Automated power-in-the-bucket measurement apparatus for large aperture laser systems

US10520360B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Michael L. Dupuis · Culver City, US
• Daniel K. Smith · Woods Cross, US
• Daniel Lam · San Jose, US
• Christopher J. Lieto · Craydon Court, US
• Michael E. Farey · Oceanside, US
• Joshua E. Rothenberg · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 31, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2019
• Expiry date: Sep 8, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01J1/0488
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A beam quality measurement system for determining beam quality of a high power laser beam from a laser system by power-in-the-bucket (PIB) measurements in a laboratory environment. The system includes a beam compressor assembly for compressing the diameter of the laser beam, and a diagnostic bench assembly that receives the reduced diameter low power beam from the beam compressor assembly. The bench assembly includes a pinhole array positioned at a focal plane of a lens and that includes a plurality of different sized pinholes and a translation stage for moving the pinhole array. The bench assembly also includes a power meter that receives the focused beam after it has passed through a pinhole in the pinhole array, where the power meter generates a signal that causes the stage to move the pinhole array to position another pinhole when the power meter identifies a maximum power received from one pinhole.