M² - Beam Propagation Analysis

 M² - Beam Propagation Analysis

Product name : M² - Beam Propagation Analysis
Description :
M², or Beam Propagation Ratio, is a value that indicates how close a laser is to being a single mode TEM00 beam, which in turn determines how small a beam waist can be focused. For the perfect Gaussian TEM00 condition the M² equals 1. M² cannot be determined from a single beam profile measurement. The ISO/DIS 11146 requires that M² be calculated from a series of measurements. M² is measured on real beams by focusing the beam with a fixed position lens of known focal length, and then measuring the characteristics of the artificially created beam waist and divergence. We have a number of solutions for the measurement of M² ranging from simple manual processes to fully automated dedicated instruments, depending on the frequency of the need to measure M² of lasers and laser systems.

Specification
What is M2 ?
M2 or Beam Propagation Ratio, is a value that indicates how close a laser is to being a single mode TEM00 beam, which in turn determines how small a beam waist can be focused. For the perfect Gaussian TEM00 condition the M2 equals 1.

M2-1 Ophir

For a laser beam propagating through space, the equation for the divergence, θ, of an unfocused beam is given by:

          θ0 = M24λ/πD0

For a pure Gaussian TEM00 beam M2 equals 1, and thus has no impact on the calculation. The calculation of the minimal beam spot is then:

          d0 = 4λ/πθ

Again with M2 equal to 1, the focused spot is diffraction limited. For real beams, M2 will be greater than 1, and thus the minimum beam waist will be larger by the M2 factor.
 
How is M2 measured?
M2 cannot be determined from a single beam profile measurement. The ISO/DIS 11146 requires that M2 be calculated from a series of measurements as shown in the figure above. M2 is measured on real beams by focusing the beam with a fixed position lens of known focal length, and then measuring the characteristics of the artificially created beam waist and divergence.
 
To provide an accurate calculation of M2, it is essential to make at least 5 measurements in the focused beam waist region, and at least 5 measurements in the far field, two Rayleigh ranges away from the waist area. The multiple measurements ensure that the minimum beam width is found. In addition, the multiple measurements enable a “curve fit” that improves the accuracy of the calculation by minimizing measurement error at any single point. An accurate calculation of M2 is made by using the data from the multiple beam width measurements at known distances from a lens, coupled with the known characteristics of the focusing lens.
 
M² Measurement Solutions
Ophir-Spiricon and Photon have a number of solutions for the measurement of M² ranging from simple manual processes to fully automated dedicated instruments, depending on the frequency of the need to measure M² of lasers and laser systems. We have a system that will meet most needs, whether for research and development of new laser systems, manufacturing quality assurance, or maintenance and service of existing systems.

Ophir M2-2

Model Description Price(USD) Quantity
0 BSQ-SP204S BeamSquared SP204S M2 Measurement System, 266-1100 nm, USB 3.0 -
1 BSQ-XC130 BeamSquared XC130 M2 Measurement System, 900-1700 nm, USB -