Laser optical components/setup

[ponjavic]

Hi I just started a PhD where I am going to use lasers to measure fluid flow among other things.

I am looking for some helpful information about otpical components and techniques mainly relating to lasers. How to correctly design a setup, how to split beams, how to expand/contract beam diameter and so on.

I have googled but I think I'm lacking the correct term to actually search for so if anyone has links to tutorials or material suggestion I'd be grateful.

 

[Cthugha]

It does not go too much into details, but for beginners this online laser encyclopedia might be a good start:

http://www.rp-photonics.com/encyclopedia.html

 

[ponjavic]

It does not go too much into details, but for beginners this online laser encyclopedia might be a good start:

http://www.rp-photonics.com/encyclopedia.html

Oh, found that but forgot about it. Thanks :D

 

[Andy Resnick]

Hi I just started a PhD where I am going to use lasers to measure fluid flow among other things.

I am looking for some helpful information about otpical components and techniques mainly relating to lasers. How to correctly design a setup, how to split beams, how to expand/contract beam diameter and so on.

I have googled but I think I'm lacking the correct term to actually search for so if anyone has links to tutorials or material suggestion I'd be grateful.

Are you referring to Particle Imaging Velocimetry? What exactly do you mean by 'measure fluid flow'?

 

[ponjavic]

Are you referring to Particle Imaging Velocimetry? What exactly do you mean by 'measure fluid flow'?

Yes. Fluorescent particle tracking.

 

[mgb_phys]

Get the melles-griot catalogue, it has a good intro to optics in the front (although you can probably find a cheaper source of components). The Edmund Scientific cartalogue is also usefull.

McGraw-Hill have a whole series of practical optics engineering books (optical system design, optics rules of thumb, optical engineering).
There is also a great book called "optical system design - making it work" by Hobbs, expensive and a few years old now but very good.

 

[ponjavic]

Get the melles-griot catalogue, it has a good intro to optics in the front (although you can probably find a cheaper source of components). The Edmund Scientific cartalogue is also usefull.

McGraw-Hill have a whole series of practical optics engineering books (optical system design, optics rules of thumb, optical engineering).
There is also a great book called "optical system design - making it work" by Hobbs, expensive and a few years old now but very good.

Excellent, thank you.