CMS Laser Sponsors UCF Students’ Laser Beam Profiler Project

CMS Laser, as members of the CREOL Industrial Affiliates at the University of Central Florida (UCF), had the opportunity to sponsor a senior design project for a group of undergraduate students. The project was aimed at creating a laser beam profiler, a device capable of accurately measuring beam diameter and M2 beam quality for wavelengths ranging from 355 – 1100 nm, including both high-power and pulsed laser beams. Our company offered our facility and resources to support the students in their efforts, and were grateful to have had the support of our friends over at Edmund Optics. As a supportive partner and fellow CREOL Industrial Affiliate, Edmund Optics provided us with a special discount for all the optical components the students needed for their project, enabling us to make the most of our investment.

The Laser Beam Profiler Device

Thanks to the support and funding from CMS Laser and Edmund Optics, the UCF students achieved great success in designing and building a laser beam profiler. The device boasts features such as two alignment irises, an internal optical attenuator, and a removable lens for measuring beam diameter and M2 beam quality factor. Additionally, a second lens can be added for optical telescope measurement of larger beam diameters. The profiler uses a Raspberry Pi camera module that moves along the focus beam via translation rail and stepper motors. The communication between the Raspberry Pi, stepper motors, and graphical user interface on a laptop or desktop computer is made possible by a custom PCB and WLAN connectivity. The Raspberry Pi also manages the capture and transfer of beam cross-section image data to the client, where it is processed and analyzed.

The Results

The CMS Laser team had a fantastic experience working with the talented students from UCF and wishes to extend a big thank you to CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics for making this collaboration possible. As industrial affiliate members, we are proud of the technology discovered by research at CREOL and we look forward to our next sponsorship opportunity.

About the Author

Gerald Fry

Marketing Manager & Multimedia Professional

I am a dedicated marketing specialist and manager at CMS Laser with 10 years of hands-on experience in various marketing disciplines within the industrial laser manufacturing sector. Leveraging my technical expertise, I create engaging content tailored for engineers. Beyond my professional life, I am fueled… Read Full Bio →