Time-resolved beam profiler for pulsed lasers

David I. Klick; Frederick K. Knight

doi:10.1117/12.143864

22 April 1993 Time-resolved beam profiler for pulsed lasers

David I. Klick, Frederick K. Knight

Proceedings Volume 1834, Laser Energy Distribution Profiles: Measurement and Applications; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.143864
Event: Applications in Optical Science and Engineering, 1992, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

A high-speed imaging device based on a streak camera has been demonstrated, which provides multiple images from non-repeatable transient events of time scale >= 1 ns. It can be employed for pulsed laser beam diagnostics, measuring laser beam spatial and temporal structure on a single-pulse basis. The system currently has angular resolution of 16 X 16 pixels, with a time resolution of 250 ps. The laser beam width is sized to fill the input optic, and the image is dissected by a square array of optical fibers. At the other end of the fiber optic image converter, the 256 fibers form a line array, which is input to the slit of a streak camera. The streak camera sweeps the input line across the output phosphor screen so that position is directly proportional to time. The resulting 2-D image (fiber position vs. time) at the phosphor is read by an intensified (SIT) vidicon TV tube, and the image is digitized and stored. A computer subsequently decodes the image, unscrambling the linear pixels into an angle-angle image at each time. We are left with a series of snapshots, each one depicting the laser beam spatial profile (intensity cross-section) at succeeding moments in time. The system can currently record several hundred images over a span of 25 to 400 ns. This detector can study lasers of pulse width >= 1 ns and with a visible wavelength (200 - 900 nm). Candidate lasers include doubled Nd:YAG, excimer, ruby, nitrogen, metal vapor, and Ti:Sapphire. The system could also be simply configured as an 8 X 8 element wavefront sensor to record the cross-sectional distribution of phase, as well as amplitude. Finally, suggestions for system improvement are detailed, and the ultimate limitations of the method in terms of spatial and temporal resolution are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

David I. Klick and Frederick K. Knight "Time-resolved beam profiler for pulsed lasers", Proc. SPIE 1834, Laser Energy Distribution Profiles: Measurement and Applications, (22 April 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.143864

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
12 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Streak cameras

Imaging systems

Fiber optics

Pulsed laser operation

Spatial resolution

Picosecond phenomena

Cameras

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years