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Definition: safety devices for automatically switching off a laser power or interrupting a laser beam
The interlock of a laser is a mechanism which can contribute to laser safety by automatically switching off the laser or by blocking a laser beam, e.g. when a protective box or a door is opened. Commercial lasers often have interlock connections on the back side of the laser driver (i.e. the electronic controls). This is suitable e.g. for connecting an electrical contact which is installed at a door. In some cases, one uses numerical pads which allow legitimate (and correspondingly informed) users to override the interlock if they know a certain code.
As interlocks can be very annoying in real life, they are often manipulated. Therefore, their usefulness for laser safety should not be overestimated.
See also: laser safety
