| Viewing Systems provide a method to introduce a camera, or other viewing devices such as monocular or binocular viewers, into the laser beam path for setup and process monitoring. Beam combiner type systems allow constant, real-time viewing, while shuttle type systems provide viewing on demand. A typical beam combiner system features a camera mount incorporated into a beam bender cap, with a special mirror optically coated for reflecting the laser wavelength while transmitting visible light. Alternatively, the coating could be the opposite to allow a camera to be introduced from the side of the beam path (reflecting the visible light while transmitting the laser wavelength). In a shuttle system, a small mirror for reflecting visible light is inserted into the beam path and viewing is performed while the laser is off. |
