Since Columbia University graduate student Gordon Gould and Bell Laboratories scientists Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow (among others) coined the term LASER in the 1950's, applications of the laser have seemed limitless. Working with these new discoveries had to be exciting, but applying hundreds of kilowatts of laser power, like the ones being used in directed energy laser systems, wasn't even something that could be fathomed at the time.
The application of massive amounts...
VCSELs, LEDs, edge emitting, and fiber lasers are used in many sensitive applications within fast-growing markets. To guarantee the high quality of the devices, it is essential to analyze the beam profile, but those wide, divergent beams place specific requirements on the measurement system. On the one hand, the apertures of conventional beam profilers are too small to collect the entire spot of large or divergent light sources. On the other hand, diverging beams cannot be accurately measured with regular detectors because the quantum...
The Ophir® BeamSquared system measures the propagation characteristics of CW and pulsed laser completely automated. It’s compact design and its flexibility in terms of wavelength – it is suited for measuring UV to NIR to Telecom wavelength – makes it a powerful measurement tool in many laser applications. As with every highly precise laser measurement device its biggest enemy is Optics contamination due to dust and debris. Also, to ensure optimal measurement conditions an accurate offset correction is essential. Here...
Pulsed lasers are as popular as continuous wave (CW) lasers. The physics of many lasers lends itself to pulsed operation, and just as important, so do many applications. Pulse widths are becoming very short, reaching femto-seconds. When concentrating the laser energy into such short pulses and onto a small spot, even low pulse energy - in the μJ range - is sufficient to melt, cut, ablate, and weld materials without the effect of slowly heating and damaging adjacent areas. While pulsed lasers exist in many wavelengths from UV to IR, UV lasers...
KNOW YOUR LASER BEAM - SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Laser light and the automotive industry are tied closely together. Both laser-based manufacturing and laser-based sensing play a key role in today’s mobility. If you use a laser in materials processing, the processes can only sustainably turn out high-quality products if the laser beam is of reliably high quality. Laser-based sensing applications such as LiDAR and gestures recognition can only guarantee safe usage as long as the...
Ophir's line of fast photodetectors expands your measurement capability to high speed temporal characterizations of laser pulses. Let us explain how.
Figure 1. The new Ophir Fast Photodiode Detectors series.
The vast majority of lasers used today in industrial applications are pulsed...
Beam attenuation is critical because lasers designed for cutting sheet steel will have no trouble cutting through a beam profiler if the beam power isn't attenuated.
Beam profiling characterizes the size, shape, quality, and focal position of a laser beam. Whether the application is a few milliWatts in power or several kWatts, beam profiling is used to test optical designs, verify laser performance, or monitor the performance of laser systems.
...Introduction
Since cavemen first figured out how to throw rocks and shoot arrows, our ability to precisely deliver power has come a long way.
High-power laser beams, by delivering a lot of power into a small and precisely controlled space, now help us manufacture components that would have been difficult - if not impossible - using purely mechanical means. Automotive and aircraft manufacture, shipbuilding, and similar heavy-industry applications have been dramatically changed...
When purchasing a laser, learning how to apply, troubleshoot, and evaluate that device is very important.
Given the pace at which technology advances, there always seems to be a learning curve. With the abundance of consumer electronics available, there typically is no right or wrong way to use these devices — the choice usually comes down to the method that best suits the end user. However, when purchasing a highly advanced device for use in the workplace, such as a laser,...
The importance of precisely measuring LiDAR parameters and its impact on the performance and construction of LiDAR systems
Many experts believe LiDAR is one of the pivotal sensing technologies required to make partial to full autonomous vehicles possible. The most promising way seems to be combining LiDAR with other detection/ranging systems like cameras and radar products into a suite of detection & ranging systems allowing autonomous vehicles to use at least two independent...
Measurement considerations of disinfection methods based on UV radiation for fighting COVID-19 in the current pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on disinfection technology. UV radiation is a promising approach to prevent airborne infections and infections caused by exposure to contaminated surfaces. It has long been known as an option to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms, especially for water disinfection. Today, it is increasingly used in surface disinfection...
Luminous surface of the luminaire close to parallel with the top surface of FluxGage.
The FluxGage system was designed for testing LED luminaires. FluxGage provides the same functionality as an integrating sphere system in a compact form factor. This application note explains basic setup and usage of FluxGage.
