Systems and methods for light beam position detection

A method for use in detecting a position of a light beam, the method comprising:

• controlling, by a controller, a beam directing device to direct the light beam onto a beam shaping device at different positions,
• wherein the beam shaping device comprises a feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device configured to affect at least a portion of the light beam upon illumination by the light beam, the beam shaping device configured to illuminate a point on a target with the light beam;
• and
• wherein the different positions comprise a location of the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device;
• generating, by a detector, a detection signal in response to detecting at least the portion of the light beam affected by the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device that has been illuminated by the light beam;
• and
• determining, by a processor, the position of the light beam on the beam shaping device at a time based, at least in part, on the detection signal.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for beam shaping, the means for beam shaping comprising a feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device configured to affect at least a portion of a light beam upon illumination by the light beam, the beam shaping device is configured to illuminate a point on a target with the light beam;
• means for directing the light beam onto the means for beam shaping at different positions, wherein the different positions comprise a location of the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device;
• means for generating a detection signal in response to detecting at least the portion of the light beam affected by the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device that has been illuminated by the light beam;
• and
• means for determining a position of the light beam on the means for beam shaping at a time based, at least in part, on the detection signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including machine-readable instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to:

• control, through a controller, a beam directing device to direct a light beam onto a beam shaping device at different positions,
• wherein the beam shaping device comprises a feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device configured to affect at least a portion of the light beam upon illumination by the light beam, the beam shaping device is configured to illuminate a point on a target with the light beam;
• and
• wherein the different positions comprise a location of the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device;
• receive a detection signal generated by a detector in response to detecting at least the portion of the light beam affected by the feature formed on or inside the beam shaping device that has been illuminated by the light beam;
• and
• determine a position of the light beam on the beam shaping device at a time based, at least in part, on the detection signal.