EE482: Optical Communications Systems, 2024, Exp2

Experiment 2
Power Distribution, Wavelength and
Measurement of a HeNe Laser
Purpose
• This lab experiment shows how to measure the Gaussian beam shape of a helium-
neon (HeNe) gas and how to determine its wavelength.
Method
• To measure the distribution of a HeNe laser beam:
1) We scan a short length of fiber across the beam.
2) The power measured at the output of the fiber will vary in a Gaussian fashion as
fiber scans.
• To determine the wavelength of a laser beam.
1) We make use of a diffraction grating. This is a series of many thousands of slits
placed close together.
2) In a transmission gating, light passes through the slits and is diffracted causing
interference.
3) The slits are so narrow and so numerous that the interference is rather sharp
with well-spaced fringes.
4) By measuring these fringe separations, we can calculate the wavelength of the
diffracted light.
Equipment List
• HeNe laser.
• Optical bench with leveling screws.
• Translation stage.
• A 600 line/mm (or a 5276 line/cm) diffraction grating.
• A 48 mm FL lens.
• Viewing screen with metric scale.
• Standard component carrier.
• Photometer with optic probe.

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EE482: Optical Communications Systems, 2024, Exp2

Procedure
Power Distribution of a HeNe Laser

Fig. 1. Power distribution measurement

1. Place the translation stage to make z approximately 23 cm. Measure and record the
distance used.
2. Notice the translation stage should be placed so that the fiber can be scanned
horizontally across the laser beam.
3. Illuminate the fiber with the HeNe laser.
4. Adjust the translation stage holding the fiber cable until a maximum power level is
obtained.
5. Measure and record the level of the maximum power P(x = 0) after the alignment.
6. With the micrometer set to the starting position (i.e., x = 0), move the micrometer,
by rotating the knob clockwise (positive x direction), in step of 0.5 mm, measure
and record the power at each step.
7. Repeat until the power is approximately -60 dBm.
8. Move the micrometer back to the starting position and repeat this procedure
rotating the knob counter-clockwise this time (negative x direction).
9. Make z approximately 26 cm. Measure and record this distance.
10.Repeat steps 3 through 8.
11.Realign the for maximum power.
12.Repeat steps 3 through 11 but scanning the fiber vertically across the laser beam.

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EE482: Optical Communications Systems, 2024, Exp2

Wavelength of a HeNe Laser.

Fig. 2. Wavelength measurement.

1. Set up the laser. Place the diffraction grating and 48 mm lens in opposite sides of
the same component carrier.
2. Position the grating so that it faces the laser and place the viewing screen in the
focal plane of the 48 mm lens.
3. With the beam passing through the grating and lens, you should be able to see the
central maximum and the first order maximum on either side.
4. Measure the separation and calculate the wavelength from the relation:
𝜆𝑓
x≃m , m ∈ {0,1, 2…}
𝑑
where m is the diffraction order of the grating, f is the focal length of the lens, c is
the distance from the lens axis to the mth maximum on the screen, and d is the slit
separation (distance between mid-points of two adjacent slits).
5. You may improve your accuracy slightly by using the linear translator and
photometer to measure the distance between fringes.
Report Requirements
1. Include a title page with your name, the names of your lab partners,
the experiment name and number and the lab day and time.
2. Answer all questions and do all requirement asked during the procedure.
3. Use the data collected when z=23 cm to build a table where you put in the first
column the displacement z in mm, in the second column the power readings in lux,
in the third column the power readings converted into mW, in the fourth column
normalize the latter values to their maximum, i.e., Pmw(x = 0).

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EE482: Optical Communications Systems, 2024, Exp2

4. Use the normalized values to estimate the spot size, w, at z=23 cm. The spot size is
defined as the distance for which the power drops to 1/e2 of the maximum value.
5. Use a non-linear fitting procedure to fit a curve between the measured points.
6. The fitting curve is
4
P(x) = 𝑎𝑒 𝑏𝑥 ,
with a and b being the fitting parameters
7. Once you have determined a and b (note: it must be a ≈ 1) calculate the spot size
as:
2
w=√
𝑏
8. Plot the normalized measurements and the fitting curve on the same graph
9. Calculate the divergence angle θ and the spot size at the laser aperture w0, using
the equations
2𝑤 𝜆𝑧
θ= w0 =
𝑧 𝜋𝑤
10.Make polar plots of the normalized power distributions versus angle θ = tan -1 (x/z)
for both horizonal (lateral) and vertical (transverse) measurements.
11.Repeat Report Requirements 3 through 10 for z = 26 cm. Compare θ and w0
obtained in the two cases
12.Repeat Report Requirements 3 through 11 for the horizontal scan.
13.Include a separate questions section and answer the following.
a. At what distance z is the spot size 5 cm (use the average w0)?
b. For an efficient coupling of the HeNe output beam into a fiber
(diameter 50 ≈ µm) you need to place a lens in order to focus the beam.
Would you place the lens in the region where the beam is collimated
(i.e., near the laser aperture) or in the region where the beam diverges?
Make a sketch to illustrate both situations.
c. Are the transverse and lateral power distributions symmetric?
d. Prove the relation
𝜆𝑓
x≃m , m ∈ {0,1, 2…}
𝑑
used for the wavelength measurement.