# US 12,181,337 B2 · Laser measurement apparatus having a removable and replaceable beam dump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,337 B2 - Document ID: US12181337B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/410,646 - Filed: 2024-01-11 - Published: 2024-05-23 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-14 - Assignees: Ophir Optronics Solutions Ltd. - Applicants: Ophir Optronics Solutions Ltd. - Inventors: Oleg Zinoviev; Karol Sanilevici; Alexandr Superfin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181337B2 ## CPC - G01J 1/4257: {applied to monitoring the characteristics of a beam, e.g. laser beam, headlamp beam (monitoring arrangements for lasers in general H01S3/0014)} - G01J 1/0271: {Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers} - G01J 1/0403: {Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements; Scanning arrangements} - G01J 1/0407: {Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings} - G01J 1/0411: {using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction} - G01J 1/0414: {using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or plane beam-splitters} - G01J 1/0474: {Diffusers (cavities G01J2001/0481)} - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract The present application discloses an apparatus and method configured to measure characteristics of high power beams of laser energy used in material processing. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment separated from each other to reduce the transfer of thermal energy between them. Optical modules having optical sensors configured to measure characteristics of the high power beam are mounted in the first compartment. A removable and replaceable beam dump configured to absorb most of the high power beam is positioned in the second compartment. The removability/replaceability of the beam dump enables operation of the apparatus without active cooling of the beam dump assembly, simplifying the apparatus and protecting the optical sensors in the first compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser measurement apparatus, comprising: a housing having at least one housing body, an upper housing member, an intermediate housing member, and a housing base; a first compartment formed in the housing body; a second compartment formed in the housing body, separated from the first compartment by the intermediate housing member; an aperture assembly mounted in the upper housing member, the aperture assembly configured to allow a beam of laser energy to propagate therethrough into the first compartment; a first optical module including a first optical sensor mounted in the first compartment, the first optical module configured to measure a first characteristic of the beam of laser energy; a beam dump assembly removably positioned in the second compartment, the beam dump assembly configured to absorb a portion of the beam of laser energy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intermediate housing member is operative to reduce the transfer of thermal energy between the second compartment and the first compartment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the at least one beam of laser energy is selected from the group consisting of beam diameter, beam shape, beam parameter product, optical power, optical intensity, beam pulse power, beam pulse energy, beam waist, and beam radius. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical module includes a laser beam profiler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fourth optical module configured to measure a second characteristic of the beam of laser energy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second characteristic of the beam of laser energy is selected from the group consisting of beam diameter, beam shape, beam parameter product, optical power, optical intensity, beam pulse power, beam pulse energy, beam waist, and beam radius. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 5, wherein the fourth optical module includes an optical power meter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical module includes an optical component configured to receive the beam of laser energy from the aperture assembly and allow a transmitted first optical module signal to propagate therethrough. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an optical window assembly positioned in the intermediate housing member configured to receive the transmitted first optical module signal and reflect a reflected window optical signal to the fourth optical module and allow a transmitted window optical signal to propagate therethrough into the second compartment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a second optical module mounted in the first compartment, the second optical module including an optical component configured to allow the transmitted first optical module signal received from the first optical module to propagate therethrough. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second optical module includes a removable optical mount configured to retain the optical component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one optical mount receiver configured to removably retain the removable optical mount therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 11, wherein the optical component is configured to attenuate the transmitted first optical module signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam dump assembly comprises: a beam dump housing having a beam dump body; an absorber in thermal communication with the beam dump body; and a temperature indicator in thermal communication with the beam dump body, the temperature indicator configured to indicate a temperature of the beam dump body. ### Claim 15 A laser measurement apparatus, comprising: a housing having a housing body including at least one upper housing member; a first compartment formed in the housing body; an aperture assembly mounted in the upper housing member, the aperture assembly configured to allow a beam of laser energy to propagate therethrough into the first compartment; a beam dump receiver formed in the housing body; and a first beam dump assembly removably positioned in the beam dump receiver, the first beam dump assembly configured to absorb a portion of the beam of laser energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a first optical module mounted in the first compartment, the first optical module configured to measure a first characteristic of the beam of laser energy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a fourth optical module mounted in the first compartment, the fourth optical module configured to measure a second characteristic of the beam of laser energy. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, wherein the aperture assembly is removable from the upper housing member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first beam dump assembly is configured to be removed from the beam dump receiver so that a second beam dump assembly can be placed in the beam dump receiver. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a second compartment formed in the housing body, the second compartment separated from the first compartment by an intermediate housing member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beam dump receiver is formed in the second compartment and the intermediate housing member is configured to reduce the transfer of thermal energy from the second compartment to the first compartment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The laser measurement apparatus of claim 15, wherein the beam dump assembly comprises: a beam dump housing having a beam dump body; an absorber in thermal communication with the beam dump body; and a temperature indicator in thermal communication with the beam dump body, the temperature indicator configured to indicate a temperature of the beam dump body. ### Claim 23 A method, comprising: providing a laser measurement apparatus having an aperture assembly, a first compartment, and a beam dump receiver; providing a first optical module positioned in the first compartment; providing a first beam dump assembly positioned in the beam dump receiver; propagating a beam of laser energy through the aperture assembly into the first compartment; directing a first portion of the beam of laser energy to the first optical module; measuring, with the first optical module, a first characteristic of the first portion of the beam of laser energy; propagating a second portion of the beam of laser energy to the first beam dump assembly; and absorbing the second portion of the beam of laser energy with the first beam dump assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: removing the first beam dump assembly when the first beam dump assembly reaches a predetermined temperature; and replacing the first beam dump assembly with a second beam dump assembly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising measuring a beam profile of the beam of laser energy with the first optical module.