System and method for measuring the size of a focused optical spot
AssigneeCarnegie Mellon University
InventorsJinhui Zhai, Tuviah E. Schlesinger, Daniel D. Stancil
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Abstract
A system for measuring a size of a focused spot of an optical energy beam. The system includes a grating, a beam scanner oriented between a source of the optical energy beam and the grating, and a detector oriented to sense a diffraction pattern of the grating.
Claims41
A system for measuring a size of a focused spot of an optical energy beam, comprising:
- a grating;
- a beam scanner oriented between a source of the optical energy beam and the grating;
- and
- a detector oriented to sense a diffraction pattern of the grating.
A system for measuring a size of a focused spot of an optical energy beam, comprising:
- a grating;
- means for scanning the focused spot relative to the grating over a scanning range that is greater than a groove width of the grating;
- and
- a split detector oriented to sense a diffraction pattern of the grating as the focused spot is scanned relative to the grating.
A method for measuring a size of a focused spot of an optical energy beam, comprising:
- scanning the focused spot across a grating over a scanning range that is greater than a groove width of the grating;
- simultaneously sensing interference patterns at first and second positions as the focused spot is scanned across the grating;
- and
- determining the size of the focused spot based on the interference patterns at each of the first and second positions.
A method of determining a profile of a focused spot of an optical energy beam, comprising:
- scanning the focused spot in a scanning direction relative to a two-dimensional grating, wherein the two-dimensional grating is oriented at an angle with respect to the scanning direction;
- sensing a two-dimensional diffraction pattern of the grating;
- and
- determining the profile of the focused spot based on the two-dimensional diffraction pattern.
A method for measuring a spot size distribution of a focused spot of an optical energy beam near a focal plane of a lens, comprising:
- scanning the optical energy beam across a grating over a scanning range that is greater than a groove width of the grating;
- moving the grating over a range of positions near the focal plane of the lens;
- sensing diffraction patterns of the grating over the range of positions;
- and
- determining the spot size distribution of the focused spot near the focal plane based on the diffraction patterns.
A system for measuring a two-dimensional spot size of a focused spot of an optical energy beam, comprising:
- a two-dimensional grating;
- a beam scanner for scanning the focused spot in a scanning direction relative to the grating over a scanning range greater than a groove width of the grating;
- means for adjusting an orientation of the two-dimensional grating relative to the scanning direction;
- and
- a two-dimensional split detector oriented to sense a diffraction pattern of the optical energy beam as the focused spot is scanned relative to the grating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.