The FluxGage system measures total flux using photovoltaic cells. An array of pinholes covering the photovoltaic cells creates an effect of having many radiometers which sample the flux from the light source. Color is measured using a calibrated spectrometer connected via fiber to a diffuser located at the bottom of the system. The accuracy of color measurement using FluxGage depends therefore on how well colors are mixed in the measured light source. Because FluxGage uses a different approach than used in the integrating sphere, a...
The demand for LED luminaires is growing exponentially. For example, a major Midwest city recently ordered several hundred thousand LED luminaires to replace street lights. Lower operating costs of LED luminaires is driving both commercial and consumer demand. Other attributes of LED luminaires include better and more uniform illumination and the ability to tailor the color of the LED’s to the correct mixture for the individual applications. All of these are major advantages over the use of sodium vapor lamps or traditional...
The new photometric system called ‘FluxGage’ measures the light properties of LED luminaires. A diffuser and a black pinhole array placed over a solar panel form a detection surface which is also a black absorber. The FluxGage, which has a cuboid shape, has this detection surface on five of its six faces, which enables capturing all the light from forward emitting luminaires. Insensitive to reflections, thanks to the black detection surfaces, the system can be at the same size as the DUT (Device Under Test), as opposed to an...
We present a novel photometric test system for LED luminaires. The new photometric system called „FluxGage“ uses solar panels to detect and measure light. By placing a diffuser and a black pinhole array over a solar panels we achieve a detection surface which is also an absorber. This enables the system to be the same size as the DUT (Device Under Test), as opposed to an integrating sphere which is at least 3 times larger than the DUT. Simulations and experimental results show that this system can measure total flux with an...
LED technology has opened up completely new perspectives in recent years: Energy-efficient and compact new lighting scenarios are now a reality for private and public spaces alike. The world leader in LED lighting, Signify – formerly Philips Lighting – has played a major role in this progress. Signify‘s track record of innovation is impressive, but to ensure that it maintains its edge in the future, the company continuously invests in research and development. Thanks to an innovative measuring system, development times in...
The authorities in Wallonia have decreed: All standard HID lamps will be replaced with LED technology by 2030. ORES, a regional provider of distribution networks that serves over 75% of the municipalities throughout Wallonia, faces the challenge of switching out all 443,164 lights in public spaces by then. In order to ensure the quality of the LED lights before installation, ORES relies on Ophir FluxGage technology for measuring LED luminaires. In just seconds, the compact light measurement device delivers all relevant parameters for...
The laser seam welding of sheets of zinc-coated steel – a combination of metals with disparate melting and evaporation properties – used to be a major challenge for the automotive industry. But Volkswagen AG is pursuing a promising approach with multi-focal laser welding: A newly developed process enables significantly higher welding speeds than is otherwise possible with conventional mono-focal laser beam welding systems. After a development period of just three years, the process was registered for a patent. The development of...
Ophir's new IS1.5-VIS-FPD800 offers several advantages for measuring VCSEL's in a single instrument:
Ophir's Centauri display can be used to log and analyze measurements at 10KHz either as a standalone meter, or using the StarLab PC software...
Five crucial questions to ask when developing a measurement strategy
Is additive manufacturing ready for mass-production? The answer really boils down to reproducibility. When it comes to selective laser melting, both the manufacturers of the laser systems and the users thereof have recognized that the constancy of the laser parameters is of great importance in the production process. But is it possible to test this quickly and cost-effectively during operation? Learn how measuring the laser power is a good indicator of changes...
IR laser technology from Scanovis revolutionizes forensics; Ophir measurement technology simplifies adjustment of the optics.
According to the developers at Scanovis – a start-up company based in Koblenz – brushes, powder and chemicals will soon be tools of the past for securing evidence at crime scenes. The company has developed a laser-based solution that, among other things, uses IR laser radiation to detect fingerprints at the scene of a crime, quickly making them visible...
Optimizing and controlling laser processes right from the start
Automakers are investing heavily in electric cars: major investments that come with major challenges. But those who plan strategically and integrate the latest technologies directly into their production processes will not only save in the long term but also ensure both battery quality and safe vehicle operation. New manufacturing concepts and the technologies of e-...
