Patent ID: 11022772

Abstract:
A method of aligning an optical component in a laser system using diffraction patterns of alignment references includes: placing a first alignment reference in the path of a laser beam upstream of an optical component, the first alignment reference having first reference features forming a first diffraction pattern when illuminated by the laser beam; placing a second alignment reference in the path of the laser beam downstream of the first alignment reference and the optical component, the second alignment reference having second reference features forming a second diffraction pattern when illuminated by the laser beam; illuminating the alignment references and optical component with the laser beam; monitoring the combined diffraction pattern of the reference features of the alignment references downstream of the second alignment reference; and adjusting the relative position and/or orientation of the optical component towards the combined diffraction pattern indicating alignment of the optical component to the laser beam. There is also disclosed a system of diffraction-based alignment references for aligning an optical component in a laser system.