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do stronger lasers have worse specs in general?

ixfd64

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Do higher-powered lasers have lower beam qualities in general?

When NOVAlasers released the "X-150" and "X-175" lasers, it could no longer guarantee a TEM[sub]00[/sub] beam. I've also noticed that high-powered lab lasers also have worse specs than low-powered ones.

Also, I've noticed that Optotronics' lab lasers (which currently go up to 500 mW) have pretty good specs (1.5 mm at 1 mrad), while the multi-Watt systems from LaserGlow have not-so-good specs (3 mm at 2 mrad). The higher-powered lasers also have a near-TEM[sub]00[/sub] beam instead of a true TEM[sub]00[/sub] one.

Is it hard to get good beam qualities on high-powered lasers?

(By the way, it'd be nice Optotronics would start selling those high-powered multi-Watt lasers like LaserGlow does. That would be totally sweet!)
 





L

likewhat

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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

In general if you have a laser that you need a lot of power from you can just let it run in every possible transverse mode so that you can get all possible power out of the gain medium. If you take the same laser and want to have a near TEM00 beam you can put a filter in it to get rid of higher order modes so that you will be mostly in TEM00, when you do that you are throwing away all the power that was in the non TEM00 modes so it will not be as powerful.
 
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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

Yes - When it comes to diode or DPSS lasers, power is usually inversely proportional to the beam quality.
 
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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

I'v enoticed that diodes in general are usually worse, but doesn't it have to do with them usually being overdriven over spec, and CW as opposed to pulsed as well?
 

Aseras

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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

not really the problem is to have a small thin beam you need to have a point emitter. Larger lasers are bar diodes or gas lasers and they have a larger emitter surface. If you come up with a material that can handle the heat load and power and still be a point emitter you can have a very powerful beam and small diameter.

and modes are not filterable. it's a waveform propagation like a ripple in you sink bouncing around off of the edges. if you get the balance right you get a perfect dot.
 
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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

desslok said:
I'v enoticed that diodes in general are usually worse, but doesn't it have to do with them usually being overdriven over spec, and CW as opposed to pulsed as well?

Direct injection diode lasers over about 200mW , will indeed have worse beam specs, as over this power the diodes are usually "multimode" and utilise several emitters in the same can to achieve the higher powers.

Jase
 

ixfd64

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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

Coherent's "Verdi" lasers go up to 18 Watts, yet they still have good specs (0.5 mrad @ 2.25 mm) and a TEM[sub]00[/sub] beam. I wonder how Coherent makes their lasers so good.

The specs of Optotronics' lab lasers are also better than those from most other laser companies. Maybe Jack should start selling high-quality multi-Watt systems soon!
 
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Re: do stronger lasers have worse specs in general

Hmmmmm...

I'm sure Jack would love to sell multi-Watt lasers, but that's a significant investment for a small businessman to bring in inventory without knowing if it will sell. Perhaps if everybody interested in one could cough up $1000 deposit, then that might start the ball rolling... ;D

Dare to dream they say...

Cheers, CC
 




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