Real time analyzer for pulsed laser systems

Apparatus for measuring a beam parameter of a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second and third portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means for subjecting said first and second beam portions to differing degrees of focusing;
• first and second non-linear elements in said first and second beam paths for generating radiation at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency;
• means for generating first and second signals representative of the harmonic energy generated in each of said first and second non-linear elements;
• means for generating a third signal representative of the total energy to said third beam portion;
• and
• means for combining said first, second, and third signals to extract values proportional to at least one of peak power, pulse width, and mode size.

Apparatus for measuring a beam parameter of a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second, and third beam portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means disposed in said first and second beam paths, said first focusing means having a focal length that is greater than that of said second focusing means;
• first and second non-linear elements disposed downstream of said first and second focusing means in said first and second beam paths for generating first and second beam components at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency;
• first and second filters disposed downstream of said first and second beam paths for removing radiation at all but the harmonic frequency from said first and second beam portions;
• first and second detectors disposed downstream of said first and second filter means for generating first and second signals representative of the second harmonic energy of each of said first and second beam components;
• a third detector in said third beam path for generating a third signal representative of the total energy of said third beam portion;
• and
• means for combining said first, second, and third signals to extract proportional beam parameters.

A method for providing signals that can be used to measure a beam parameter of a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse comprising the steps of:

• directing first, second, and third portions of the laser beam along separate first, second, and third beam paths;
• focusing the first and second beam portions, each to a different degree;
• passing the first and second beam portions through respective non-linear elements to generate radiation at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency in each of the first and second non-linear elements;
• generating respective first and second signals representative of the energy of the harmonic radiation generated in the first and second non-linear elements;
• and
• generating a third signal representative of the total energy of the third beam portion.

Apparatus for providing signals that can be used to measure a beam parameter of a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second and third portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means for subjecting said first and second beam portions to differing degrees of focusing;
• first and second non-linear elements in said first and second beam paths for generating radiation at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency;
• means for generating first and second signals representative of the harmonic energy generated in each of said first and second beam non-linear elements;
• and
• means for generating a third signal representative of the total energy of said third beam portion.

Apparatus for providing signals that can be used to measure a beam parameter of a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second, and third beam portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means disposed in said first and second beam paths, said first focusing means having a focal length greater than that of said second focusing means;
• first and second non-linear elements disposed downstream of said first and second focusing means in said first and second beam paths for generating first and second beam components at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency;
• first and second filters disposed downstream of said first and second non-linear elements in said first and second beam paths for removing radiation at all but the harmonic frequency from said first and second beam portions;
• first and second detectors disposed downstream of said first and second filter means for generating first and second signals representative of the second harmonic energy of each of said first and second beam components;
• and
• a third detector in said third beam path for generating a third signal representative of the total energy of said third beam portion.

A method for providing beam portions derived from a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse to permit the generation of signals that may be used to measure a beam parameter of the laser beam, comprising the steps of:

• directing first, second, and third portions of the laser beam along separate first, second, and third beam paths;
• focusing the first and second beam portions, each to a different degree;
• and
• passing the first and second beam portions through respective non-linear elements to generate radiation at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency in each of the first and second non-linear elements.

Apparatus for providing beam portions derived from a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse to permit the generation of signals that may be used to measure a beam parameter of the laser beam, comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second, and third portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means for subjecting said first and second beam portions to differing degrees of focusing;
• and
• first and second non-linear elements in said first and second beam paths for generating radiation at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency.

Apparatus for providing beam portions derived from a laser beam characterized by at least one laser pulse to permit the generation of signals that may be used to measure a beam parameter of the laser beam, comprising:

• means for dividing the laser beam into first, second, and third beam portions directed along respective first, second, and third beam paths;
• first and second focusing means disposed in said first and second beam paths, said first focusing means having a focal length that is longer than that of said second focusing means;
• first and second non-linear elements disposed downstream of said first and second focusing means in said first and second beam paths for generating first and second beam components at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency;
• and
• first and second filters disposed downstream of said first and second non-linear elements in said first and second beam paths for removing radiation at all but the harmonic frequency from said first and second beam portions.