powerlase
attenuator & fibre coupling unit
The attenuator and fibre-coupling unit is specifically designed to connect to the Starlase range of lasers. Using the remote interface, the attenuator's set-point can be accurately adjusted to provide an exact amount of optical power, without causing any measurable change in pulse duration, polarisation, beam M2 or pointing. The system is cooled using the user's standard water supply and is controlled via a dedicated (0 to 10V) analogue control line. The unit houses an integrated power monitoring device that exports an analogue voltage through the interface directly into the user's hardware, thus providing a real-time measurement of the resultant optical power, post attenuation.
Laser output can be coupled to a standard multi-mode silica fibre that is capable of delivering optical power directly to the workpiece. Without any re-alignment the fibre can easily be replaced by the user, thus ensuring a minimum of system down. The fibre is housed in a protective acrylate skin and sheathed in a robust, flexible steel conduit, fit for trouble-free handling and routing. Note that at low laser pulse repetition rates (<10kHz), the output transmission of the attenuator should be set below its maximum in order to ensure the long term reliability of the fibre.
A full suite of interlocks and feedback channels are provided in order to ensure the accuracy and long-term reliability of this unit.