Modifying Laser Beams 101 – No Way Around It, So Here's How

By John McCauley, Product Specialist, Ophir Photonics

There are many applications for lasers in the world today with even more on the horizon.  In order to apply a laser to an industrial process, medical therapy or communications technology it is usually necessary to modify the laser beam to achieve the desired results. Laser beam measurement tools make this possible.  In this article we will discuss how to match an appropriate laser beam profiling technique to a laser application. The topics will include building an aligned optical system, collimation and focusing, high power laser quality measurements and proper attenuation techniques for making accurate laser measurements.