Far-field characterization of diode lasers with standard vidicons

Abstract
An experimental apparatus employing a standard sulfide imaging tube to characterize the real-time far-field patterns of laser diodes is described. The proposed measuring technique provides a dynamic range of 25 dB and an angular resolution of 0.1°. Compensation techniques for the tube’s nonuniform gamma factor and optical linearization of the tube’s inherent angular distortion are described.