Low Tolerances in Optics Used for Monitoring Laser Power

Improved design of polarization-independent beam splitters

Published: Monday, May 29, 2023 - 12:00

(Laser Components: Olching, Germany) -- With an improved optical design and the broadband monitoring of production processes, Laser Components has succeeded in further optimizing the tolerances of polarization-independent beam splitters.

These optics are used for real-time measurement of laser power in applications in which the polarization of the laser beam can change. For example, |Rs-Rp|<0.2% applies to the reflectance values, thus the ratio of s and p polarization does not change during beam splitting.

Diagram of a beam splitter Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Polarization-independent beam splitter

The manufacture of polarization-independent beam splitters is a complex process in which the coating process must be carefully monitored. Usually, the coatings are deposited in an ion-assisted deposition (IAD) or ion-beam sputtering (IBS) system. This produces coatings with a very high packing density, which in turn allows the optics to retain their properties even in a vacuum or under severe temperature fluctuations.

The real-time monitoring of laser power is used in applications that require permanently stable performance. If irregularities are detected, the pump power can be adjusted to compensate for them. The measurement is performed on a decoupled part of the laser beam. Even slight irregularities in the polarization of the laser would falsify the measurement results of a polarizing beam splitter.

Further product information: Partially Reflective Coating

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