August, 2004

EEEL Holds Annual Laser Measurement Short Course

The 19th annual Laser Measurement Short Course, sponsored by EEEL's Optoelectronics Division, was held at NIST on August 3 through 6. The three-and-one-half-day course emphasized the concepts, techniques, and apparatus used in measuring laser parameters and included a visit to the NIST laser measurement laboratories. The most comprehensive seminar of its type, this course is ideal for individuals who need to understand the characteristics of lasers and laser measurements or who are responsible for laser systems.

The seminar is taught by laser experts from NIST, industry, and other government agencies and is intended to meet the needs of metrologists, scientists, engineers, laboratory technicians, educators, managers, and planners involved in the use of laser systems. Students from industry, national laboratories, and the military were in attendance. The curriculum included various laser measurement topics, such as laser power and energy determination, beam profile characterization, optics used with lasers, pulse measurement analysis, and laser safety.

The continued success of the short course is indicative of the ongoing need for this type of information and training within the photonics industry. The short course is taught primarily by division staff members and is held annually in Boulder, CO in August. The course has proved to be an excellent vehicle for publicizing NIST laser measurement capabilities and for gathering information on measurement requirements from a wide assortment of laser users. Plans are now underway to present the course again next year.

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