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Thread: Alignment

  1. #1
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    Laser Warning Alignment

    I have a Coherent enterprise 2 that the mirror alignment got out of adjustment. My other two have auto peaking. Does anyone know a way to align it with a HeNe without HR or OC removal. These are sealed and can't be removed. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

  2. #2
    mixedgas's Avatar
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    Hene or a say 5 mw green 532nm dpss comes in from the front. A greenee works well for this because they wink out quickly from back reflections. That pop out plug on the rear case is there for a reason, it lets the beam out.

    Assume, for as long as you can, that no one in their right mind moved the front OC mirror.

    Put the alignment laser along side the Coherent on a secure mount. Use two mm1 type mounts on posts as fold mirrors to get the height adjust and bore centering. You need the extra long path.
    Make sure you have a sticker with a pinhole on the hene's output to see the return beam.

    There is provision on most of them for a small amount of manual rock and scan built into the rear mirror mount, just don't stress the bellows too much by slamming the mount around.

    You may see a very dim reflection of the plasma light from the rear mirror out the oc. Its very faint. Depends on the mirror set. Pros would probably try an autocollimator.

    Extreme patience required. If you've never aligned a white light before, well, its not that easy at first. Don't be afraid to walk away and try again another day. Be sure the shutter is open, too.

    I'd rock the rear plate vertically while scanning the horizontal screw, assuming the previous owner followed the book and never touched the Oc.
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  3. #3
    mixedgas's Avatar
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    Ps, you have extra reflections to cope with' and as you get close you may see a lissajous pattern of aiming beam dots. A rule of thumb is to collapse that pattern into one dot if possible.

    Steve

  4. #4
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    Align hene, rock and scan, realign hene, rock and scan, and always remember that there is an angle or wedge built into the two faces of the OC.

  5. #5
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    Laser Warning Thank you!

    Quote Originally Posted by mixedgas View Post
    Align hene, rock and scan, realign hene, rock and scan, and always remember that there is an angle or wedge built into the two faces of the OC.

    Thank you Steve I will give that a go this weekend!

  6. #6
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    If there is a steel stud or a thumb tab coming out of the rear mirror movable plate, that's your vertical sweep aid.

    Steve

  7. #7
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    Well Steve I'm closer

    I popped the rear plug out and set up a HeNe as you said, but I'm afraid the output coupler was moved at some time. Right now I get a good beam all the way through the bore and passes through the HR so I have a dim dot knowing that it's making it down that long axial bore. I tried so many tweaks so far but tomorrow is another day and I get you warning, walk away and try again later. The odd thing is my reflection going back into the pinhole has four vertically stacked dots, no doubt many mirror reflections. but no matter how I turn the HR and walk it as you described I always end up with four clean dots. I cant get them to converge as one. So I'm thinking the O.C. is off. I now how much fun aligning my white light was just when you think it's hopeless you rock it and finally get a flicker so I will keep at it. Any Idea's about the output coupler and dots not converging. Thanks in advance!

    Meanwhile I have a full RGB 1 watt projector pushing graphics through my ethernet dac and laptop with an ILDA link to the projector. Very cool I will get some sequences posted.

    I hope I don't upset the forum but thought you might like to see my Phantom three with custom lighting I made and 3d printed brackets. ENJOY!

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    Last edited by dhg6; 10-13-2017 at 19:41.

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