title: Photoacoustic technique to measure beam profile of pulsed laser systems.
abstract: The beam profiles of pulsed lasers are currently measured using either complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or charge coupled device (CCD) cameras. Despite providing high-resolution beam profiles, these devices cannot work with high power lasers. If additional optical attenuators are used, beam distortions may occur. In this paper we demonstrate a high-resolution photoacoustic technique capable of measuring the beam profile of pulsed lasers. The beam profiles of a pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser and a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser system were measured using a polydimethylsiloxane film and a single element high-frequency ultrasonic transducer. The advantages and limitations of the developed photoacoustic technique are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Srivalleesha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mallidi
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emelianov
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008027:Light; D009757:Nylons; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D009757:Nylons; C085707:poly(dimethylsiloxane)-polyamide copolymer