Interferometric method for characterizing the smile of laser diode bars

We propose an interferometric method for the characterization of the smile of laser diode bars (LDBs). The LDB is placed in a Lloyd's mirror set-up. The beams coming from the LDB and its virtual image produce Young's fringes, which are captured by a charge-coupled-device array, digitised and saved in a computer as an irradiance matrix. The irradiance matrix is processed in the computer and the smile parameter extracted. The theoretical basis of the method is discussed and simulated fringe patterns of practical situations are presented. A device based on the described interferometric method was mounted and the smile of a commercially available LDB was characterised.