Piezo-based, automated active alignment of laser resonators

Today, the assembly of laser systems is dominated by manual operations, involving alignment by means of adjustable mountings. From an economical point of view, an automated assembly of laser systems defines a promising approach to produce more reliable units at lower cost. However, the step from today's manual solutions towards an automated assembly requires parallel developments regarding product design, automation equipment as well as assembly processes. This work introduces the concept of a technical systems as a new approach towards highly flexible automation. Technically, the work focuses on the precision assembly of laser resonators, which is one of the last and at the same time the most crucial assembly step in terms of beam quality and laser power. An alternative approach for laser resonator alignment consisting of a piezo-based active alignment tool is presented. The results show that the time and the complexity of laser resonator assembly can be reduced significantly. Compared with other methods of resonator alignment, a subsequent realignment is possible after misalignment which may occur e.g. due to thermal effects.