Applications >Laser Beam Profiling
Laser Beam Profiling
Laser Beam Profiling with the Acuros® CQD® SWIR Sensors
In today’s world, lasers are finding applications in a wide range of industries, from industrial and consumer sectors to military applications. With the growing trend towards higher wavelengths, the need for accurate laser beam profiling becomes increasingly crucial. This is where SWIR cameras, equipped with Acuros® CQD® sensors, take center stage in characterizing key metrics related to laser beam emission.
Laser beam profiling plays a vital role in understanding laser emission and serves as a baseline for assessing other performance attributes at the system level. However, measuring laser emission directly often poses significant challenges, particularly when using off-the-shelf image sensors that are not specifically designed for laser imaging.
Experience the transformative capabilities of Acuros® CQD® SWIR sensors in laser beam profiling and join us in shaping the future of laser innovation.
A Camera Design with Lasers in Mind
SWIR Vision Systems is dedicated to supporting laser beam profiling applications, driving the next wave of laser innovation. Our Acuros® CQD® SWIR sensors are tailored to meet the unique demands of laser imaging, ensuring accurate and reliable characterization of laser beams. With our innovative technology, we empower researchers and engineers to unlock new possibilities and push the boundaries of laser-driven advancements.
Given the diverse types of laser beams, spatial distributions, and their evolution as they propagate in free space and through optical elements, measurement of the beam profile is critical to quantify the irradiance at the point of the application. Monitoring the beam profile can also identify laser beam anomalies.
Cameras use a two-dimensional array of square or rectangular pixels as the imaging device. The intensity distribution of a laser or light source is recorded pixel by pixel and displayed as either a topographic or three-dimensional contour plot. The chief advantage of such profilers is that they can detect and display any structure that may exist on the profile and can be used with both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed lasers.
Laser Beam Profiling:
Laser beam profiling seeks to characterize various figures of merit including:
– Beam width
– Beam shape
– Energy uniformity
– Beam quality
– Beam divergence
You can visualize your beam like never before with the Acuros 1920L SWIR Camera. The significant advantage that a camera has over other methods of beam profiling like knife edge, pinhole, and slit profilers is that you get real-time measurements and views of your laser in action. SWIR sensors facilitate both near field and far field profiling applications and are specially designed to reduce laser-induced fringing effects.
Whether you are investigating SWIR cameras for benchtop laser profiling or highly automated industrial laser inspection, SWIR Vision Systems Acuros cameras are ideally suited to meet your laser profiling demands. With high pixel density, and large format arrays, all delivered at the lowest cost per megapixel, the family of Acuros CQD SWIR and e-SWIR cameras meet the challenges of the shortwave infrared optics and optical systems market. Review the specifications of our key platform cameras and contact SWIR Vision to discuss your imaging needs.
Acuros CQD SWIR sensors provide new insights and value for scientific, fiber optic alignment and free-space optics applications
Images of a 1550nm diode laser demonstrating the effectiveness of SWIR Vision Systems cameras designed to mitigate the effects of interference fringes common among conventional image sensors. The image on the left shows significant interference fringing without the design improvements featured in SWIR Vision Systems laser camera series. On the right, the same laser is imaged with this unique design feature and the fringes are eliminated.
Intensity map of a 1900nm Thulium fiber laser as captured by an Acuros eSWIR full HD (2.1MP) camera.
Laser Beam Profiling Applications
Optics Alignment in Open Space Telecommunications Infrastructure
Free-space optical communication systems continue to grow in importance and demand improved performance. These systems must operate under extreme conditions to achieve the highest levels of reliability, speed, and reliability. Our SWIR area scan cameras allow for in-situ alignment, environmental wavefront testing, and metrological inspection – thus providing a high-precision optical metrology solution for your measurements toolkit.
Fiber Optic Alignment Systems in High-Tech and Product Manufacturing Factory Systems
For optimal alignment of fibers, lasers and optical components as part of the product production process, it is necessary to have a high degree of accuracy. Due to the small diameter and curvature of optical fibers, the alignment process is very complex and varies with many factors, including the gripping position of the pigtail and the curvature of the fiber tip. Consequently, the lack of standardization in the alignment process can be challenging. SWIR laser sensors can help improve the alignment process through high-precision beam measurement.
Laser Sensors as a Tool in Scientific Research Across Numerous Academic Fields, from Chemistry to Geo-Environmental Studies
Laser beam inspection has a wide array of applications across scientific fields. When precise measurement is needed through less than optimal visual conditions, SWIR cameras and sensors can pick up where conventional equipment leaves off – whether in the laboratory or out in the field.
Medical Optics Systems as a Part of Diagnosis or Treatment Protocols
Medical optical imaging is a great way to reduce patient exposure to harmful radiation. Unlike x-rays, optical imaging uses non-ionizing ultraviolet and infrared light. Because this type of imaging is safer, it is often used for repeated procedures to monitor the results of treatments and diseases. Optical imaging is particularly useful for measuring multiple properties of soft tissue, such as density, and can provide early markers of abnormal organ function.