As Romania is preparing to join the EU’s internal market, the demand for the characterization/ certification of laser-based products increased significantly in the last years, mostly for medical devices. In order to face this challenge, our laboratory starting the process for accreditation as testing laboratory, according to ISO 17025. Within this frame, accurate evaluation of laser beam parameters such as: power, energy, wavelength, transversal/longitudinal mode structure is mandatory. To support this demand, we developed several set-ups for laser beam characterization under PC control, based on: laser power and energy meters, a laser beam analyzer, a wavelength meter, a laser diode driver/temperature controller, and a miniature, optical fiber-based spectrometer. Virtual instruments to control the above-mentioned instrumentation were built up using the graphical programming environment LabVIEW, provided by National Instruments. Parallel GPIB, as well as serial PC connections are employed, according to the case. Dual independent channels, ration and reference power and energy measurements are available, in the spectral band (190 nm – 20 µm), with the following ranges: 20 nW – 150 W, and 200 µJ – 10 J. Laser beam mode analysis can be performed between 200 – 1100 nm. Wavelength measurements are carried out from 400 – 1100 nm. The virtual instruments developed include also auto calibration functions, as the equipment utilized was calibrated against national standards, or standards existing to some re-known national metrological institutions in Europe (PTB - Germany, National Physical Laboratory – UK, National Research and Testing Institute – Sweden). Our main achievements on this subject are described in the paper. |