a perfect Gaussian TEM00, the beam propagation ratio
M2 is a meaningful parameter to assess the quality of a laser beam. The reference method for
its measurement is described in the paragraph 9 of the ISO 11146-1 standard1. Based on several
intensity acquisitions at different positions along the propagation axis, this procedure is very time-
consuming and strongly depends on the operator. Moreover it cannot deliver real time data, even
when automated, and hardly applies to fluctuating or low repetition rate lasers.

PHASICS high resolution wavefront sensors offer a simple way to measure the M2. In one single
acquisition giving both phase and intensity, an M2 value that fully complies with the ISO 11146
standard is obtained. This innovative method applies to any beam, even single shot laser.

SINGLE SHOT M² MEASUREMENT


Based on a patented technology, the
quadriwave lateral shearing interferome-
try2, PHASICS wavefront sensor measures at
ISO 11146 method 1
once both the intensity and phase fields of
a laser beam. By applying light propagation
equations, the full electromagnetic field is
retrieved in any arbitrary plane. In particu-
In the ISO 11146 method, the beam width must be measured along
lar, the beam waist W0 and the intensity an- the optical axis at 5 various positions distributed within the Rayleigh
gular dispersion Θ can be calculated with length and 5 others beyond two times the Rayleigh length. At each
the usual ISO 2nd moment method. Then the location, 5 measurements have to be done. The beam width is calcu-
M² is derived from the so-called Siegman lated based on second order moment. A hyperbolic fit then provides
the M2 value.
formula3.

The PHASICS technique has the advantage


to provide enough measurement points
to accurately calculate the M2 factor.
PHASICS innovative technique
2
Indeed, unlike the Shack-Hartmann sensor4
that suffers from its poor resolution, the
PHASICS technique does not cut off high
frequencies on the phase map so the
M2 is not under-estimated and shows PHASICS sensor is placed anywhere along the optical axis where
no artifact. The sensor is also robust the beam fits the sensor aperture. Therefore the sensor can handle
rapidly diverging beam for which the diameter at a distance above
even in low light conditions, so it can 2 Rayleigh lengths may be too large to be measured with the ISO
characterize spatially modulated beams. 11146 method.
More importantly, unlike the ISO standard method, the PHASICS technique does not require scan-
ning along the optical axis. Thus it offers an instantaneous M2 measurement that enables a re-
liable characterization of pulsed lasers. It also eases the integration in a laser production line.
Moreover, the PHASICS technique does not require measuring at a specific axial distance. So it
does not impose the use of a lens to image the waist and can apply to rapidly diverging lasers.

PROVEN COMPLIANCE TO ISO 11146 STANDARD


The compliance to the ISO 11146 standard was proven by comparing the PHASICS method outcomes
to those of the standard method. To do so, a He-Ne laser at 632.8 nm wavelength and an M2 close
to 1 was used. A first series of measurements was done by strictly following the requirements of
paragraphs 6 to 9 of the ISO 11146-1 standard1 so as to validate the set-up.

The PHASICS sensor was placed on the same set-up and aligned following a rigorous procedure
guided by the software solution. It validates that the set-up enables getting a result in agreement
to specifications by checking the beam size, the light level, the background subtraction.

Then, series of measurements were alternately done following the standard and the PHASICS
methods. Additionally the PHASICS sensor was moved at various axial positions from the laser to test
the reproducibility when the axial position varies. For each position, 10 independent measurements
were realized for repeatability assessment. As shown on the table below, the outcomes match
within 0.4%, which is below both techniques reproducibility. Moreover, both methods have the
same reproducibility. The figure 3 shows the results for M2 measurement when varying the sensor
position. The PHASICS technique offers a large possible distance range to place the sensor.
Combined with its compactness, this allows great flexibility for its positioning.

3
The M2 values measured by Phasics method (green square on
the left graph) agree with the one obtained by the ISO11146
ISO method Phasics method (represented by the dash blue line) whatever the dis-
tance from the laser is.
Mean value 1.067 1.063
Repeatability 0.006 0.001
Reproducibility 0.006 0.007
M2 measurement comparison in term of
repeatability and reproducibility

Similar measurements were realized


for a laser of a M2 far from 1. Again,
the results of both techniques match.
These two series of measurement
proved that the PHASICS method
for M2 measurement is completely in agreement with the ISO 11146 standard both in terms of
expected repeatability and accuracy.

REFERENCES
2020-01 this document is not contractual

1
ISO Standard 11146, "Lasers and laser-related equipment – Test methods for laser beam widths, divergence angles and beam
propagation ratios" (2005)
2
J. Primot, N. Guérineau, "Extended Hartmann test based on the pseudoguiding property of a Hartmann mask completed by a
phase chessboard", Appl. Opt. 39, p. 5715-5720 (2000).
3
A. E. Siegman, "Defining, measuring, and optimizing laser beam quality”, Proc. SPIE 1868, 2 (1993)
4
B.J. Neubert et al, "On the problem of M2 analysis using Shack-Hartmann Measurements”, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 34 2414 (2001)

Please feel free to contact us for any question!


[email protected] | www.phasics.com

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