Novel method for imaging high-power CO 2 laser beams

Continuous monitoring of high power (above 2 kW) CO₂ laser beams with camera based systems has not been effective because beam sampling optics have not been available. Camera based systems allow real-time imaging of the entire beam profile which in turn enables real-time tuning and alignment of the laser, as well as enabling instantaneous recognition of beam misalignment in the optical delivery train. Spiricon and II-VI have jointly developed a new method for in-line, passive sampling and beam profiling of high power, multi-kilowatt CO₂ lasers. The system uses conventional optics in a novel sampling arrangement, coupled to a Spiricon Pyroelectric IR Camera and Laser Beam Analysis software.