Fluidic Laser Beam Shaper by Using Thermal Lens Effect

Laser measurement and laser processing techniques have been gaining strong attention from various applications [1,2]. This research aims at the development of a fluidic laser beam shaper, and in order to fulfill the objective, characteristics of the thermal lens effect are studied. This phenomenon has the optical property of a concave lens since the refractive index distribution on the optical axis is formed when the liquid is irradiated. One reason for the refractive index distribution in the liquid is the temperature distribution in the liquid when it is irradiated. In this research, effects of the pump power and propagation distance of the probe beam to probe beam profile are investigated experimentally and theoretically, in order to develop fluidic laser beam shaper. It is indicated that, by controlling some parameters in thermal lens system as pump power (in the regime of linear optics) and absorption coefficient, input Gaussian beam can be converted into flat-top beam profile. The relationship among the distance to obtain a flat-top beam, pump power and absorption coefficient is investigated to show the flexibility of fluidic laser beam shaper in many fields of laser application.