MKS Ophir Spiricon BeamWatch Standard Quick start guide

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Ophir BeamWatch®Standard
User Notes

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Dear Ophir-Spiricon Customer,
Thank you for your recent purchase of the BeamWatch system.
At Ophir-Spiricon we strive to provide the highest level of leading edge photonic measurement technology and service
possible. We hope that your experience with us is a pleasant one, and anticipate the relationship we build will serve your
photonic measurement needs for years to come.
As a valued customer, your comments and opinions are always very important to us. If you have any concerns, questions,
or comments, bring them to our service department’s attention. We are ready to help with everything from basic setup to
working with you to find solutions for your most complex photonics measurement needs.
Please let us know if there is any way we can be of service. Thank you once again for your business.
Sincerely,
Ophir-Spiricon, LLC
Ophir-Spiricon, LLC
3050 North 300 West
North Logan, UT 84341, USA
Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
www.ophiropt.com/photonics

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How to Use this Guide
Symbol Notation
Indicates general information that poses no risk.
Indicates important information about the product with little or no risk.
Indicates warning information. Failure to follow instruction may result in harm to the user or product damage.

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Safety
While BeamWatch itself does not present the user with any safety hazards, this instrument is intended for use
with laser systems. Therefore, the user should be protected from any hazards that the laser system may
present. The greatest hazards associated with laser systems are damage to the eyes and skin due to laser
radiation.
Optical Radiation Hazards
BeamWatch is designed for use with high power lasers and therefore safety precautions must be
taken. Users must be protected against accidental exposure. Exposure to personnel other than the
user must also be considered. Hazards include direct beam exposure and reflected radiation.
Protective eye shields and clothing must be worn.
Electrical Hazards
BeamWatch utilizes only low voltages, derived from the Ethernet and camera power supplies. Thus
there is little risk of electrical shock presented to the user.
When installing or removing any hardware from a PC, the power to the computer should always be
disconnected.
The computer should always be operated with its covers in place and in accordance with its
manufacturer’s recommendations.
The computer should always be operated with a properly grounded AC power cord.

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Chapter 1 Information
1.1 Introduction
BeamWatch is the laser industry’s first completely non-interfering beam monitoring system, which allows beam
measurements without contacting the laser beam. Measurements are taken by imaging the Rayleigh scatter of the beam
from the side using conventional cameras making BeamWatch ideal for measurements of high power lasers. Ophir-
Spiricon has measured beams up to 100 kilowatts.
BeamWatch provides simultaneous measurements of multiple profiles along the beam caustic in the camera field-of-view
(FOV). The speed of measurement operates at video rates allowing for real-time determination of:
•waist (focus spot) width and location
•focal shift
•centroid
•M2 or K
•divergence
•Beam Parameter Product
•Rayleigh length
•relative power
Real-time performance also allows for measurement of dynamic focal shift during laser startup.
The technique is based on Rayleigh scattering of laser light by oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the air as the beam
propagates. Measurement of this scattered light provides an equivalent slit scan of the laser beam in the direction of the
view observed. The scattered light is measured using conventional CCDs and image capture systems.
BeamWatch has GigE connectivity to standard personal computers for data acquisition, analysis, and display.

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¼” Polyurethane tubing 10ft
BeamWatch Standard
Alignment tools
Ethernet Cable 4.5m
Gigabit to USB 3.0
Adapter
Power Supply Cable
Power Supply Adapter Kit
User documentation:
•
•
•
•
Alignment tool User Notes
Calibration Certificate
Gig-E Camera User Notes
Quick Start Guide
BeamWatch Software
Installation Disk
1.1.1 Equipment

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1.2 Optional Equipment
Additional Optional equipment (Not Pictured)
We recommend one or more of these additional products.
•BeamWatch rotation mount (SP90346)
•Locking Ethernet cable (SP90394)
•10kW water cooled power sensor
•30kW water cooled power sensor
•100kW water circulated power sensor
•Juno PC interface
Consult your Ophir-Spiricon Representative or call Ophir-Spiricon’s Sales Department for ordering information.
1.3 Specifications
Wavelength
980 –1080 nanometers
Minimum Power density
~2 Megawatts/cm2
Minimum Focus Spot
SP90390
SP90391
155 microns
55 microns
Maximum Beam diameter
at entrance/exit
12.5 millimeters
Communication to PC
GigE Ethernet
Power
12 Volts DC, 1.67 Amps max
Particulate Purge
~10 SLPM (35 PSI / 2.5 BAR) Air,
Nitrogen, or Argon. 1/4" hose fitting
included.
Camera Field of View inside the BeamWatch unit
SP90390 (Dual Axis)
32.17mm x 8.55mm
SP90391 (Dual Axis)
11.26mm x 2.99mm

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1.4 Operating Limits
The graphics below are intended to give a visual indication of the recommended operating space for BeamWatch. If
BeamWatch is operated outside of this space, it may be more difficult to see the curvature of the caustic or the beam may
be large enough at the edges of the image that it is out of focus.
•Optimal has at least 3 Rayleigh lengths on both sides of the waist, with the waist at the center of the image
•Near Optimal has at least 3 Rayleigh lengths on one side of the waist, with the waist at the end of the image
•Acceptable has at least 1.5 Rayleigh lengths on both sides of the waist, with the waist at the center of the image
When using these graphics, take the M2 value and
reference it against the waist width of the beam.
If the beam falls within the plotted areas, then it is within
the range for BeamWatch to give stronger results.
Use caution as the beam falls into the Acceptable range;
these results are not as strong.

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Power density also plays a role in the operating space. The chart below shows the required power vs. focus spot size for a
top hat beam.
The equation to estimate the maximum spot size is derived from the power density equation:
  


   

Where Pave is the average beam power and AD4is the area of the beam at the  location.

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Chapter 2 Hardware Configuration
This chapter walks through how to setup and start using your BeamWatch.
2.1 BeamWatch Standard Mounting
The BeamWatch unit must be mounted to a stable surface where
the laser can pass through the entrance and exit apertures
unobstructed.
The center of the entrance aperture is located 50mm from the
crosshair marked on the top of the camera (see image right).
Position the BeamWatch unit at the nominal focus position along
the laser axis, and make sure the beam waist is as close to the
camera axis as possible.
There is a scribe mark on the side of the camera that references
this position. The calibrated distance from the top of the
BeamWatch to the center of the detector array can be found on
the calibration sticker.
To obtain results within ±5% accuracy, the camera must be
aligned perpendicular to the beam with minimal tilt (<5°) in all
directions and the beam must lie in the plane of the camera focus. Use
either a translation stage or the laser robotics to facilitate the
positioning of the beam in the camera focus plane.
Once in the desired location, secure the unit with four ¼-20 or M6
screws in the slots, two on each side. If not mounted in a fixed position,
measurement error and/or damage to the unit may occur.