Tutorials
Common Reasons for Thermal Sensor Damage or Out of Tolerance Conditions
This document was created to assist our valued customers in the proper care and maintenance of Ophir thermal laser power sensors. The following information is for reference only. If you have any reason to believe that the sensor is no longer performing within the original specifications,we always recommend that you send it in for repair and/or recalibration by our trained technicians to bring the unit back to the proper NIST traceable standards. We believe that Ophir thermal sensors can be used for many years without any repairs when used with the proper laser optical setup. We hope that this document will enable you to also enjoy the long life and reliable results for which Ophir-Spiricon is known.
Yield Improvement by Online Measurement and Analysis of Laser Energy Using Ophir’s Quasar
by Yoram Shalev, Sales & Marketing Director, Ophir Optronics, LLC
The Quasar wireless Bluetooth laser power and energy measurement interface allows quick and trouble free installation of complex measurement systems in an existing manufacturing environment, with a minimum of cable laying and disturbance to the facility’s operations.

This was demonstrated in a project undertaken recently, and is a typical example of what of multi-user systems see in the field.
QUASAR Laser power measurement through the air
One of the inconveniences in the measurement of laser power and energy is what to do with the cables connecting the display to the sensor. These cables are of a limited flexibility and they clutter the workspace where the measurement is to be done. Sometimes, due to their stiffness, a motion of the cable moves the sensors and misaligns the set up.
Ophir PD300 Photodiode Sensor Spectral Response
By Dr. Ephraim Greenfield, CTO, Ophir Optronics
Ophir Photodiode sensors use silicon, germanium and InGaAs sensors together with built in and removable filters. The spectral response of these type of sensors vary widely with wavelength. When used with our smart displays or PC interfaces, the sensitivity factor for the relevant wavelength is automatically set when the user inputs the laser wavelength.
How to Select Power/Energy Sensors
By Yoram Shalev, Sales & Marketing Director, Ophir Optronics, LLC
The need to accurately measure laser power and energy has increased as more of these systems are used in medical procedures and industrial processes. Although a fairly simple process, this measurement is not as straightforward as an electric power measurement. With lasers, more attention must be paid to the selection of the right sensor as since different sensors perform different measurements. Selecting the wrong sensor can destroy the laser.
RP Sensors – when should they be used?
By Dr. Ephraim Greenfield, CTO, Ophir Optronics
The RP sensors (RP for Rapid Pulse) are a specialty but unique type of energy sensor that can fill an important niche in laser power/energy measurement.  RP sensors are rather expensive and bulky and have other limitations and therefore are not the preferred solution when a pyroelectric sensor will do. However, there are situations where it is the only energy sensor that can be used.

The main situations in which RP sensors are useful are
  1. For very long pulses >10ms and very large duty cycles  such as are typical in many pulsed diode laser applications.
  2. For very high average powers greater than 50W with repetitive lasers.
  3. When you want to measure the temporal pulse shape as well as the power and energy.
  4. When you want to monitor for missing pulses
Power and Energy Meters: From Sensors to PC
By Ilan Haber, Ophir Optronics Ltd

From the time of its invention, more than 30 years ago, the laser power meter was generally
comprised of two parts: a measurement head and a display box. It was always considered
better to have such an arrangement with a cable connecting the two because of the hazardous
nature of the laser beam. As the display of the results is separated from the measurement
head, so are the eyes of the operator separated from the laser beam.

Now that the PC is an indispensable part of the office and the laboratory, it is important to be
able to integrate measurement instruments to the PC, particularly instruments that can gather
large volumes of data. There is a need for a unified connectivity architecture wherein all
measurement heads are compatible with all display boxes and are then easily connected to the
PC.

Power and Energy Meters: From Sensors to Displays
By Burt Mooney, Ophir-Spiricon, LLC

From the time the first laser was built, physicists probably thought, “That’s great!  Now how do we measure it?” Thus laser power and energy meters were born.

Since lasers are good sources of concentrated heat, it was probably assumed that heat sensing methods would best be employed for measurement. The simplest device to measure heat is a thermocouple. A simple device to measure light is a photodiode. So, some enterprising engineer designed and built such a device. Then they needed an instrument to display the results and give rapid feedback in order to tweak, align, or adjust the laser for maximum output. Early displays were basically analog meters that had a needle on a dial that went from left to right as the laser power went up.

 
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