1.

State principle of laser and how it can be utilized in computer aided

inspection.
A laser is a device that emits light (electromagnetic radiation) through a process of
optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" is an
acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Typically, very intense flashes of light or electrical discharges pump the lasing medium
and create a large collection of excited-state atoms (atoms with higher-energy electrons). It is
necessary to have a large collection of atoms in the excited state for the laser to work efficiently.
In general, the atoms are excited to a level that is two or three levels above the ground state. This
increases the degree of population inversion. The population inversion is when the number of
atoms in the excited state is more than the number in ground state. The excited electrons have
energies greater than the more relaxed electrons. Just as the electron absorbed some amount of
energy to reach this excited level, it can also release this energy. As the figure below illustrates,
the electron can simply relax, and in turn rid itself of some energy.

This emitted energy comes in the form of photons (light energy). The photon emitted has a

very specific wavelength (color) that depends on the state of the electron's energy when the
photon is released. Two identical atoms with electrons in identical states will release photons
with identical wavelengths. The photon that any atom releases has a certain wavelength that is
dependent on the energy difference between the excited state and the ground state. If this photon
should encounter another atom that has an electron in the same excited state, stimulated emission
can occur. The first photon can stimulate or induce atomic emission such that the subsequent
emitted photon vibrates with the same frequency and direction as the incoming photon. The other
key to a laser is a pair of mirrors, one at each end of the lasing medium. Photons, with a very
specific wavelength and phase, reflect off the mirrors to travel back and forth through the lasing
medium. In the process, they stimulate other electrons to make the downward energy jump and

can cause the emission of more photons of the same wavelength and phase. A cascade effect
occurs, and soon we have propagated many, many photons of the same wavelength and phase.
The mirror at one end of the laser is "half-silvered," meaning it reflects some light and lets some
light through. The light that makes it through is the laser light.
The figure below illustrates the stages in laser light formation by stimulated emission:

Fig: 3.2 Laser Formation Principle

Lasers provide intense and unidirectional beam of light. Laser light is monochromatic
(one specific wavelength). Wavelength of light is determined by amount of energy released when
electron drops to lower orbit. Light is coherent; all the photons have same wave fronts that
launch to unison. Laser light has tight beam and is strong and concentrated. To make these three
properties occur takes something called Stimulated Emission, in which photon emission is
organized. Main parts of laser are power supply, lasing medium and a pair of precisely aligned
mirrors. One has totally reflective surface and other is partially reflective (96 %). The most
important part of laser apparatus is laser crystal. Most commonly used laser crystal is manmade
ruby consisting of aluminum oxide and 0.05% chromium. Crystal rods are round and end
surfaces are made reflective.
A laser rod for 3 J is 6 mm in diameter and70 mm in length approximately. Laser rod is
excited by xenon filled lamp, which surrounds it. Both are enclosed in highly reflective cylinder,
which directs light from flash lamp in to the rod. Chromium atoms are excited to higher energy

levels. The excited ions meet photons when they return to normal state. Thus very high energy is
obtained in short pulses. Ruby rod becomes less efficient at higher temperatures, so it is
continuously cooled with water, air or liquid nitrogen. The Ruby rod is the lasing medium and
flashtube pumps it.

Laser in its non lasing state.

The flash tube fires and injects light into the ruby rod. The light excites atoms in the ruby.

Some of these atoms emit photons.

Photons run in a directional ruby axis, so they bounce back and forth off the
mirrors. As they pass through the crystal, they stimulate emission in other atoms.

Monochromatic, single phase columnated light leaves the ruby through the half
silvered mirror laser light.

Properties Of Laser Light

1. Monochromatic - photons of one wavelength. In contrast, ordinary white Light is a
combination of different wavelengths.
2. Directional- laser light is emitted as a narrow beam and in a specific direction. This property
is referred to as directionality.
3. Coherent - The light from a laser is said to be coherent. This means that the wavelengths of
the laser light are in phase
LASER METROLOGY:

Metrology lasers are low power instruments. Most are helium-neon type. Wave output laser that emit
visible or infrared light. He-Ne lasers produce light at a wavelength of 0.6m that is in phase, coherent

and a thousand times more intense than any other monochromatic source.
Laser systems have wide dynamic range, low optical cross talk and high contrast.
Laser fined application in dimensional measurements and surface inspection because of the properties of

laser light.
These are useful where precision, accuracy, rapid non-contact gauging of soft, delicate or hot moving
points

1. LASER TELEMETRIC SYSTEM

Laser telemetric system is a non-contact gauge that measures with a collimated laser beam (Refer Fig.
10.26). It measure at the rate of 150 scans per second. It basically consists of three components, a
transmitter, a receiver and processor electronics. The transmitter module produces a collimated parallel
scanning laser beam moving at a high, constant, linear speed. The scanning beam appears as a red line.
The receiver module collects and photo electrically senses the laser light transmitted past the object being
measured. The processor electronics takes the received signals to convert them to a convenient form and
displays

the

dimension

being

gauged.

