No contact with beam needed to measure green and blue lasers, no upper power limit
Andover, MA – June 27, 2023 – MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of
enabling technologies that transform our world, has announced Ophir® BeamWatch® Plus, a
non-contact beam profiling system for measuring focus shift, focus spot size, and position of
high power industrial lasers operating in the VIS and NIR range. Introduced at LASER World of
Photonics, BeamWatch Plus is a second-generation system that now measures high power
lasers in VIS wavelengths (420 - 635nm), primarily green and blue lasers, in addition to the NIR
region (950 – 1100nm). Designed for very high power YAG, fiber, and diode lasers used in
industrial material processing applications, BeamWatch Plus is ideal for welding and cutting
operations in material processing and automotive applications, such as copper welding for
battery cells and hairpin welding.
BeamWatch Plus is the industry’s only industrial beam profiler to quickly and accurately
measure laser parameters without requiring contact with the laser beam. The system takes
continuous measurements, using the Rayleigh scatter caused by the beam. This provides
instant readings of focus spot size, beam position, and the full beam caustic, as well as dynamic
measurements of focal plane location during process start-up. Measurements of the beam are
taken at frequent intervals without having to shut down the process or remove extensive tooling
and fixtures.
“The measurement in BeamWatch Plus is not of the laser beam itself, but the Rayleigh scatter
created by the beam as it travels through the instrument,” said Reuven Silverman, General
Manager, Ophir Photonics.
“Because there is no contact with
the laser beam, BeamWatch Plus
has no power restrictions. It has
been successfully used on high
power lasers with no upper power
limit and tested up to 100kW.
Conventional beam measurement
systems place a probe in the
beam, causing potential damage
and slowing the measurement
process to as long as two minutes
to gather data and characterize the
beam. BeamWatch Plus provides
instant readings of focus spot size
and beam position, as well as
dynamic measurements of focal
plane location during process startup.”
The BeamWatch Plus profiling system features high magnification optics that measure beams
with spot sizes down to 45µm. This allows for smaller, more precise cuts with less waste of
material. Focal spot location can be measured at several times per second to track if there is
any focal spot shift during critical start-up moments. The system provides a dual axis
measurement, which lets users see the laser beam from two orthogonal axes. Measurements
are calculated on each axis, providing detailed information about how the laser is operating.
Focal shift can be tracked on both axes and the measurements can be used to determine the
roundness of the beam or the presence of astigmatism.
BeamWatch Plus software accurately analyzes the images created by the laser’s Rayleigh
scatter in real-time. Calculations are made of beam waist size and position, focal shift, M2
, divergence, and other quality parameters. Key laser performance parameters are compared
against preset ranges to provide Go/No-Go readouts so the laser user knows when to take
corrective actions. The software also includes an Automation Control Interface for system
integration.
Availability & Pricing
The Ophir BeamWatch Plus beam profiling system is available now. Prices available on
request.
Data Sheet: BeamWatch Plus
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