Laser Beam Profiling Across Industries: Applications, Wavelength Bands and Beam Shapes

What laser beam profilers do

Laser beam profilers are essential tools in photonics. They measure and characterize the spatial distribution of a laser beam, the information that decides how the beam focuses, how evenly it exposes a target and whether it stays stable. Their uses range from quantum optics research to quality assurance on industrial production lines.

This article covers where beam profiling is used, the main wavelength bands and the laser types in each, the beam shapes and parameters a profiler measures, and the profiling solutions IZAK Scientific offers. For the basics of how a profiler works, see The Essentials of Laser Beam Profiling.

Where laser beam profiling is used

Beam profiling is pivotal in many fields, and each has its own requirements and challenges.

For medical device developers, IZAK also designs complete test and calibration set-ups; see medical device engineering.

Wavelength bands and laser types

Lasers are grouped by wavelength band. Each band has its own applications and typical laser types, and each needs a profiler whose detector responds at that wavelength.

Visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR)

Wavelength range: the visible band spans about 400–700 nm, and the near-infrared starts at about 700 nm. In spectroscopy the NIR is often taken up to about 2500 nm, so the visible and near-IR together cover roughly 400–2500 nm.

Laser types: diode lasers, Nd:YAG lasers and fiber lasers.

Applications: medical treatments, laser displays, material processing, telecommunications and entertainment. Beam profilers are essential to optimize laser performance and ensure precision in all of them.

Industrial applications and uses of VIS and NIR lasers

• Medical treatments. VIS and NIR lasers are widely used in dermatology, ophthalmology and surgery, for example in laser hair removal, photocoagulation and laser cutting of tissue (R. Waynant, I. Ilev & I. Gannot, 2001).
• Laser displays and entertainment. Visible lasers are common in entertainment displays such as light shows and projector systems. Their vibrant colors and high precision create striking visual effects.
• Material processing. NIR lasers are used extensively for cutting, welding and marking many materials. Their high power and the ability to focus them onto a small area allow precise, efficient material processing.
• Telecommunications. NIR lasers are crucial in fiber-optic communication, where they provide the light source that carries data over long distances with minimal loss.
• Other popular uses. Thanks to their intense, focused light, VIS and NIR lasers are also used as entertainment light sources, including stage lighting and special effects.

Short-wave infrared (SWIR)

SWIR lasers, roughly 900–2500 nm in the imaging convention, are gaining importance in medical applications and radiometry. Deeper tissue penetration and reduced scattering give them advantages over visible and near-infrared sources for diagnosis and therapy.

In medical applications

• Non-invasive imaging. SWIR lasers enable non-invasive, multicolor in vivo imaging, so biological processes can be observed in real time in living organisms. They penetrate deeper into tissue with minimal autofluorescence and scattering, which improves image quality and resolution (Cosco et al., 2020).
• Tissue characterization. Tissue constituents have absorption features in the SWIR, which makes SWIR measurements sensitive to water, lipids and collagen. This helps characterize tissue changes linked to atherosclerosis, cancer and burns, supporting diagnosis and treatment planning (Wilson et al., 2015).

In radiometry

• Calibration and imaging. SWIR lasers are integral to calibrating satellite sensors and to developing hyperspectral imaging systems. The SWIR range gives detailed spectral information for earth observation, environmental monitoring and other remote sensing (Spyak et al., 2000).

Advancements and opportunities

• Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). QCLs, which emit in the mid- and long-wave infrared beyond the SWIR, have been integrated into infrared microscopes for label-free biomedical imaging. This enables targeted detection of chemical species within clinical timeframes and could transform in vivo imaging with high-resolution, non-invasive tissue analysis (Bird & Baker, 2015).
• Photothermal radiometry. Pulsed photothermal radiometry records the infrared emission of skin after a laser pulse. It gives non-contact mapping of heat deposition after laser treatment and insight into the skin’s thermal properties, which helps assess and optimize laser therapy (Jacques et al., 1993).

