Article: Choosing A Laser Beam Profiler

Laser beam profilers can be used with ultraviolet, visible, CW, high and low power, Infrared, and several other types of lasers in order to determine the laser beam's spatial intensity profile. Because of the large array of laser types, there are several laser beam profilers available for measurement and beam diagnostics.

When designing or applying a laser, or upon the discovery that your laser system manufacturing subsystems are not meeting your project's specifications, a laser beam profiler can greatly increase your chance of success, and greatly reduce the headaches that are sometimes associated with working with laser systems. The ability to measure the basics like the laser beam's power, profile, width, or size will allow for greater efficiency and faster results. You would never think of trying to build a mechanical part without a micrometer available. So why attempt to build lasers or laser systems with only a power meter?

When choosing a laser beam profiler there are a multitude of choices to do the job including CCD and CMOS cameras, InGaAs and pyroelectric arrays, scanning slits, pinholes and knife edges to mention some. How does one decide which is the proper solution for one's application and from which company to obtain the profiler system? When making the selection there are four basic questions about the laser application that one must answer.