Measurement under real operating conditions
Standardisation according to DIN and ISO provides the formal framework for the reproducible measurement of laser beams according to internationally recognised rules. Around the turn of the millennium, the foundations for this were laid by the CHOCLAB project, among others. PRIMES and others were involved in this project. Results from the project fed into the following standards: 11145, 11146, 11670 and 11554.
Central formulae for beam measurement
Beam parameter product BPP
The beam parameter product is a physical parameter which describes the beam quality, and hence the focusability, of a laser beam.
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Beam quality factor M²
The beam quality factor M² is an absolute parameter that characterizes a laser beam: the greater M² is, the worse the beam is to focus, i.e., the larger the smallest possible focal diameter is.
Beam quality factor M² = 1/k
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Rayleigh length zR (colloquial term: depth of focus)
The Rayleigh length is the distance along the optical axis that a laser beam requires until the area of its cross-section doubles, starting from the beam waist.
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Formulae for pulse applications:
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Formula for fibre applications:
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