Utilization of plastic windows for large-dimension CO2 laser beam transmission

Bernard Gautier; Rene C. Joeckle; Fabrice Lacroix

doi:10.1117/12.144599

4 May 1993 Utilization of plastic windows for large-dimension CO2 laser beam transmission

Bernard Gautier, Rene C. Joeckle, Fabrice Lacroix

Proceedings Volume 1810, 9th International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.144599
Event: Ninth International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers, 1992, Heraklion, Greece

Abstract

Thin plastic films can be used as cheap protective windows for large dimensions, low mean power density CO₂ laser optics. Polyethylene (PE) sheets with a typical thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm must be able to transmit a 30 kW, Gaussian shaped, one meter spot sized beam during 10 seconds prior to melting. Experiments at reduced scale with a 1.8 kW laser beam have been performed. A 0.4 mm thick PE window transmits 73% of the incident power (with a maximum intensity of 11 W/cm²) for more then the required 10 s, provided a low speed air blowing is applied. Nevertheless, an analysis of the transmitted intensity profiles exhibits peaks and spreading with respect to the incident power distribution. This diffusion effect has been more accurately studied in this paper.

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Bernard Gautier, Rene C. Joeckle, and Fabrice Lacroix "Utilization of plastic windows for large-dimension CO2 laser beam transmission", Proc. SPIE 1810, 9th International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers, (4 May 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.144599

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