Method and system for operating a laser device employing an integral power-regulation sensor
US5763870A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 13, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 13, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/0683
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system of operating a laser device includes utilizing an integral power-regulation sensor of the laser device to detect energy back reflected from an object of interest and then using the detected signal as a basis for determining a characteristic related to the object of interest. In the preferred embodiment, the determined characteristic is the position of the beam focus relative to a surface of the object. Also in the preferred embodiment, the integral power-regulation sensor is disconnected from power-regulation circuitry during the focusing operation. Interaction of the back reflected energy and the outgoing beam can be reduced by introducing beam rotation, such as by providing a quarter-wave plate along the beam path. Focusing sensitivity can be increased by locating reflective targets over the surface and by executing AC measurements to filter DC components from the signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.