Measuring High Power Lasers

Author: Mark Slutzki, Product Manager
Thursday, September 10, 2020
MKS Ophir, Light & Measurement

High-power laser beams deliver a lot of power into a small, precisely controlled space. Parameters that are not controlled can unexpectedly change what the process is doing and where. The way to prevent this is to monitor the relevant parameters of the beam with an appropriate level of accuracy to catch drift before it becomes a problem and deal with it proactively. We take a deeper look at measuring power density and focus location/shape, and the challenges related to cooling, damage, backscatter, industrial environments, and increasing power levels.