Noninterceptive Beam Profiling of High‐Power Industrial Lasers

Abstract

High‐power 1 — 100 kW industrial lasers typically undergo thermally‐in‐duced optical effects that change the laser beam and laser beam delivery to the work piece. Knowledge of any changes such as focal shift may be important for particular welding or cutting processes. Conventional beam profile diagnostic methods are not practical and fall short at such high powers. A new profiling technique that uses Rayleigh scatter from the beam overcomes the power obstacle and allows laser characterization that was previously impossible to perform.