Laser beam power control device.

Abstract

A simple, reliable device for continuously varying the intensity and plane of polarization of laser beams over a wide range is described. It consists of a series of transparent dielectric plates set at the Brewster angle and capable of rotation about the incident beam axis. This device has been used to control the beam intensities of a continuous wave helium-neon laser at a few microwatts and of a giant pulse Q-switched ruby laser at 200 MW.