Low speckle line generation using a semiconductor laser source

Gordon Craggs, Youri Meuret, Jan Danckaert, Guy Verschaffelt

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference paper

Abstract

In this contribution we show that we can design a low speckle line generator based on the reduced spatial coherence of a broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (BA-VCSEL). This type of semiconductor laser can be driven into a special operation regime, a regime of low spatial coherence, which has already been shown to have a speckle reducing effect for image projection applications. However, the effectiveness of reducing speckle strongly depends on the line generating optics. Therefore we compare different line generating optical systems on their potential to use spatially incoherent laser emission for speckle reduction. These systems are: a single cylindrical lens, a tandem cylindrical lens array or a diffuser based line generator. We also compare these results with the speckle occurring if we replace the partial spatially coherent VCSEL with a single mode laser or with a multi-mode VCSEL. We finally draw conclusions on the design of the most optimal optical system. The results of our study are also valid for other sources of partial spatially coherent emission.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProc. SPIE, 2012
PublisherSPIE
Volume8433
ISBN (Print)978-0-8194-9125-1
Publication statusPublished - 2012
EventSPIE Laser Sources and Applications - Brussels, Belgium
Duration: 16 Apr 201219 Apr 2012

Publication series

NameProc. SPIE, 2012

Conference

ConferenceSPIE Laser Sources and Applications
Country/TerritoryBelgium
CityBrussels
Period16/04/1219/04/12

Keywords

  • SURFACE-EMITTING LASER; INCOHERENT EMISSION REGIME
  • BROAD-AREA VCSEL; PROJECTION; REDUCTION

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