EXPERIMENT- 1

OBJECT: To measure the spot size and divergence of a laser beam.

APPARATUS: Laser source, photo detector,

FORMULA USED: The divergence angle can be calculated from the formula –


 w(o)
Where w0 is the radius of the beam at laser cavity, λ is the wavelength of the laser source.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
At first we leveled the He-Ne laser in such a way that the spot of laser beam have same
height at different distances from the laser source. The experiment is carried out in two
steps –
a. Measurement of spot size of beam,
b. Measurement of Divergence of beam.

(a) EASUREMENT OF SPOT SIZE OF BEAM:

For this purpose the photo cell (which is fixed on a vernier scale) is manually inserted in
the beam and corresponding out put of detector is noted by nanometer. The out put of the
detector is plotted as a function of the position of the photo cell.

(b) MEASUREMENT OF DIVERGENCE OF BEAM:

To measure the divergence of beam, the beam spot sizes are measured at different
distances from the laser source. The separation between laser source and photo fell is
measured by meter scale. The divergence angle is then calculated from the formula –


 w(o)
Where w0 is the radius of the beam at laser cavity, λ is the wavelength of the laser source.
OBSERVATIONS:

Determination of the divergence angle

Table No. 1.
At 2 meter distance away from the source
S.No. Vernier scale reading at Nano ammeter reading
the different points of the
spot.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Table No. 2
At 4 meter distance away from the source.

S.No. Vernier scale reading at Nano ammeter reading

the different points of the
spot.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Table No. 3

At 5 meter distance away from the source

S.No. Vernier scale reading at Nano ammeter reading

the different points of the
spot.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Table No. 4

At 7 meter distance away from the source

S.No. Vernier scale reading at Nano ammeter reading

the different points of the
spot.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
The intensity distribution measured by photo detector at different points of spot in plotted
in the graphs attached. The intensity has been on Y-axis and distance of point from one
end of the spot on x-axis. This intensity distribution plotted is a Gaussian profile which
resembles the theoretical intensity distribution curve.

CALCULATIONS:

According to our observations –

Radius of the spot at 2 m. distance w (2) = …. cm.
Radius of the spot at 4 m. distance w (4) = …. cm.
Radius of the spot at 5 m. distance w (5) = …. cm.
Radius of the spot at 7 m. distance w (7) = …. cm.
From graph is W (0) = …. cm.

Therefore the divergence of the beam ca be calculated

RESULTS:
1) Radius of the spot at the cavity = … cm
2) The divergence of the beam at the various distances from the cavity can be
observed in the graph.
3) The angle of divergence of the beam = …..