The design of an industrial laser depends critically on its ability to deliver a stable, repeatable output beam suitable for materials processing. This paper has addressed the use of a beam profiling device to influence the design of a laser through the measure of the laser’s output beam characteristics. From the evaluation of the time-varying spatial output beam imaged in the far field, laser design parameters have been linked to focused spot parameters critical to materials processing. Several laser design areas which were found to influence the output beam have been reviewed, including resonator vibrational stability and thermal effects in optical mounting.

1.
Professor
A. E.
Siegman
,
Laser Beam Propagation and Beam Quality Formulas Using Spatial-Frequency and Intensity–Moments Analyses
,
Edwad L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University
,
1990
.
Google Scholar
 
2.
M.W.
Sasnett
, Propagation of Multimode Laser Beams – The M–Squared Factor,
The Physics and Technology of Laser Resonators
, edited by
D.R.
Hall
P.E.
Jackson
.
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© 1991 Laser Institute of America.
1991
Laser Institute of America
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