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Variable Laser Attenuators

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Variable Laser Attenuators

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To adjust the laser power down to the level required for a specific application, neutral density filters or other devices are often used to reduce the pump power. These techniques typically do not allow for continuous control of the laser power. On the other hand, variable laser attenuators consist of essentially two optical components, a half waveplate, and a polarizer with a good extinction ratio, and allow for continuous power control for linearly polarized lasers. The principle of operation of a laser attenuator is based on Malus's law. In this case, the intensity I of the polarized light that passes through the polarizer is given by I = I0(cosθ)2 where I0 is the input intensity, and θ is the angle between the beam's initial direction of polarization and the axis of the polarizer. Rotation of a half waveplate allows for continuous rotation of the beam's polarization direction.

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