Ultraviolet laser beam monitor using radiation responsive crystals

A method for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• disposing in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam a substantially transparent crystal that will produce a color pattern in response to ultraviolet radiation;
• exposing the crystal to the ultraviolet laser beam to produce a color pattern in the crystal corresponding to the laser beam intensity distribution;
• exposing the crystal and color pattern to light;
• and
• observing the light from said crystal and color pattern to determine characteristics of the laser beam that passed through the crystal wherein the light from the crystal is observed in a direction perpendicular to the path of the laser beam through the crystal in order to view a longitudinal representation of the beam to determine a longitudinal intensity distribution profile.

A method for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• disposing in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam a substantially transparent crystal that will produce a color pattern in response to ultraviolet radiation;
• exposing the crystal to the ultraviolet laser beam to produce a color pattern in the crystal corresponding to the laser beam intensity distribution;
• exposing the crystal and color pattern to light;
• and
• observing the light from said crystal and color pattern to determine characteristics of the laser beam that passed through the crystal wherein the light from the crystal is observed in a direction oblique to the path of the beam through the crystal to determine beam divergence.

An apparatus for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• a crystal responsive when exposed to ultraviolet light to produce a three-dimensional color pattern in the body of said crystal wherein the spatial distribution characteristics of said color patern corresponds to the spatial distribution characteristics of the ultraviolet light directed through the crystal;
• means for disposing said crystal in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam;
• means for exposing the crystal to the laser beam for a time period to produce a color pattern in said crystal;
• and
• means for exposing the crystal to light so as to illuminate the color pattern and to observe the special distribution characteristics color pattern in said crystal.

An apparatus for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising;

• a crystal responsive when exposed to ultraviolet light to produce color patterns in said crystal corresponding to intensity distribution of the ultraviolet light wherein said crystal is an alkali halide crystal doped with thallium;
• means for disposing said crystal in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam;
• means for exposing the crystal to the laser beam for a time period to produce a color pattern in said crystal;
• and
• means for exposing the crystal to light for observing the color pattern in said crystal.

An apparatus for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• a crystal responsive when exposed to ultraviolet light to produce color patterns in said crystal corresponding to intensity distribution of the ultraviolet light wherein said crystal is potassium chloride doped with thallium;
• means for disposing said crystal in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam;
• means for exposing the crystal to the laser beam for a time period to produce a color pattern in said crystal;
• and
• means for exposing the crystal to light for observing the color pattern in said crystal.

An apparatus for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• a crystal responsive when exposed to ultraviolet light to produce color patterns in said crystal corresponding to intensity distribution of the ultraviolet light;
• means for disposing said crystal in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam so that said crystal has at least one planar face parallel to the path of the beam through the crystal;
• means for exposing the crystal to the laser beam for a time period to produce a color pattern in said crystal;
• and
• means for exposing the crystal to light for observing the color pattern in said crystal.

An apparatus for monitoring an ultraviolet laser beam comprising:

• a crystal responsive when exposed to ultraviolet light to produce color patterns in said crystal corresponding to intensity distribution of the ultraviolet light;
• means for disposing said crystal in the path of the ultraviolet laser beam;
• means for exposing the crystal to the laser beam for a time period to produce a color pattern in said crystal;
• and
• means for exposing the crystal to light for observing the color pattern in said crystal, said means for disposing and said means for exposing said crystal to the laser beam include
• a box that is substantially opaque at least to ultraviolet light for containing said crystal and substantially shielding it from light;
• means for mounting said crystal within said box in the path of the laser beam;
• shutter means disposed in the path of the laser beam for exposing said crystal to the laser for a selected time period.