SWIR lasers can improve diagnostic capability, therapy outcomes and the accuracy of remote sensing, and ongoing research will likely bring further advances. IZAK’s SWIR beam profiler covers the short-wave IR up to 2.05 µm, and the MWIR beam profilers continue from 1.5 to 5.7 µm.

Long-wave infrared (LWIR)

LWIR lasers operate at about 8–15 µm (8000–15,000 nm). Their interaction with thermal radiation makes them central to thermal imaging, environmental monitoring, military, medical and laser micro-machining applications. IZAK’s LWIR laser beam profiler covers 7.7–12 µm, including CO₂ lasers at 9.3 and 10.6 µm.

Thermal imaging

LWIR lasers are used in thermal imaging for civilian and military purposes, including night vision, surveillance and search-and-rescue. High-performance LWIR photodetectors based on two-dimensional platinum diselenide show promise for advanced thermal imaging and spectroscopy because of their responsivity and speed (Nima Sefidmooye Azar et al., 2021).

Environmental monitoring

LWIR lasers can detect and measure greenhouse gases, pollutants and other atmospheric constituents, supporting climate research and pollution control. LWIR quantum cascade lasers with bright, single-mode output are suited to long-distance atmospheric sensing (F. Wang, S. Slivken & M. Razeghi, 2021).

Military applications

LWIR lasers support target identification and tracking, missile guidance and countermeasures against heat-seeking missiles. High-power, broadly tunable MWIR and LWIR lasers open sensing applications that are important for national security (K. Law et al., 2011).

Medical treatments

The CO₂ laser, the best-known LWIR laser, is widely used in medicine because water absorbs its wavelength strongly. It cuts and coagulates tissue and is a surgical tool in dermatology, gynecology and otolaryngology.

Laser micro-machining

CO₂ lasers micro-machine metals, polymers and ceramics. They cut, engrave and structure materials with minimal thermal damage to the surrounding area.

LWIR lasers are versatile and important across thermal imaging, environmental monitoring, medical treatment and manufacturing.

Beam shapes and profiling techniques

Laser beam profilers measure Gaussian, flat-top (top-hat) and donut beams, among other shapes. Gaussian beams are best for focusing to a small spot; flat-top beams give uniform intensity over a defined area. See shaping and verifying square top-hat beams for a worked example.

A profiler reports these parameters, which together give a complete picture of laser performance:

IZAK Scientific’s beam profiler series

IZAK Scientific offers beam profilers for the UV, visible, near-IR, short-wave IR, mid-wave IR and long-wave IR bands. They measure a wide range of beam shapes and sizes, and the IZAK beam profiler application supports online measurement and detailed analysis, so laser systems can be adjusted and optimized in real time. The tools suit applications that need high precision and reliability, from quantum optics research to industrial material processing.

Specifications and application details for every model are on the Laser Beam Profiler page, and the laser beam profiler selection guide walks through the choice step by step.

Conclusion

Laser beam profiling is critical across scientific, industrial and medical fields. Accurate characterization of laser beams improves how laser technologies are developed, applied and run. IZAK Scientific’s profiling solutions give professionals the tools to push the limits of laser technology.

Related reading: The Essentials of Laser Beam Profiling, essential laser measurements: profile, power and pulse and AI analytics for beam profiling data.

References

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5. Vincelette, R., Noojin, G., Harbert, C. A., Schuster, K., Shingledecker, A. D., Stolarski, D., Kumru, S., & Oliver, J. (2014). Porcine skin damage thresholds for 0.6 to 9.5 cm beam diameters from 1070-nm continuous-wave infrared laser radiation. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 19.
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8. Sordillo, L. A., Lindwasser, L. W., Budansky, Y., Leproux, P., & Alfano, R. (2015). Near-infrared supercontinuum laser beam source in the second and third near-infrared optical windows used to image more deeply through thick tissue as compared with images from a lamp source. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 20(3).

Frequently asked questions