USE OF DIFFRACTION COUPLERS TO DETERMINE LASER-RADIATION PARAMETERS

A method for determination of the power and direction and degree of polarization of laser radiation is described. The method includes analysis of the polarization state of attenuated diffraction-order radiation and restoration of the polarization state of the main beam with allowance for the amplitude and phase transformation of the laser radiation caused by diffraction. Knowledge of the polarization state of laser radiation makes it possible to determine the true diffraction efficiency, which increases the accuracy with which the radiation parameters are measured. The method can be used with any relationship between the radiation wavelength and the period of the diffraction coupler.