Results of the Razor Blade Beam Scan

The horizontal blade test measured the beam intensity as a razor blade passed in between it and a power meter from the left side of the beam (negative x values) until blocking it. The resulting function, found through least-squares regression of the error function, calculates a beam height of 3.6 mm +/- 16 mm. However, the function has a chi-squared value of 3.2, so that value may not be accurate.

The vertical blade test measured beam intensity as a razor moved from below the beam (negative x values) until blocking it. This function, found the same way as above, calculates a beam width of 2.8mm +/- 9.6 mm, and has chi-squared value of 0.77.

Both data sets have a y-error of 0.5 micro-Watts, and an x-error of 0.127 mm. The Python code used to analyze the data and plot the results is attached.

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#   Python code for finding Gaussian-beam   #
# 		spot size w(z) from intensity 		#
# 		 vs. blocked portion of beam  		#
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#           Coded by Mike Jenson            #
#############################################

import numpy as np
from scipy.special import erf