High Energy Laser Test Support Equipment Beam Diagnostic Program.

A twelve-month program has been conducted to develop an optical diagnostic device for measuring the quality and jitter of a high energy laser beam. The beam diagnostic device developed consists of two sets of variable frequency, electromechanical scanners mounted in an orthogonal configuration, such that scans can be taken of a focused beam in both X and Y directions. The scanning system, its tracking of the beam centroid, data acquisition, and beam quality and beam jitter calculations are controlled by a PDP8e minicomputer. A fully computer-controlled system has been found to be essential, since a large quantity of data is required for determination of beam quality and beam jitterwander. The breadboard device was fabricated and assembled and underwent preliminary testing and checkout in the laboratory using a HeNe laser. Following this, the device was moved to the Capistrano Test Site for design verification testinf using a chemical laser. A hot firing was conducted on 6 June 1975 with the diagnostic device operating under full computer control. All expected data were obtained.