Ophir Photonics, global leader in precision laser measurement equipment and a Newport Corporation company, today announced at Photonics West the 120K-W Laser Power Meter, the only commercial sensor for measuring very high power 120kW lasers.
120K-W Laser Power Meter
The 120K-W meter is designed for heavy-duty applications, such as deep penetration welding, drilling and cutting large products in the field, metal forming, and military directed-energy applications. The portable meter features a unique design that allows measurement of very high power, fiber, infrared, and Nd:YAG lasers.
"Lasers are pushing the power envelope to unprecedented levels and, as a result, are encouraging new material processing applications in fabricated metals, additive manufacturing, and medical devices," said Ephraim Greenfield, CTO, Ophir Photonics. "Measurement and control are critical at these high powers. But traditional power meters that use absorbing surfaces only measure laser powers up to 30kW. To get to 120kW, we needed a unique design that minimizes back reflections and scattering, as well as dissipates heat. Light is therefore less likely to escape and heat transfer is improved."
The 120K-W Laser Power Meter measures high power beams at a distance past the focal spot of the laser or, alternatively, at a distance from the diverging fiber output where the beam has expanded to about 100mm diameter.
A reflective cone in the meter deflects the laser beam onto the inner circumference of the sensor. This increases the radiated area and reduces the power density to manageable levels. As the cone dissipates the beam, it captures over 99% of the radiation, minimizing safety hazards. The response time of the 120K-W is less than 1 minute, a fraction of the time required by custom, non-commercial systems.
Unlike other high power measurement systems, the 120K-W Laser Power Meter is a compact, portable unit. It consists of a beam dump with overall dimensions of about 50cm diameter x 50cm deep, and a water flow power measurement unit of 11x15x34cm. The meter connects to a PC via RS-232 and is provided with software that displays and graphs the power and water flow rate. A smart connector output displays power readings on any of Ophir's smart displays.