The transmitter contains a low-power helium-neon gas laser and its power supply, a specially designed
collimating lens, a hysteresis synchronous motor, a multi-faceted reflector prism, a synchronous pulse
photo

detector

and

protective

replaceable

window.

The high speed of scanning permits on-line gauging and thus it is possible to detect changes in
dimensions when components are moving or a continuous product such as in rolling process moving at

very high speed. There is no need of waiting or product to cool for taking measurements. This system can
also be applied on production machines and control them with closed feedback loops. Since the output of
this system is available in digital form, it can run a process controller, limit alarms can be provided and
output can be taken on digital printer. It is possible to write programs for the microprocessor to take care
of smoke, dust and other airborne interference around the workpiece being measured.

2. LASER AND LED BASED DISTANCE MEASURING INSTRUMENT:

These can measure distances from I to 2in with an accuracy of the order of 0. 1 to 1% of
the measuring range When the light emitted by laser or LED hits an object, scatter and
same of this scattered light is seen by a position sensitive detector or diode array.
v If the distance between the measuring head and the object changes. the angle at which
the light enters the detector will also change.
v The angle of deviation is calibrated in terms of distance and output is provided as 02OmA. Such instruments are very reliable because there are no moving parts their
response time is milliseconds.
v The measuring system uses two distance meters placed at equal distance on either side
of the object and a control unit to measure the thickness of an object. The distance meter
is focused at the centre of the object.

3. Scanning Laser gauge

Fig shows a schematic diagram of a scanning laser gauge. It consist of transmitter,
receives and processor electronics.
v A thin band of scanning laser light is made to pass through a linear scanner lens to render
it parallel beam. The object placed in a parallel beam, casts a time dependent shadow.
v Signal from the light entering the photocell (receiver) arc proc by a
microprocessor to provide display of the dimension represented by the time
difference between the shadow edges.
v It can provide results to an accuracy of0.25 for 105 0mm diameter objects. It can be
used for objects 0.05mm to 450mm diameter; and offers repeatability of 0.1 m

4. Photo diode away imaging

The system comprises of laser source, imaging optics. photodiode array.
signal
processor and display unit.
v For large parts, two arrays in which one for each edge are used.
Accuracies as high as 0.05 m have been achieved.
5. Diffraction pattern technique
These are used to measure small gaps and small diameter parts. A parallel coherent
laserbeam is diffracted by a small part and a lens on a linear diode array focuses the
resultant pattern.
v Its use is restricted to small wires. The measurement accuracy is more for

smaller parts. The distance between the alternating light and dark hands in the
diffraction pattern is a (tired function of the wile diameter, wavelength of laser
beam and the focal length of the lens.
6. Two- frequency laser interferometer
Fig. shows schematic arrangement. This consists of two frequency laser
head,beam directing and splitting optics, measurement optics, receivers, and
wavelength compensators and electronics.
v It is ideally suited for measuring linear positioning straightness in two planes, pitch
and yaw.

The two-frequency laser head provides one frequency with P polarisation and
another frequency with S-polarisation.
The laser beam is split at the polarizing beam splitter into its two separate
frequencies.
The measuring beam is directed through the interferometer to reflect off a target
mirror or retro reflector attached to the object to be measured.
The reference beam is reflected from fixed retro reflector. The measurement beam
on its return path recombines with the reference beam and is directed to the
electronic receiver.

7. Gauging wide diameter from the diffraction pattern formed in a laser

Fig.(1) shows a method of measuring the diameter of thin wire using the
interference fringes resulting from diffraction of the light by the wire in the laser
beam.
A measure of the diameter can be obtained by moving the photo detector until the
output is restored to its original value.
Changes in wire diameter as small as 0.2% over wire diameter from 0.005 to
0.2mm can be measured.