Enhancing Target Efficiency of a Laser by the Integration of a Stabilization System

Enhancing Target Efficiency of a Laser by the Integration of a Stabilization System

ABSTRACT METHODS

Nadim Bari

Wayne State Department of Chemistry

INTRODUCTION

Some laboratories use lasers to conduct important experiments

to help bring forth the advancement of science. Lasers may be

used for several experimental purposes. Laser applications may

be included in (but is not limited to) the breaking of particles,

photochemistry, nuclear fusion, spectroscopy, material

processing etc. However, not all lasers are stable and can drift

away from their target. Consequently, experimental results may

become less accurate and the experiment itself may be less

efficient.

The objective of this study is to improve the accuracy of laser

pointing by stabilizing the beam to stay constant on a specific

target. To increase accuracy and stabilize the laser, a laser

detection and stabilizer system was created. The computer

programs Labview and NI Vision Acquisition Module, by

National Instruments, were used in this investigation. The

abovementioned programs were used to create a driver that

allows the system to continuously complete specific tasks. The

system itself consists of a webcam, mirror, motorized mirror

mount, and a computer. The webcam captures the position of

the laser and calculates the laser’s center of mass (the position is

represented by coordinates on a Cartesian plane); Feedback is

then sent to the mirror mount to correct the drift. The mirror

mount controls the direction of the laser by corresponding to the

analyzed destination sent by the webcam. If the laser starts to

drift away from the target, the center of mass calculation will

change. As soon as the center of mass coordinates change by

0.2 decimals, the mirror mount redirects the laser back to the

target. This system is now used to improve the overall accuracy

of the laser pointing stability’s active feedback.

RESULTS

MATERIALS

• Labview 2012 with Vision Development Module

• Laser

• Adjustable Laser Mount

• Reflective Filter

• Adjustable Filter Mount

• Microsoft Web Camera

• Agilis Piezo Motor Driven Optical Mount

The Block Diagram

The Front Panel of VI

Vision Acquisition Center of Mass Calculator

Example VI of Mirror Mount Four Numeric Controls

Experimental Set Up

Acknowledgments

Thank you to The American Chemical Society sections of Detroit and

Washington as well as Wayne State’s Department of Chemistry for

financial support . Thank you to Dr. Wen Li, Sue Lee , and Pradip

Adhikari for helping with the project. Thank you Dr. Keith Williams,

Felicia Benson, and Dr. Joe Dunbar (WSU Office of Research) for

providing me the opportunity to do this project.

CONCLUSION As the laser slowly drifted from its target, the mirror mount

automatically adjusted to correct the drift. The laser was

constantly kept to a fixed position. Thus, we have successfully

stabilized the laser by creating a driver (VI) that enables the

materials used to keep the laser constant on the target. The

proposed method is general and can be applied to other systems.

Note: To see a complete Block Diagram with all sections connected and detailed, please look at hand-out

#1. To see complete details of Virtual Instruments, please see hand-out #2.