Power Sensors: What Are They and What Do They Measure?

Laser power sensors measure the power or energy level of laser beams in various applications. There are different types of power sensors, each tailored for different needs.
Let’s discuss the two types of power sensors Ophir offers – thermal sensors and photodiode sensors.

Measuring Low Power with Photodiode Sensors

Use cases differ based on the power you need to measure.
Photodiode sensors are used for low powers from picowatts up to hundreds of milliwatts, and as high as 3W depending on the model. Most of our photodiode sensors have a built-in filter that reduces the light level on the detector, enabling measurements at higher powers without saturation.

Thermal Sensors for High-Power Measurement

Thermal sensors are used for fractions of a milliwatt up to many thousands of watts, and can also measure single-shot energy at pulse rates not more than once every 5 seconds.

Ophir’s BeamTrack is an example of a thermal sensor, but in addition to measuring power it also measures beam position and beam size. This sensor provides you a range of information on your laser beam, for example, centering, position, wander, size, power and single shot energy.

Repetitive Pulse Measurement Using Pyroelectric Sensors

If you have the need to measure repetitive pulses, pyroelectric energy sensors are for you!
Pyroelectric sensors measure the energy per pulse of repetitively pulsed lasers up to 25,000Hz, and they are sensitive to low energies.

And – If a pyroelectric sensor can measure a given beam’s energy per pulse, it can also be used to measure its average power.