Reducing the uncertainty in laser beam size measurement with a scanning edge method

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Metrology

Background:

• Accurate laser beam spot size measurement is crucial for various applications.
• Conventional methods often suffer from significant uncertainty in spot size estimation.
• Existing analysis techniques involve data differentiation and Gaussian fitting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a modified analysis for conventional laser beam spot size measurement.
• To significantly decrease the uncertainty in beam-spot size estimation.
• To provide a more reliable method for laser characterization.

Main Methods:

• Employed a conventional beam scanning approach for measurement.
• Instead of differentiating data and fitting to a Gaussian function, data were fit to an analytical approximation of the complementary error function.
• Utilized complementary error function fitting for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Achieved fitted parameters consistent with the standard differentiation approach.
• Demonstrated a considerable reduction in uncertainty for beam-spot size estimation.
• The new analysis method provides more precise results compared to conventional techniques.

Conclusions:

• The modified analysis method offers a significant improvement in laser beam spot size measurement accuracy.
• Complementary error function fitting is a viable and superior alternative to Gaussian fitting for this application.
• This advancement enhances the reliability of laser characterization in scientific and industrial settings.