At the virtual LC Week in early December 2021, LASER COMPONENTS introduced the measurement method that they now use to quantify reflectivities above 99.9%. With a newly installed cavity ring down (CRD) measurement station, reflectivity values of 99.95% and higher can be determined. Customers can therefore be sure that the optics ordered also meet the desired specifications, even for custom-made individual pieces without performing an incoming goods inspection. Until now, reflectivities above 99.95% have not been documented. Depending on the application, high reflectivity offers crucial advantages such as more efficient use of laser power due to less loss in the system or laser.
In the CRD process, pulsed laser light is injected into a passive optical resonator. After each cycle, the power of the transmitted light is measured to determine the optical quality of the resonator. LASER COMPONENTS uses an A-cube produced in house for this purpose. These APD modules are known for their sensitivity and accuracy. The CRD measuring station is designed for the wavelengths 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 355 nm and measures the reflectivity for angles of incidence of 0° and 45°. The laser used delivers a pulse energy of up to 140 µJ for a pulse duration of 1 ns, providing higher accuracy than other CRD measuring stations.
“Previously, we have only been able to calculate the reflectivity of optics from the results of transmission measurements,” explains Barbara Herdt, head of the laser optics business unit. “With this, we have only been able to guarantee values up to 99.9% perfectly. We can now provide our customers with proof that their custom optics have the desired reflectivity – even if it is in the parts per million range.”
“Measurements with the CRD measuring station only take a few minutes. This is considerably faster to perform than with the previous method,” adds Dr. Sina Malobabic, who, as head of project development, oversees all the measuring stations. “This means that we can also test all the optics from one batch if necessary.”
Further product information:
Mirror Coatings
Manufacturer:
LASER COMPONENTS Germany / Optics Production
In the CRD process, pulsed laser light is injected into a passive optical resonator. After each cycle, the power of the transmitted light is measured to determine the optical quality of the resonator. LASER COMPONENTS uses an A-cube produced in house for this purpose. These APD modules are known for their sensitivity and accuracy. The CRD measuring station is designed for the wavelengths 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 355 nm and measures the reflectivity for angles of incidence of 0° and 45°. The laser used delivers a pulse energy of up to 140 µJ for a pulse duration of 1 ns, providing higher accuracy than other CRD measuring stations.
“Previously, we have only been able to calculate the reflectivity of optics from the results of transmission measurements,” explains Barbara Herdt, head of the laser optics business unit. “With this, we have only been able to guarantee values up to 99.9% perfectly. We can now provide our customers with proof that their custom optics have the desired reflectivity – even if it is in the parts per million range.”
“Measurements with the CRD measuring station only take a few minutes. This is considerably faster to perform than with the previous method,” adds Dr. Sina Malobabic, who, as head of project development, oversees all the measuring stations. “This means that we can also test all the optics from one batch if necessary.”
Further product information:
Mirror Coatings
Manufacturer:
LASER COMPONENTS Germany / Optics Production
