How to Design Your Own Beam Quality Metric

doi:10.1117/3.1000595.ch3

Book: Laser Beam Quality Metrics

Author(s): T. Sean Ross

Published: 2013

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.1000595.ch3

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

For many applications, a ready-made beam quality metric suffices. If you are dealing with commercial low-power (tens of watts CW) stable resonator lasers, creating your own metric is likely not necessary. If, however, you are dealing with: lasers that have average powers in the tens of kilowatts CW, pulsed lasers with average powers approaching a kilowatt, unique lasers, or unstable resonators; or, if you are in laser development or acquisition and need to develop your own metrics, this section will be useful in guiding you. The chapter includes a description of the design process with two completely worked examples, and finishes with examples of several unique metrics that might serve as examples.